The Orioles today announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder NICK MATON from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash considerations.

Maton (pronounced MAY-tahn), 26, slashed .173/.288/.305 (43-for-249) with nine doubles, eight home runs, 29 runs scored, 32 RBI, 38 walks, and one stolen base in 93 games for the Tigers last season. He made the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career and had two stints with Detroit. Maton hit his first career walk-off home run in the 11^th inning on April 14 vs. San Francsico, a three-run blast off Camilo Doval with the Tigers trailing by a run. He’s played in 180 MLB games between the Phillies and Tigers over parts of three seasons since 2021 and made Philadelphia’s World Series roster in 2022 against Houston. 

During his time with Triple-A Toledo in 2023, Maton batted .293/.414/.457 (41-for-140) with 12 doubles, one triple, three homers, 32 runs scored, 27 RBI, 27 walks, and three stolen bases in 38 games, including hitting for the cycle with the Mud Hens on September 6 at Indianapolis (5-for-5, 2-2B, 3B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI).

He was traded to Detroit along with catcher Donny Sands and infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling from Philadelphia for infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens and left-handed pitcher Gregory Soto on January 7, 2023. Maton was originally selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Lincoln Land Community College (IL). His brother, Phil, is a right-handed pitcher and seven-year big leaguer, most recently with the Houston Astros from 2021-23.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 39 players.

The Orioles today announced their minor league coaching and player development staff assignments for the 2024 season. Three full-season managers return, but two move to different affiliates.

Buck Britton will return for his third season as manager of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. In 2023, he led the Tides to a record of 90-59 as they won the International League championship and the Triple-A National Championship Game. Last year, he was the winner of the Orioles’ Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award.

Roberto Mercado moves up to Double-A Bowie to serve as manager after leading High-A Aberdeen the last two seasons. In 2022, he took Aberdeen to the playoffs and won the Ripken Sr. Award.

Felipe Rojas Alou Jr. will move up to manage Aberdeen. He has been with the O’s organization for 16 years and managed Single-A Delmarva the last two seasons.

Collin Woody will be a first-time manager, taking over at Delmarva. He served as a fundamentals coach the last two seasons in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.

The Orioles today announced the club’s minor league coaching staffs and player development assignments for the 2024 season. The coaching staffs of Triple-A Norfolk, Double-A Bowie, High-A Aberdeen, and Single-A Delmarva are listed below, along with the Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League Orioles.

Managers BUCK BRITTON (Norfolk), CHRISTIAN FRIAS (FCL Orioles), and CHRIS MADERA and ELBIS MOREL (DSL Orioles) return to their same posts, ROBERTO MERCADO (Bowie), and FELIPE ROJAS ALOU, JR. (Aberdeen) have been promoted to new affiliates, and COLLIN WOODY (Delmarva) becomes a manager for the first time in his career.

Britton returns for his third season as Manager of the Tides. He guided Norfolk to the Triple-A National Championship and International League Championship in 2023, leading the team to a league-best 90-59 record, while also earning the organization’s Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award. Britton managed No. 1 prospect JACKSON HOLLIDAY, as well as other top prospects COLTON COWSER, HESTON KJERSTAD, COBY MAYO, CHAYCE McDERMOTT, CONNOR NORBY, CADE POVICH, GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ, KYLE STOWERS, and JORDAN WESTBURG. In total, 34 players appeared on both the Tides’ and Orioles’ active rosters during the 2023 season. Britton will be joined once again by Pitching Coach JUSTIN RAMSEY, who enters his sixth season in the organization and third with Norfolk. Ramsey will also serve as Minor League Upper-Level Pitching Coordinator for a third straight year in addition to his position with the Tides. Newcomer and former University of Maryland product MIKE MONTVILLE joins Norfolk as Hitting Coach after serving as Assistant Hitting Coach with Triple-A Worcester (BOS) in 2023. Fundamentals Coach RAMÓN SAMBO and Development Coach JOSHUA RODRIGUES each return in their roles, with Sambo entering his fifth season in Norfolk and 18^th in the Orioles’ system, and Rodrigues entering his third season in the organization. Athletic Trainer ALAN RAIL, ATC and Strength and Conditioning Coach JON MEDICI also return to Norfolk. SETH ELLANSON, ATC has been named Assistant Athletic Trainer after serving as Head Athletic Trainer for the NBA G League Motor City Cruise. ADAM SEHLMEYER returns as Norfolk’s Clubhouse Manager.

