O's acquire Padilla from Astros (plus Hall of Fame ballot note)

The Orioles have acquired 18-year-old right-hander Miguel Padilla from the Astros as the player to be named later in the Hector Velázquez trade on July 29.

Padilla signed as an international free agent on Nov. 26, 2018, out of Carora, Venezuela. He appeared in 19 games for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Astros in 2019, going 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 26 innings.

Padilla allowed six earned runs and 20 hits and surrendered only two home runs in 26 innings. He walked 16 batters.

Opponents batted .222 against him.

Padilla is the fourth of six players to be named later for the Orioles who came from the Dominican Summer League.

The Orioles claimed Velázquez off waivers from the Red Sox on March 8, but he never pitched for them.

Meanwhile, the latest Hall of Fame ballot was mailed today to members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and included 25 candidates, including three with Orioles ties and 11 first-time eligibles.

The newcomers are pitchers Mark Buehrle, A.J. Burnett, Dan Haren, LaTroy Hawkins, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito, infielder/outfielder Michael Cuddyer, third baseman Aramis Ramírez, and outfielders Torii Hunter, Nick Swisher and Shane Victorino.

Candidates must be named on 75 percent of ballots cast by selected BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of Major League Baseball coverage to gain election and be part of Induction Weekend on July 23-26, 2021, in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Ballots will be mailed this week to more than 400 voting members of the BBWAA. The results will be announced on Jan. 26, 2021 at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.

Players may remain on the ballot for up to 10 years if they receive at least five percent of the vote.

Pitcher Curt Schilling came close to election last year with 70 percent of the vote. Pitcher Roger Clemens was named on 61 percent, outfielder Barry Bonds on 60.7 and shortstop Omar Vizquel on 52.6.

Other holdovers are pitchers Andy Pettitte and Billy Wagner, first baseman Todd Helton, second baseman Jeff Kent, third baseman Scott Rolen and outfielders Bobby Abreu, Andruw Jones, Manny Ramírez, Gary Sheffield and Sammy Sosa.

Schilling is in his ninth year of eligibility. He debuted with the Orioles during their "Why Not?" season in 1988 after the Red Sox packaged him with outfielder Brady Anderson in exchange for pitcher Mike Boddicker.

Schilling appeared in 44 games over parts of three seasons with the Orioles, making only four starts, and compiled a 4.54 ERA and a 1.471 WHIP. However, he posted a 2.54 ERA in 35 relief appearances in 1990 before the Orioles sent him to the Astros with pitcher Pete Harnisch and outfielder Steve Finley in January 1991 exchange for first baseman Glenn Davis.

One of the worst trades in franchise history.

Sosa also is on the ballot for a ninth year after receiving 13.9 percent of the votes last winter, the accusations of steroid use and his weak denials sabotaging his candidacy.

Fourteen of Sosa's 609 career home runs came with the Orioles in 2005. They acquired him from the Cubs for second baseman Jerry Hairston, infielder Mike Fontenot and pitcher David Crouthers.

Hawkins spent the 2006 season with the Orioles and went 3-2 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.459 ERA in 60 relief appearances. He pitched for 11 teams, including the Rockies in two stints, over 21 years.

The Orioles acquired Hawkins from the Giants on Dec. 6, 2005 for reliever Steve Kline. They allowed him to become a free agent following the season.

Burnett is a Monkton resident who never pitched for the Orioles, but always was rumored to be signing with them based on geography.