SARASOTA, Fla. - The due date has arrived for Orioles pitchers and catchers. They’re required to report today unless they have visa issues. There’s usually one in every crowd.

Not that the complex has been empty. Players arrive early, including the ones rehabbing from surgery. Physicals are taken and the back fields are occupied. Tossing a baseball back and forth in the morning feeds the senses.

The media gains access early Thursday. It isn’t like those Fort Lauderdale days when beat writers and columnists stood inside the clubhouse and waited for someone to show up with their bags. They’d usually just phone the manager and say, “I’m here.”

They meant the state of Florida. Guys weren’t in a big hurry to check into the outdated and dilapidated facility.

Beyond some roster competitions this spring, and there don’t appear to be many, is the battle for the Opening Day start. This is assuming that a decision isn’t already made and spring performances could factor into it.

Sarasota County Government’s annual economic report, which took place from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, found that the Orioles generated more than $76 million in economic impact and produced more than 1,080 jobs in the state of Florida, including an impact of more than $61 million and 1,030 jobs in Sarasota County.

The analysis measures the total impact generated by the Orioles’ year-round operations in Sarasota, highlighted by the team’s Spring Training efforts, minor league training facility, and numerous events at Ed Smith Stadium and the Buck O'Neil Baseball Complex.

“As an organization, some of the most important things that we do are those that go beyond the playing field,” said CATIE GRIGGS, Orioles President of Business Operations. “Our impact in Sarasota and the State of Florida, both from an economic and community standpoint, are great examples of that. It is something that we are very proud of and look forward to expanding in the future.”

In addition to their Spring Training operations, the Orioles make it a priority to give back to the Sarasota community. This past fall, in response to the devastating impact of Hurricane Milton, the Orioles partnered with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support relief efforts through Season of Sharing, a long-running initiative that provides support to neighbors in need. The Orioles committed an initial $250,000 and encouraged their players, coaches, fans, and front office staff to donate, matching every additional dollar raised up to another $250,000. In total, the Orioles’ efforts raised more than $1.2 million to aid those impacted and support ongoing relief efforts. In an effort to provide additional, long-term support all net proceeds from the Orioles’ 2025 Spring Training 50/50 raffle will be donated to All Faiths Food Bank.

Ed Smith Stadium was also used as a staging area for Florida Power & Light, while the Twins Lakes Complex was used as a staging site for forestry operations and emergency staff meal preparation.

Baltimore’s plans for the 2024 season drastically changed in August of 2023. 

After 56 games as the best reliever in baseball, Félix Bautista walked off the mound after missing with 102 up and away. The then 28-year-old had just one strike to go to finish out his appearance against the Rockies. Instead, The Mountain’s season was over. As was his 2024. 

Bautista’s 6 '8 void was never going to be filled by just one pitcher. 

Baltimore added a 2023 All-Star in Craig Kimbrel to be their primary closer. Kimbrel, after posting a 2.80 ERA in the first half, struggled mightily once the calendar hit mid-July. And at the deadline, the O’s acquired Seranthony Domínguez and Gregory Soto from the Phillies. The duo combined to appear in 48 games with Domínguez saving 10. Despite performing well, it would have been a stretch to hope that they could replicate Bautista’s 1.48 ERA from the season prior. 

Ultimately, the only pitcher that can replicate the dominance of Bautista is the man himself, and the O’s weren’t able to replicate his dominance in 2024. Coming off Tommy John surgery, it may take a little while longer to truly see Bautista back to pitching like only The Mountain can. 

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• INF Emmanuel Rivera has cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. He has been invited to major league Spring Training.
• Agreed to terms on a 2025 minor league contract with RHP Dylan Coleman. He has been invited to major league Spring Training.

Kids say the darndest things, don’t they?

A question-and-answer session with Orioles fans at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery left the door open for all sorts of wild sound bites. For the kids asking Jackson Holliday questions, queries ranged from why the phenom wanted to play baseball to his pets at home. His dog is named Coconut, for the record.  

“Jackson, are you a grown man?” asked a fan no older than 6, as laughter filled the room. Holliday met the question with a chuckle.  

After being selected first overall in the MLB Draft out of high school in 2022, the phenom rose to the major leagues just two years later. So by major league standards, the former top prospect is far from “grown.”  

Entering the 2024 season, Holliday was the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball. The former first-overall pick had a meteoric rise through the minor leagues in 2023, soaring through four different levels of the farm in 125 total games. Expectations for 2024 couldn’t have been higher. It was almost impossible for the numbers to match the hype.  

The opportunities to empty the offseason mailbag are dwindling. Spring training is right around the corner. Who’s excited?

That’s my only question. The rest must come from the readers.

You ask, I try to answer, and we have the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original.

I don’t tamper with length, style, clarity or brevity. I usually don’t bother to shower. This is a very casual mailbag.

