masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgNASHVILLE – The Orioles chose outfielder Joey Rickard from the Tampa Bay Rays organization in today’s Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings.
Rickard, 24, batted a combined .321/.427/.447 with 28 doubles, eight triples, two home runs, 55 RBIs and 23 stolen bases at three levels of the Rays system, including Triple-A Durham. He hit .360/.437/.472 with six doubles, two triples and 11 RBIs in 29 games with the Bulls.
Rickard plays all three outfield positions. It’s clear that he’s got speed and…

NASHVILLE – The Orioles chose outfielder Joey Rickard from the Tampa Bay Rays organization in today’s Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings.

Rickard, 24, batted a combined .321/.427/.447 with 28 doubles, eight triples, two home runs, 55 RBIs and 23 stolen bases at three levels of the Rays system, including Triple-A Durham. He hit .360/.437/.472 with six doubles, two triples and 11 RBIs in 29 games with the Bulls.

Rickard plays all three outfield positions. It’s clear that he’s got speed and on-base capabilities, but limited power.

Baseballs glove.jpgIn four minor league seasons, Rickard has batted .283/.390/.397 with 13 home runs in 359 games.

The Rays selected Rickard, a Las Vegas native, in the ninth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona.

The Orioles were more likely to pass on a pitcher with Dylan Bundy ticketed for the bullpen. They remain in the market for at least one outfielder as the Winter Meetings end and have trade and free agent offers on the table.

Rickard must stay on the Orioles’ roster all season or be offered back to the Rays for $25,000.

The Angels selected first baseman Ji-Man Choi, the former Mariners prospect in the second round of the Rule 5 draft. The Orioles signed him to a minor league deal last month and placed him on Triple-A Norfolk’s roster.

Choi, 24, hit .302/.404/.481 in 335 career games over five minor league seasons.

Update: The Orioles took right-hander Cory Jones from the Cardinals organization and left-hander Chipper Smith from the Marlins in the Triple-A phase. They lost Baysox left-hander Adam Kolarek to the Rays, catcher David Freitas to the Cubs and right-hander Santiago Garrido to the Tigers.

Jones, 24, is 9-4 with a 3.81 ERA in 21 starts over three seasons. He didn’t pitch in 2015.

Smith, 25, was a combined 5-7 with a 4.39 ERA with two teams this summer. He pitched at the high Single-A and Double-A levels.

Freitas was the PTBNL in the Jim Johnson trade with the Athletics.