Mercado will make his Double-A debut after leading High-A Aberdeen the last two seasons. In 2022, he was honored with the organization’s Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award and led the IronBirds to the South Atlantic League championship series. AUSTIN MEINE joins the Baysox as Pitching Coach after serving in the same role with the IronBirds last year. Hitting Coach JOSH BUNSELMEYER makes the jump from Single-A Delmarva. Fundamentals Coach CHASE SEBBY and Development Coach BILLY FACTEAU join Bowie from Aberdeen, Athletic Trainer JULIO IBARRA, ATC jumps from the Shorebirds, and SAM SAUER is back as Strength and Conditioning Coach. JON WEINBERG returns as Clubhouse Manager.

Alou will manage the IronBirds, his third managerial season after spending the last two years with Delmarva and his 17^th overall in the organization. Pitching Coach JORDIE HENRY joins the staff from the FCL Orioles and Hitting Coach ZACH COLE returns to Aberdeen in the same position for a third season. Fundamentals Coach CHARLES BOLDEN joins the organization after serving as head baseball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the last three years. Development Coach RYAN GOLL is back at Aberdeen after spending last season with Bowie. He will also serve as Offseason Camp Coordinator. Athletic Trainer TORI ATENCIO, ATC and Strength and Conditioning Coach CHRIS FROSCH are both back with the IronBirds. ROSS STOVALL returns as Aberdeen’s Clubhouse Manager.

As yet another top 100 prospects list was published recently by a major outlet and then yet another - by ESPN.com first and then The Athletic – once again Jackson Holliday of the Orioles was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the sport.

This is long since no surprise as he ended last season atop prospects lists and will begin this year No. 1 via Baseball America, MLBPipeline.com and the two listed above.

Just yesterday, Holliday was among the list of 20 non-roster invitees heading to spring training, which begins in Sarasota, Fla. next week.  

While the Orioles list of players via Baseball America, MLBPipeline.com, ESPN and The Athletic is significant, what is most impressive is that most of their top 100 players are really top 50.

Of the six Orioles that were rated top 100 by Baseball America, three were in the top 25 and five were in the top 41. They are down to five now with DL Hall at No. 93 now a Brewer. Of the six rated top 100 by MLBPipeline, five were top 32. They are down to five there with Joey Ortiz at No. 63 now a Brewer. Of the seven ranked by ESPN (six minus Ortiz), five are top 50. The Athletic lists three among the top 27. 

The Orioles have a star-studded prospects list and the No. 1 farm in baseball, and their top three prospects are among their list of 20 spring training non-roster invitees announced today by the club.

The Orioles report on Feb. 14 to Sarasota, Fla., with their first workout for pitchers and catchers set for Feb. 15 and with the first full-squad workout to be held on Feb. 20.

Infielder Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, gets the expected NRI along with the club's No. 2 prospect, catcher Samuel Basallo, and their No. 3 (as ranked by Baseball America), infielder Coby Mayo.

The No. 4 and No. 5 prospects - outfielders Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad, who are already on the 40-man roster - will also report to Sarasota. All 40-man roster players join the club for spring training along with the NRIs.

The club recently dealt its No. 6 and No. 7 prospects, per Baseball America - DL Hall and Joey Ortiz - to Milwaukee for right-handed starter Corbin Burnes. The O's No. 8 prospect, infielder Connor Norby, is also among the non-roster invites. 

The Orioles today announced that they have invited 20 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes six right-handed pitchers, five left-handed pitchers, five catchers, three infielders, and one outfielder. As of today, a complete list of the Orioles’ 20 non-roster players for 2024 Spring Training is below:

PITCHERS (11)

RHP Justin Armbruester

RHP Wandisson Charles

LHP Tucker Davidson

The deal was announced, and the news was probably just minutes old when some around Birdland wondered whether their team might soon have interest in a similar arrangement.

Monday afternoon, the Kansas City Royals, who ranked 24^th in 2023 in MLB team payroll, a few steps ahead of the Orioles, locked up one of their bright young stars to a huge contract.

When your team has its own bright young starts – players like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson and maybe soon will be adding Jackson Holliday to that list - it’s only natural to wonder and hope that they remain Orioles for a long, long time.

While the Royals extension deal with shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., 23, has opt-outs, they don’t start until after the 2030 season. He will have nine years in the majors at that point.

Signing up young talent well before free agency is a gamble when any team does it. But it is one pre-emptive strike that the so-called “small market” clubs have against losing those players later to the big spenders via free agency.

Somebody has to be No. 1. Some man or woman has to be the one person that has more college wins than any coach ever in any sport.