Also, my mailbag reports early and yours has visa problems and a maxed-out AMEX card.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Claimed RHP Roansy Contreras off waivers from the New York Yankees.
• Designated OF Daz Cameron for assignment.
• INF Luis Vázquez has cleared outright waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. He has been invited to major league Spring Training.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

The Orioles outfield is crowded. 

Three everyday starters occupy patches of grass in left, center, and right field. As the 4th outfielder, how can one of the best prospects in the game prove himself without consistent at-bats? 

If this conversation about Heston Kjerstad sounds familiar, it’s because I wasn’t talking about Heston Kjerstad. It’s the conversation that many of us were having at this time last year surrounding Colton Cowser.  

Austin Hays was fresh off an All-Star campaign in 2023. Cedric Mullins hadn’t relinquished his grasp on his center field role since his breakout season in 2021. Anthony Santander had played over 300 games in 2022 and 2023, combining for 61 home runs and a .785 OPS. The starting outfield was set in proverbial stone.  

If Colton Cowser was going to prove himself at the big league level, he was going to have to earn his playing time.  

The Orioles have constructed a full 40-man roster with a revolving door at the end of it.

They began January by signing veteran starter Charlie Morton and designating catcher René Pinto for assignment. The Diamondbacks claimed Pinto on waivers. The Orioles claimed pitcher Roansy Contreras and designated infielder Liván Soto, who was outrighted after clearing waivers. They signed reliever Andrew Kittredge and designated catcher Blake Hunt before trading him to the Mariners. They claimed infielder Jacob Amaya and designated Contreras, who was claimed by the Yankees. They signed outfielder Dylan Carlson and designated Amaya, and they acquired infielder Luis Vazquez in a trade with the Cubs and designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera.

This brings us to February.

The White Sox claimed Amaya, and Vazquez was designated when the Orioles signed outfielder Ramón Laureano. We aren’t even a week into the month.

Let’s take the latest look at the 40-man roster, which used to contain four catchers but now holds seven outfielders.

Unlike your neighbor’s golden retriever, Zach Eflin despises walks. 

“I hate giving people a free pass … It really comes down to… I don’t like giving in to guys and just letting them take first base,” Eflin said with a smile in his first interaction with Baltimore reporters after being traded to the O’s back in July.

The right-hander went on to toss over 55 innings for the Orioles in the second half of last season. In that stretch, Eflin only walked 11 batters. The veteran’s aptitude for limiting free passes helped him allow just 16 total earned runs in his nine starts in Orioles orange. 

Nearly 100 pitchers in baseball had a fastball of at least 95 mph last season, but Eflin doesn’t pitch that way. The righty boasts a six-pitch arsenal, but none exceed an average of 93 mph. He won’t rack up the strikeout numbers, nor tout a huge whiff rate. 

Eflin excels at commanding the strike zone. His 3.5% walk rate put him in the 98th percentile in the majors in 2024. And when he did move out of the zone, he did so intentionally, to the tune of a 32.6% chase rate according to Statcast, good for the 88th percentile in baseball. 

The Orioles today announced that they have invited 26 non-roster players to MLB Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes 10 right-handed pitchers, two left-handed pitchers, four catchers, five infielders, and five outfielders. A complete list of the Orioles’ 26 non-roster players for 2025 Spring Training is below:

Pitchers (12)

LHP Raúl Alcantara
RHP Justin Armbruester
RHP Matt Bowman
LHP Jakob Hernandez
RHP Yaramil Hiraldo
RHP Corbin Martin
RHP Robinson Martínez
RHP Rodolfo Martinez
RHP Levi Stoudt
RHP Carlos Tavera
RHP Thaddeus Ward
RHP Nathan Webb

Catchers (4)

Silas Ardoin
David Bañuelos
Samuel Basallo
Maverick Handley

Outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., the Orioles’ first-round draft pick in 2023, highlights their list of spring training invites.

Twenty-six non-roster players will report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota – 10 right-handers, two left-handers, four catchers, five infielders and five outfielders. Other players could be added later if the Orioles finalize another minor league contract.

Infielder Terrin Vavra is the most recent example, agreeing to terms yesterday on a minor league deal with a spring invitation.

Bradfield is the No. 6 prospect in the organization, according to Baseball America. MLB Pipeline’s final 2024 ranks placed Bradfield fourth.

The Orioles summoned Bradfield from the Twin Lakes side last spring, and he played in the Spring Breakout game.

The Orioles today announced that they have invited 26 non-roster players to MLB Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes 10 right-handed pitchers, two left-handed pitchers, four catchers, five infielders, and five outfielders. A complete list of the Orioles’ 26 non-roster players for 2025 Spring Training is below:

Baltimore’s current Spring Training roster is attached. Orioles pitchers and catchers are scheduled to hold their first workout on Thursday, February 13, while the first full-squad workout will be held on Tuesday, February 18. The Orioles are slated to open 2025 Grapefruit League play at Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday, February 22, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Let Albert Suárez be clear about this again. Practice for the next time that he’s asked.

