SARASOTA, Fla. – Nomar Mazara knew that the media was ready to speak with him last night in the bullpen area, but fans weren’t done asking for his autograph. He signed baseballs tossed to him over the fence that separated them. One kid asked for his cap, which he kept on his head.   

Told in jest that he’s a man of the people, Mazara smiled and said it happens when you’ve played for so many teams.

He wants a chance to include the Orioles.

Mazara has been scuffling at the plate, pushing him further behind the competition for a last bench spot. He was 3-for-23 before bouncing a game-tying, two-run single into right field in the second inning.

The next two at-bats ended with a comebacker that got Franchy Cordero in a rundown between third base and home, and a line drive to Blue Jays first baseman John Aiello.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder Nomar Mazara is new to the Orioles, signing a minor league contract on Dec. 6. He knows catcher James McCann and non-roster outfielder Daz Cameron from previous stops, but it’s one of the team’s former hitting coaches who’s created the strongest ties.

Scott Coolbaugh, who held the job with the Orioles for the last four seasons of manager Buck Showalter’s tenure, has worked with Mazara in three organizations – the Rangers in various capacities after they signed him as an amateur free agent in July 2011, the White Sox in 2020 and Tigers in 2021.

Has to be some sort of record, or darn close to it.

Mazara appeared in 55 games with the Padres last summer and he just missed another reunion with Coolbaugh, who was hired in January to serve as an assistant hitting coach.

“Nomar Mazara is a great guy, good character and usually very quiet and goes about his business,” Coolbaugh wrote in a text message. “I’ve known him since he was 16. Offensively, he is very capable of being a threat versus right-handed pitching and is less versus left-handed pitching. His biggest issue is that he has slowed down defensively with range and speed. Very accurate with his arm but slow to transfer.

It could be a tough year for spring training non-roster players looking to break north with the Orioles for opening day 2023. And while the non-roster invitees list has not been announced yet, maybe a reserve lefty-hitter at first base has the best chance to make it among several NRI candidates.

But among those signed to minor league deals to try and make the club in the outfield, one interesting candidate is 27-year-old lefty hitter Nomar Mazara.

Interesting because he has a bit of a resume, even though the Orioles are his fifth team in five years following Texas, the Chicago White Sox, Detroit and San Diego. Once a top 100 rated prospect, Mazara has been a reserve corner outfielder the last two seasons for the Tigers and Padres.

Mazara was once a bonus baby, signed for a then record $4.95 million for an international amateur by the Texas Rangers in 2011 out of the Dominican Republic. He first made the majors at age 20 in April of 2016 and went on to finish fifth that year for the AL Rookie of the Year honor with a .739 OPS and 20 home runs.

On his way to the big leagues, Mazara was a Texas Rangers' top 30 prospect every year from 2012 through 2016. He was ranked in the top 100 at No. 87 by Baseball America in 2015. In 2016 he was No. 9 via ESPN and No. 21 by Baseball America when he was the Rangers' third-ranked prospect.

“When do you head down to spring training?”

I was asked again this week during dinner with some friends. I smiled, shrugged and offered the usual time frame.

Major League Baseball hasn’t shared the report date for pitchers and catchers, which coincides with my report date. We usually know months ago.

The Rays arrive on Feb. 14, with their first workout held the following day. But they’re in upheaval after Hurricane Ian hit Port Charlotte hard in late September.

Every March home game will be played at Tropicana Field. The Orioles visit on the 5^th.

SAN DIEGO – The new draft lottery couldn’t budge the Orioles from the 17^th spot.

Their 0.4 percent odds of receiving the first-overall pick proved to be accurate, with no amount of ping pong balls able to influence it. The Brewers remained 18^th, also where they started the day.

The Orioles haven’t drafted outside the top five since taking high school pitcher Grayson Rodriguez 11^th overall in 2018. They haven’t been pushed back this far since choosing prep left-hander DL Hall 21^st overall in 2017.

The lottery system was approved in the new collective bargaining agreement for the 18 teams that missed the playoffs.

The Pirates were the big winners tonight – a rare distinction for the franchise - by receiving the first pick, followed by the Nationals, Tigers, Rangers, Twins, Athletics, Reds, Royals, Rockies, Marlins, Angels, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Red Sox, White Sox, Giants, Orioles and Brewers.

SAN DIEGO – The Orioles are deepening their pool of left-handed-hitting corner outfielders.

Nomar Mazara signed a minor league contract this morning, providing more competition in camp for a role that’s been defined as a priority at the Winter Meetings.

Mazara, 27, hit 79 home runs in four seasons with the Rangers beginning in 2016, when he finished fifth in voting for American League Rookie of the Year. He had 30 doubles and drove in 101 runs in 2017.

The White Sox acquired Mazara in a Dec. 10, 2019 trade for outfielder Steele Walker, who made his major league debut this year. The Orioles are Mazara’s fourth organization since that day, including the 50 games he played for the Tigers in 2021 and 55 with the Padres this summer.

He’s totaled six home runs since leaving the Rangers, who gave him a $5 million signing bonus as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic.