Catching up on some Orioles backstops

The Orioles aren’t ignoring their minor league rosters and the building of depth. Their offseason business is spread widely.

Catcher David Bañuelos is staying in the organization on another minor league deal, according to an industry source. The agreement, completed last night, includes an invitation to spring training.

He could have become a minor league free agent five days after the World Series, but the Orioles started negotiations early.

The sides struck their original deal on Dec. 30, 2023. It didn’t take as long in 2024.

Bañuelos hopped on and off the 40-man roster a few times this season. His first and only major league at-bat came on April 16 against the Twins. He flied to right field in the ninth inning.

The month of April was particularly busy for Bañuelos, who kept benefiting from being on the taxi squad. Need someone in a hurry? He’s your guy.

The Orioles selected Bañuelos’ contract from Triple-A Norfolk on the 16^th while putting Tyler Wells on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, and they designated him for assignment the next day while selecting Albert Suárez’s contract.  They selected his contract again on the 22^nd while putting Austin Hays on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain and optioned him the next day while recalling Heston Kjerstad. The Orioles designated him for assignment on the 26^th to make room for Ryan McKenna on the 40-man roster and outrighted him the following day.

Bañuelos had his contract selected on Sept. 1 while the Orioles decided whether James McCann could stay on the active roster after being hit in the face. McCann avoided the injured list and Bañuelos was designated for assignment again and outrighted.

McCann can become a free agent five days after the World Series, which might send the Orioles searching for another veteran backup if they don’t re-sign him. They traded for Blake Hunt on May 22 and promoted their No. 2 prospect, Samuel Basallo, to Norfolk on Aug. 27.

Maverick Handley also is on the Tides’ roster and he’s eligible for the Rule 5 draft again if the Orioles don’t protect him. He was bypassed at last year’s Winter Meetings.

No one spent more time on the taxi squad than Bañuelos, who played in only 22 games with Norfolk and went 16-for-71 (.225) with a .361 on-base percentage, and he’s staying in the organization.

* McCann’s future isn’t as clear.

McCann can become a free agent five days after the World Series. He’s spent the last two seasons with the Orioles, who acquired him from the Mets for first baseman/outfielder Luis De La Cruz.

De La Cruz hasn’t appeared in a game since 2022 with the Orioles’ Dominican Summer League team.

The Mets wanted to move McCann and some salary, agreeing to pay $19 million of the $24 million that remained on his contract. The Orioles got the veteran backup that they wanted.

It took a little more work beyond the usual talks. The Orioles were among five teams on McCann’s no-trade list, so he had to give his approval. He was happy to get a fresh start, and more starts than he probably anticipated with Adley Rutschman ahead of him.   

McCann also joined a team on the rise, with playoff appearances in both seasons.

* Orioles minor leaguers hit for the cycle Sunday in the Arizona Fall League.

Creed Willems singled and doubled for the Surprise Saguaros, Douglas Hodo III tripled and Jake Cunningham hit a two-run homer in a 10-3 loss to the Mesa Solar Sox.

Willems is the only ranked Orioles prospect on the roster, coming in at No. 22 by MLB Pipeline. He’s appeared in four AFL games and gone 6-for-17 with two doubles, three RBIs and two walks. The line reads as .353/.421/.471.

Samuel Basallo is the organization’s top-ranked catcher and No. 2 in the system behind Coby Mayo. Willems, 21, doesn’t get the same attention or put up the same numbers as an eighth-round pick in the 2021 draft, but he advanced to Double-A Bowie this summer and totaled 21 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 65 RBIs in 98 games at two levels.

Willems committed to Texas Christian University but the Orioles kept him off campus with an over-slot $1 million deal. His arm and power grade highest.

* The Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists will be announced later this morning.

Rutschman, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and left fielder Austin Hays were finalists last year – Hays didn’t commit an error - but the Orioles went 0-for-3.

Third baseman Ramón Urías was the last Orioles recipient in 2022. Before him was third baseman Manny Machado in 2015.

The last year with multiple winners was 2014 with shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Adam Jones and right fielder Nick Markakis.

No Orioles catcher has won it since Matt Wieters in 2012.

Thirty managers and six coaches from each team account for 75 percent of the voting process, and they can't choose their own players. The other 25 percent comes from the SABR defensive index.