Orioles select three players in Rule 5 and sign Michael Kelly

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - While the Manny Machado rumors gain steam and the likelihood that he's traded, perhaps later this week, continues to grow, the Orioles extended their streak of selections in the Rule 5 draft.

They obliterated the field today by making three picks before finally passing in the fourth round. They also signed right-hander Michael Kelly to a major league deal and will assign him to Triple-A Norfolk, leaving their 40-man roster at 38.

Seeking a left-hander for their staff, the Orioles chose 23-year-old Nestor Cortes from the Yankees organization. He's 25-14 with a 2.08 ERA in 84 minor league games, including 40 starts, with 344 strikeouts in 324 1/3 innings. He pitched at three levels this summer, including Triple-A, and went 7-4 with a 2.06 ERA in 30 games (13 starts).

Executive vice president Dan Duquette said Cortes will compete for a spot in the rotation.

They also took right-handers Pedro Araujo, 24, from the Cubs and Jose Mesa, 24, from the Yankees. The latter is the son of former Orioles pitcher of the same name.

Araujo is 26-9 with a 2.63 ERA in 145 games (22 starts), with 394 strikeouts in 341 2/3 innings. He was 6-1 with a 1.76 ERA this year in 45 relief appearances with Single-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Tennessee, striking out 87 batters in 66 2/3 innings.

Mesa went 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA at the Single-A and Double-A levels. He was 4-0 with a 0.79 ERA in eight games (five starts) after moving up to Trenton of the Eastern League, allowing only three runs in 34 1/3 innings and striking out 39 batters. He gave up 15 hits and walked 17.

Mesa is 12-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 10 home runs allowed in 78 minor league games and has held opponents to a .188 average.

The Orioles have made picks in the Rule 5 draft every year since 2006. They took outfielders Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavárez last winter, keeping the former. Santander still has to remain on the roster for the first 44 days of the 2018 season.

A team making a selection must pay $100,000. The player has to remain on the active roster for 90 consecutive days and can't be optioned to the minors without passing through waivers and being offered back to his original team for half the cost.

The Orioles were slotted 11th in the draft, but the Padres and Athletics had full 40-man rosters ahead of them and couldn't participate. The Orioles were holding 34 players on their roster.

None of the Orioles' unprotected players were chosen in the major league phase.

Kelly, 25, had a 2.98 ERA in 15 starts at Double-A San Antonio this year and a 6.64 ERA in 13 games (seven starts) at Triple-A El Paso in the Padres organization. He's 34-35 with a 4.96 ERA in 140 minor league games, including 85 starts.

Kelly was a minor league free agent, but the Orioles signed him to a major league deal.

In the Triple-A phase, the Orioles selected catcher Martin Cervenka, 25, from the Giants organization. He batted .278/.343/.418 this summer in 112 games with Single-A Lynchburg, with 24 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 57 RBIs.

The Orioles lost catcher Yermin Mercedes to the White Sox. He was on Double-A Bowie's roster.

Good bat, weak behind the plate, questionable makeup.

The Athletics also dipped into the Orioles system to take infielder Brallan Perez in the Triple-A phase. The Rockies took left-hander Mitch Horacek, the Diamondbacks chose outfielder Jay Gonzalez and the Dodgers selected infielder Angelo Mora - recently signed as a minor league free agent.

The Marlins selected right-hander Brandon Barker, who came to the Orioles from the Braves in the Brian Matusz trade.

That's six players lost, if you're scoring at home.

As for Machado, the White Sox have emerged as the most serious suitors according to multiple reports, with the Orioles naturally having interest in young pitchers Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech.

Giolito, once a top prospect in the Nationals organization who was involved in last winter's Adam Eaton trade, registered a 2.38 ERA in seven starts with the White Sox. Kopech, whose fastball touches 100-plus mph, went to the White Sox last winter in the Chris Sale trade with the Red Sox and posted a 3.39 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A Birmingham with 155 strikeouts in 119 1/3 innings. He registered a 3.00 ERA in three starts at Triple-A Charlotte and struck out 17 batters in 15 innings.

The Orioles need more starters who can miss bats.

There's lots of skepticism in the industry over the White Sox's willingness to part with either pitcher.

Duquette said trade talks will extend into the weekend and the media shouldn't expect any more deals today. He said "many" teams have expressed interest in Machado.

Duquette also said it's unlikely that a club would be given a 72-hour window to negotiate a contract extension with Machado, which could reduce the field.