Orioles add Lee, Triggs and Bridwell to 40-man roster

The Orioles purchased the contracts of left-hander Chris Lee and right-handers Andrew Triggs and Parker Bridwell from Double-A Bowie today, adding three pitchers to the 40-man roster and protecting them before the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 10 in Nashville.

The roster is now full, but the Orioles can clear room prior to the Rule 5 draft. Count on it. They also can remove players to open spots for trade and free agent acquisitions.

Today's deadline prevents other players from within the organization from being added to the roster leading up to the draft. In other words, prospects such as pitchers Ashur Tolliver and Branden Kline now must remain unprotected.

Lee, 23, was acquired from the Astros on May 18 for two international signing bonus slots valued at $650,000. He posted a 3.07 ERA in 14 starts at Single-A Frederick and a 3.08 ERA in seven starts at Bowie. Lee allowed only one home run in a combined 114 1/3 innings.

The Orioles acquired Triggs, 26, from the Royals in April for cash considerations. A 19th round pick in the 2012 draft out of USC, Triggs posted a 1.03 ERA and 0.869 WHIP in 43 relief appearances with Bowie and was 17-for-17 in save opportunities. He walked 11 and struck out 70 in 61 innings.

Bridwell, 24, went 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 18 starts at Bowie. He's 26-41 with a 4.83 ERA in six minor league seasons since the Orioles chose him in the ninth round of the 2010 draft out of Hereford (Texas) High School.

Bridwell's biggest issue has been a lack of consistency, but the Orioles don't want to risk losing him. Many of the reports following his starts indicate that his stuff would play at the major league level. Bridwell didn't pitch after July 26 due to elbow tendinitis and he received a platelet-rich plasma injection, but he's resumed throwing.

Here's the updated 40-man roster:

Pitchers
Tim Berry
Brad Brach
Parker Bridwell
Zach Britton
Dylan Bundy
Oliver Drake
Jason Garcia
Kevin Gausman
Mychal Givens
Miguel Gonzalez
Ubaldo Jimenez
Steve Johnson
Chris Jones
Chris Lee
Brian Matusz
T.J. McFarland
Chaz Roe
Chris Tillman
Andrew Triggs
Tyler Wilson
Vance Worley
Mike Wright

Catchers
Steve Clevenger
Caleb Joseph
Matt Wieters

Infielders
Ryan Flaherty
J.J. Hardy
Paul Janish
Manny Machado
Rey Navarro
Jonathan Schoop
Christian Walker
Andy Wilkins

Outfielders
Dariel Alvarez
Adam Jones
Junior Lake
David Lough
Jimmy Paredes
Nolan Reimold
Henry Urrutia

Photo by Bert Hindman