That man was the 40-year legendary baseball coach of the Florida State Seminoles, Michael David Martin Sr.

In his 40 years as head coach of the Seminoles under coach Martin, they went 40-for-40 in making the NCAA tourney and yes that is beyond remarkable. His 2,029 wins are more than any college baseball coach ever and more than any NCAA coach ever in any sport on any level.

The Seminoles won 19 conference titles under Martin's leadership, and he was a 13-time conference Coach of the Year. He was the National Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2019. 

Martin had 20 players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft and 60 former players reached the Major Leagues. Eight former players were named National Player of the Year with four – Mike Fuentes, Mike Loynd, J.D. Drew and Buster Posey – recognized with the Golden Spikes Award, college baseball's Heisman Trophy.

When he met with the media on Friday to discuss the Orioles' acquisition of 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias summed up the feelings of a lot of people with a few words. 

“This is a big trade and big moment for our team,” Elias told reporters. “Corbin Burnes is exactly what we needed.”

And that about sums up much of the reaction across the industry – it’s pretty positive about the big move where the O’s got their ace. One they had been seeking with, as Elias said, “dogged pursuit the entire offseason.”

He and his front office made a deal that not only elevated the team’s chances to make the playoffs and win another American League East title, but maybe make a deep run when October arrives.

"There are a lot of things to be excited about here in Birdland right now. We’ve got everything going for us right now,” Elias said summing up the feeling right now of much of the fan base. Again with a few words.

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias disagreed when a reporter suggested yesterday that his acquisition of ace pitcher Corbin Burnes from the Brewers may represent a shift in the O's organization.

Where once the O’s seemed reluctant to part with prospects, this time they traded two of them and a draft pick to get the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner.

“I don’t see it that way whatsoever,” said Elias. “The methods that we have applied to rebuild the team, are being applied with all our decision making in baseball operations. The whole time, even when our team was losing a lot of games, I was talking about making decisions oriented toward enhancing our playoff possibilities. And at that time, our playoff possibilities were in the future, and now we’ve won the AL East. That front loads a lot of stuff into the present, but we’re still going to keep an eye on the future to keep the organization healthy.

“The Brewers have a good team, too, and they decided this was a trade they wanted to do. It made sense for them and is going to help their team in a different way. We’re trying to make good quality moves which give us good chances to do what we want to do."

And to be fair, Elias did trade prospects last year, once before the year to add Cole Irvin and at the trade deadline to get Jack Flaherty. It's just this time he got the most talented of that group and a pitcher to front his rotation with massive credentials. 

After feeling some initial shock when he was told he was going to be traded, new Orioles right-hander Corbin Burnes is now starting to let the big news in his world settle in now.

After six seasons, 167 games, a Cy Young Award, five playoff appearances and three division titles – all with the Brewers – he’s about to get know new players and a new organization.

“Initial reaction, just shock,” Burnes was honest to tell Baltimore media during a team Zoom call this afternoon. “Being so close to spring training and what had gone down the last couple of weeks in Milwaukee, was definitely shocked, got the call from the GM and kind of set off a flurry of calls after that.

“But excited to be part of the Baltimore organization. Having won over 100 games last year it’s a good young group. I’m looking to kind of put my mark and do whatever I can to help those guys get to the World Series.”

The 2021 National League Cy Young winner got off to a bit of slow start last season. Then he posted an ERA of 2.71 his last 14 starts to finish 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA. He led the NL in WHIP at 1.069 and his .200 average against was second in the league. Since 2020, his ERA of 2.86 produces an ERA+ of 146.

Calling it a “big moment for our team,” Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, via Zoom call with the media today, discussed the acquisition of right-hander Corbin Burnes from the Brewers.

Elias said trade talks with the Brewers have been ongoing since just after the World Series ended. He wasn’t sure if Milwaukee would actually deal the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner. But the trade was finalized last night as the Orioles sent lefty DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz and the No. 34 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft to the Brewers get Burnes.

The 29-year-old three-time All-Star and 2022 NL strikeout leader went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts in 2023. He had an ERA of 2.43 in winning the ’21 Cy Young and has a career 3.26 ERA and 1.055 WHIP.

Since the 2020 season, he has finished, in order, sixth, first, seventh and eighth in the Cy Young voting while pitching to an ERA of 2.86 in that span. That is an ERA+ of 146.

“This is a big trade and big moment for our team,” Elias told reporters. “Corbin Burnes is exactly what we needed. We were in a dogged pursuit of him the entire offseason.