Would he rather start or relieve? Relieve or start?

Does it matter to him?

“Not really,” Suárez replied at Friday night’s Birdland Caravan stop at PBR Baltimore. “Like last year, it didn’t matter, either. I was just ready for anytime. So this year will be the same mentality.”

Bets could be won by challenging fans to name the Oriole who made the second-most starts last season behind Corbin Burnes’ 32. Súarez tied with Dean Kremer at 24, and his 32 appearances tied Burnes for first among pitchers who didn’t work exclusively in relief.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• Agreed to terms on a 2025 minor league contract with INF Terrin Vavra.

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with outfielder RAMÓN LAUREANO on a one-year major league contract for the 2025 season with a club option for 2026.

Laureano (pronounced lah-reh-AH-no), 30, slashed .259/.311/.437 (74-for-286) with 16 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 35 runs scored, 33 RBI, 15 walks, seven hit-by-pitches, and eight stolen bases in 98 games between the Cleveland Guardians and Atlanta Braves last season. He opened the season with the Guardians and batted .143 (10-for-31) in 31 games before being designated for assignment on May 20. After being released, Laureano signed a minor league deal with the Braves on May 29, before having his contract selected from Triple-A Gwinnett on June 15. He hit .296/.327/.505 (64-for-216) in 67 games after joining Atlanta. Laureano spent time on the 10-day Injured List from July 9-18, with a left oblique muscle strain. In 2024, he appeared in 67 games (39 starts) in right field, 26 games (all starts) in left field, and 14 games (9 starts) in center field while tallying seven outfield assists between the two teams.

Laureano is a seven-year major leaguer with the Athletics, Guardians, and Braves. Over his career, he’s appeared in 353 games in center field, 242 in right field, and 26 in left field. His 49 outfield assists since he debuted in 2018 are the fifth most in MLB during that time. He was originally selected by the Houston Astros in the 16^th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. The A’s acquired him for right-handed pitcher Brandon Bailey on November 20, 2017. Cleveland claimed him off waivers on August 7, 2023.

To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder LUIS VÁZQUEZ was designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

The play still haunts Jordan Westburg and serves as a hard lesson.

Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals’ young star, reached on a tie-breaking infield single with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the Wild Card series. Westburg’s throw to first base was late as Kyle Isbel crossed the plate in a 2-1 loss that completed the sweep at Camden Yards.

Westburg keeps replaying it in his head, with the same result. He made a diving stop on a ground ball up the middle with runners on the corners, and Gunnar Henderson raced to second base in case Westburg tried for the force.

“Witt is fast,” Westburg told the media while standing at his locker inside a quiet clubhouse. “I got to the ball and made a stop. It’s kind of sandwiched in between dirt and my glove. Didn’t pick it clean right away. Probably took an extra half second to kind of get my feet underneath me and try and get off a throw and he was too fast. Yeah, I want to make that play. It’s a tough play. I’m trying not to beat myself up over that.”

"I was in the hole a little bit, so I was doing my best over there to get it," Henderson said. "Felt like whatever way he decided to go. Obviously the guy at first (Michael Massey) can run and Bobby obviously can run really well. Just tough play."

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• INF Jacob Amaya claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox.

The latest health updates on Orioles recovering from injuries or surgeries will be shared on the first day of spring training. Media access begins Feb. 13.

Nothing passed along at this point has sounded the alarms.

Jorge Mateo seems to be the largest question mark regarding Opening Day availability as he recovers from Aug. 28 surgery to correct a dislocated left elbow. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said Thursday that Mateo’s “not going to be a hundred percent citizen of spring training, but he’ll be ramping up and we’ll be able to address whether or not he’s going to break for exact Opening Day a little bit later.”

That crowded infield might have found its solution. Too soon to know.

Closer Félix Bautista also needs to ramp up after reporting and is going to be on a slower spring pace than his teammates, but he’s expected to be ready for March 27 in Toronto.

The maturity of Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday can reveal itself in many ways.

On Friday night, it happened behind a bar at PBR Baltimore during a Birdland Caravan stop. Holliday is old enough to drink alcohol – and certainly to pour, which he was busy doing.

The kid turned 21 in December. He won’t be relegated to sipping “Bird Bath” water, unless he chooses it, if another clinching celebration erupts in the clubhouse.

Holliday will report to spring training as the favorite to win the second base job, but it’s a competition. He probably can’t afford to have a terrible camp with the team well-stocked in infielders, even after designating Emmanuel Rivera for assignment.

It would get a little trickier if Jorge Mateo isn’t ready for Opening Day, but still manageable. And there’s always the waiver wire.