O's must get creative again with players shut out of camps

The Orioles are streaming players from their summer training camp site at Camden Yards to the facility in Bowie, offering some hints about their intentions at a couple of positions.

Players aren't trapped inside Prince George's Stadium. The Orioles can bring them back as options for the opening day roster. But they've tumbled down the power rankings.

While the Bowie camp is set up to keep guys ready in case a spot opens on the major league club later in the summer or to push along the developmental process with its prospects, most notably catcher Adley Rutschman, there are others in the system who are left on the outside.

One of the most common questions that I've fielded about the changes in baseball in 2020 relates to lower-level prospects, draft picks and others who were excluded from the 60-player pool, which currently has seven openings.

Can those players work out at the secondary camp site?

The short answer is "no."

The extremely short answer.

These players basically are on their own in terms of a workout location. They can stay home or, if they're lucky, find a facility that's open for business.

The Orioles should be applauded - and they'd welcome the sound with fans excluded from games - for how they kept players engaged throughout the shutdown period. The video calls and apps tracking their workouts. Zooms designed to improve their skills off the field.

Improvements on it will require more creativity. The Orioles will rely again on remote coaching methods.

Major League Baseball allows limited access to the spring facilities only for true rehab cases. However, the Sarasota complex has remained closed since March 12.

Reliever Zach Pop, acquired from the Dodgers two years ago as part of the package for Manny Machado, is recovering from Tommy John surgery in May 2019. His throwing program had to be moved from Sarasota, where he was working out prior to the shutdown.

Pitcher Josh Rogers, who underwent an ulnar collateral ligament revision in July 2019, is throwing off a mound at "The Lab," an indoor sports training facility in Sellersburg, Ind.

Ty Blach underwent Tommy John surgery Wednesday, eventually removing him from a pool that includes 43 players at Camden Yards. He isn't on the 40-man roster.

Reliever Dillon Tate is unable to throw - and throwing away his shot at a bullpen job on opening day - due to a swollen right elbow. He's day-to-day and could be moved to the Bowie camp.

The overall player pool can hold 60 players and the Orioles are down to four openings. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez is under consideration and outfielder Heston Kjerstad, the second overall pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, is a possibility.