We entered the month of February exactly two weeks away from the Orioles’ first workout for pitchers and catchers. The most recent transaction was their minor league deal with first baseman-turned-pitcher Ronald Guzmán, two days after the minor league deal with outfielder Daniel Johnson. The last major league move was the trade for corner infielder Tyler Nevin on Jan. 22 that left the 40-man roster with 39 players.

Closer Craig Kimbrel was the undisputed champion of impact additions with his signing at the Winter Meetings to a contract that guarantees $13 million and includes a club option for 2025.

Time remained, but teams holding aces weren’t folding to the pressure to trade them.

And then, it happened.

The Orioles defied the predictions and acquired a starter who fit at the top of the rotation. Not a middle-to-back-end arm. A former Cy Young Award winner, a three-time All-Star and one of the best pitchers in baseball.

One day after the Orioles' pending ownership change was announced by the club, the team tonight announced it has acquired the frontline starting pitcher it sought all winter with a trade for Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes.

The Orioles are sending lefty pitcher DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz and a 2024 draft pick to Milwaukee to get the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner. The pick is the No. 34 overall selection, a Competitive Balance Round A pick. Competitive Balance picks are the only ones that can be traded. After this deal, the Orioles would still have the Nos. 22 and 32 picks in this summer’s draft.

The last four seasons in Cy Young voting, Burnes, 29, has finished sixth, first, seventh and eighth. He is a three-time All Star.

Burnes is, at this point, a one-year addition for the Orioles. He is repped by Scott Boras and can be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

Last year for the Brewers, he went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA over 32 starts and 193 2/3 innings with a 1.069 WHIP, a 3.1 walk rate and 9.3 strikeout rate.

The Baltimore Orioles tonight announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher CORBIN BURNES, a three-time All-Star and 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner, from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed pitcher DL HALL, infielder JOEY ORTIZ, and a 2024 Competitive Balance Round A pick.

Burnes, 29, went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA (73 ER/193.2 IP) with 141 hits (22 HR), 77 total runs, 66 walks, and 200 strikeouts in 32 starts for the Brewers last season. He led the NL in WHIP (1.07) and ranked among league leaders in opponent average (2^nd, .200), hits per nine innings (2^nd, 6.55), innings pitched (T-5^th), ERA (6^th), quality starts (6^th, 19), and strikeouts (10^th). Burnes was honored as the NL Pitcher of the Month in July after going 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA (8 ER/39.0 IP) and 47 strikeouts in six starts. He threw 8.0 no-hit innings on September 10 at New York-AL but did not factor in the decision in a 13-inning loss. Burnes finished eighth in the NL Cy Young voting, his fourth straight top-eight finish.

Burnes led the NL with 243 strikeouts in 2022, becoming the first Brewer in franchise history to lead the league. The total ranked second in franchise history. His 33 starts were also tied for the most in the NL. The right-hander is one of five MLB pitchers with at least 200 strikeouts over the last three years, including Chicago-AL’s Dylan Cease, New York-AL’s Gerrit Cole, Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola, and Toronto’s Kevin Gausman. He was also a finalist for a Gold Glove Award for the first time and finished seventh in the Cy Young.

During his Cy Young campaign in 2021, Burnes became the third pitcher in franchise history and the first since the team joined the NL to win the award, along with Pete Vuckovich (1982) and National Baseball Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers (1981). He led MLB in ERA (2.43), strikeout rate (35.6%), FIP (1.63), and home runs per nine innings (0.38) while ranking among NL leaders in WHIP (2^nd, 0.94), walks per nine innings (2^nd, 1.83), strikeouts (3^rd, 234), opponent average (4^th, .201), hits per nine innings (5^th, 6.63), and quality starts (T-10^th, 18). Burnes started the year with 58 strikeouts before issuing a walk, breaking the MLB record to begin a season, and later tied the MLB record by striking out 10 consecutive batters on August 11 at Chicago-NL. He was also part of history on September 11 at Cleveland, tossing the first 8.0 innings as Milwaukee no-hit the Guardians.

The Bakersfield, Calif., native is 45-27 with a 3.26 ERA (257 ER/709.1 IP) and 870 strikeouts in 167 career games (106 starts), all with the Brewers, since making his MLB debut in relief on July 10, 2018 at Miami. The righty was originally selected by Milwaukee in the fourth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Saint Mary’s College of California.

When the sale of the Orioles, for $1.725 billion, becomes official through Major League Baseball, Baltimore native David M. Rubenstein will become the fifth owner of the Orioles in team history that, of course, dates to 1954.

