One year ago, Trey Mancini was a prospect at first base and uncertain whether the 25-man roster could hold him on opening day. Chris Davis blocked him at his natural position, Mark Trumbo was ticketed for designated hitter duties and organizational debate centered on the wisdom of his part-time role in the majors versus regular at-bats in Triple-A. There's been a dramatic shift as the Orioles near another spring training. Mancini is one of the certainties on a roster that still requires...

MLB.com's top 100 prospects had three Nationals players on their list, including center fielder Victor Robles at No. 6. Also making the list was outfielder Juan Soto at No. 29 and shortstop Carter Kieboom at No. 90. I checked in with MLB Network analyst and former Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd to break down each of these players. O'Dowd got the chance to see Robles play first-hand in the Arizona Fall League. "I think they have a future star on their hands," O'Dowd said. "I...

It's the new game that's sweeping the nation! Well, maybe not quite, but it seemed to get positive reviews when it debuted yesterday. So we might as well go ahead and do Part 2 of "Better, Worse or the Same." If you missed yesterday's installment, we looked at each of the eight positions on the field (minus pitcher) and asked whether the Nationals likely would be better, worse or the same in 2018 at each position as they were in 2017. The final tally: three positions should be better...

The Orioles went into the offseason showing more of a willingness to part with a bullpen piece in order to satisfy other roster needs, dealing from a strength while running the risk of weakening a unit that's needed to prop up a shaky rotation. They listened to offers for closer Zach Britton and setup man Brad Brach. They turned a clogged ear to overtures for Mychal Givens, but otherwise were open to making a move that impacted the back end. Britton ruptured his Achilles tendon while running...

Here is an interesting fact about Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey. He has already been ranked by Baseball America among the club's top four prospects four times. This despite having never pitched through a full season and having not yet pitched above low Single-A baseball. Clearly there is plenty of talent and potential here even if there is not yet an abundance of innings or game experience. But this could be a season where - knock on wood - Harvey pitches start to finish and rises...

The Nationals will have another experienced catcher on their camp roster this spring. Just not either of the experienced catchers they have routinely been linked to all winter. The Nats have signed Miguel Montero to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp, electing to take a low-risk flyer on the former Diamondback, Cub and Blue Jay after watching Alex Avila sign with Arizona and Miami refuse to lower its asking price for J.T. Realmuto. Montero won't be threatening Matt...

The Orioles are inviting 19 non-roster players to their major league camp later this month, increasing to 35 the number of pitchers filtering into the Ed Smith Stadium complex. More starters are expected to show up later with Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman the only confirmed members of the rotation. The club also might want to add a couple of mounds. The list of non-roster invitees includes outfield prospects DJ Stewart and Cedric Mullins and third baseman Ryan Mountcastle. The complete list is...

The Orioles today announced that they have invited 19 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes five left-handed pitchers, six right-handed pitchers, one catcher, five infielders, and two outfielders. A complete list of the Orioles' non-roster invitees for 2018 Spring Training is below: PITCHERS (11) LHP Jayson AquinoLHP Josh EdginLHP Andrew FaulknerRHP Jeff FerrellRHP Eddie GamboaRHP Perci GarnerLHP Jason GurkaRHP Jhan MariñezRHP Tim...

Are the 2018 Nationals going to be better than the 2017 Nationals? Are they going to be worse? Are they going to be about the same? When you really boil things down to the basics, that's what everyone is trying to figure out before the new season gets underway. Teams can improve or be diminished based on their offseason transactions, but change also is possible from returning players who either disappointed or overachieved last year. Given how little the Nationals roster has changed since the...

The lack of confirmed starters for the Orioles rotation is both a concern and a source of comedic material. "It's definitely a little weird, but I'm sure in the next couple weeks we'll probably sign some other guys," Kevin Gausman said at FanFest. "But yeah, it's definitely a little weird right now for sure. I think I've had probably 50 people in the last, I haven't even been here a day, but say something about me pitching every two days. That's the running joke around town I guess...