Hunter Harvey said he feels healthy and ready for the new season

Orioles right-hander Hunter Harvey is feeling healthy and ready to start the 2019 season. Certainly, knock on wood when you say that. Several physical ailments, including Tommy John surgery and later elbow, shoulder and forearm issues at various times, have limited him in recent seasons.

Harvey posted a 5.57 ERA in nine starts for Double-A Bowie in 2018 and threw 32 1/3 innings. He's pitched just 63 2/3 innings since the start of the 2015 season.

So he's hoping this is the year to be healthy from beginning to end and remind the Orioles why they selected him in round one in 2013.

"Feeling really good," Harvey said today at FanFest. "Body feels good. Actually got on the mound this past week and have two bullpens in now. Feeling good. Worked my butt off this offseason again and hopefully just trying to prevent injuries. It's been tough the last few years and hopefully we can put everything together this year. I haven't felt anything other than normal soreness now."

So it's not hard for Harvey to provide an answer to his main goal for 2019.

"One of the main things is to stay healthy. I'd like to pitch a full season. Hopefully it's at the big league level. But just want to pitch a full season," the 24-year-old Harvey said, adding that he hired a personal trainer this offseason to help with shoulder stabilization.

Harvey said he feels the stuff that got him drafted in round one is still there.

"I feel like it's better," he said. "Just everything. Even though I wasn't playing and throwing, I got to work on my mechanics. I know that stuff is still there. Everything now is feeling as good as it's ever been."

Unlike many Orioles, Harvey has at least some of a previous relationship with the Orioles new manager Brandon Hyde.

"Brandon Hyde was my brother (Kris') first manager in Greensboro. I remember meeting him, but I was little. So I'm kind of familiar," he said.

The Orioles announced FanFest attendance as 8,000.