It will be a new era of Orioles baseball.

Maybe the best news for the new ownership group, which will include Oriole Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., is that they take over a team and organization on the rise.

There is no rebuilding to do, it’s rebuilt.

The task now is to build on that, try to stay on top and make all of the above better. As Rubenstein stated, bringing the first World Series title to Baltimore and the fans since 1983 tops the wish list.

The Angelos family, majority owner of the Baltimore Orioles, has agreed to sell a control stake in the club to Baltimore native, philanthropist and investor David M. Rubenstein for $1.725 billion. The Angelos family will continue to hold a sizable investment in the Orioles, and John Angelos will serve as a senior advisor to the organization.

The transaction is subject to review and approval by Major League Baseball’s Ownership Committee and a full vote of MLB ownership.

Rubenstein is co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group and will become the controlling owner of the Orioles upon the close of the transaction. He is joined in the investment by Michael Arougheti, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ares Management; Mitchell Goldstein and Michael Smith, co-heads of the Ares Credit Group; Orioles legend and baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.; former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke; basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill; Mike Bloomberg, entrepreneur and philanthropist; Michele Kang, business leader; and other investors.

John Angelos said, “When I took on the role of chair and CEO of the Orioles, we had the objective of restoring the franchise to elite status in major league sports, keeping the team in Baltimore for years to come, and revitalizing our partnership group. This relationship with David Rubenstein and his partners validates that we have not only met but exceeded our goals.”

The Angelos family will remain a major investor in the Orioles after the close of the investment.

• David Rubenstein leads a diverse investor group that includes Michael Arougheti, Mitchell Goldstein, Michael Smith, and Maryland leaders, philanthropists, and sports legends
• David Rubenstein to become Control Person of the Orioles
• The Angelos family will continue as a major investor, and John Angelos will work with Rubenstein as a senior advisor
• Transaction values the franchise and assets at $1.725 billion

Baltimore, MD – The Angelos family, majority owner of the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise the Baltimore Orioles, has agreed to sell a control stake in the Orioles to Baltimore native, philanthropist, and investor David M. Rubenstein for $1.725 billion. The Angelos family will continue to hold a sizable investment in the Orioles, and John Angelos will serve as a senior advisor to the organization. The transaction is subject to review and approval by MLB’s Ownership Committee and a full vote of MLB ownership.

Mr. Rubenstein is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group and he will become the controlling owner of the Orioles upon the close of the transaction. 

Mr. Rubenstein is joined in the investment by Michael Arougheti, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ares Management; Mitchell Goldstein and Michael Smith, Co-Heads of the Ares Credit Group; Cal Ripken, Jr., Oriole’s legend and MLB Hall of Famer; Kurt Schmoke, former Baltimore Mayor; Grant Hill, NBA Hall of Famer; Mike Bloomberg, entrepreneur and philanthropist; Michele Kang, business leader; and other investors.

John Angelos said, “When I took on the role of Chair and CEO of the Orioles, we had the objective of restoring the franchise to elite status in major league sports, keeping the team in Baltimore for years to come, and revitalizing our partnership group. This relationship with David Rubenstein and his partners validates that we have not only met but exceeded our goals.”

The Orioles’ major league roster and minor league team are stacked with young talent. For example, in a first in MLB history, the O’s have the #1 prospect in all of pro baseball (Jackson Holliday) for the third year in a row, following Gunnar Henderson (No. 1 in 2023) and Adley Rutschman (No. 1 in 2022), and have five of the top 32 rated prospects in all of professional baseball. In 2023, the Orioles won the American League East for the first time since 2014 and the Orioles had more wins (101) than in any season since 1979.

Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins may well be a player driven and motivated this year by what happened last year.

And I don’t mean how the Orioles’ season ended against Texas. But how his season ended and went at times – he was on the injured list twice during the year. After missing nine games total in the 2021-22 seasons, he was limited to 116 games in ’23.

Mullins hit just .198 last September and then was 0-for-12 in the AL Division Series.

During Birdland Caravan, O’s first base and outfielders coach Anthony Sanders talked about Mullins late-season struggles. In the end was he just too banged up to play?

“We as a staff, we know the vibe of the players,” said Sanders. “We know the bumps and bruises they have. You have to trust in those guys that are professionals. Even though Ced’s bat didn’t probably show up, he still brought another element to the game that this team relies on. He’s a leader of this team and I would not have done it any different way.”

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• Agreed to terms on a 2024 Minor League contract with LHP Andrew Suárez.