Checking the catching competition in Orioles camp

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are down to five catchers in spring training after the latest round of cuts. The group that held a realistic chance of making the team. None who have been waiting for the inevitable reassignment to minor league camp.

Adley Rutschman and Martin Cervenka weren't jogging down the orange carpet on opening day and they knew it.

Pedro Severino still appears to be a lock, but the backup job is up for grabs, with Chance Sisco holding favorite status upon reporting to the complex.

Sisco was behind the plate Saturday in Port Charlotte and went 0-for-2 in a 1-0 loss to the Rays. He's 2-for-14 with seven strikeouts, which is an unusual spring slump.

He usually owns the Grapefruit League, slashing .382/.533/.765 with a double, four home runs and 11 RBIs in 15 games last year, .429/.474/.800 with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 18 games in 2018 and .292/.370/.500 with two doubles and a home run in 2017.

Evaluating Sisco based on his exhibition output isn't a wise venture, considering how much his bat has cooled after heading north. The same must apply this spring, only in reverse fashion.

"It's just such few at-bats that you just can't go on results at this point for stats with this few at-bats and playing every second or third day, two or three at-bats here and there," said manager Brandon Hyde. "It's just not fair to anybody to get a full evaluation based on stats from that sample size.

"I'm looking for the quality of his at-bats, what he's doing defensively, and we still have two-plus weeks to go, so there's a lot of time to start feeling a little more comfortable at the plate or whatever it may be. But he's going to get a lot of at-bats in the next two weeks."

Bryan Holaday is 3-for-14 with a double and home run, Taylor Davis is 3-for-10 with three walks and lots of reps at first base, and Austin Wynns is 3-for-12 with a double, two RBIs and an outstanding throw for a caught-stealing immediately after taking a foul ball off the groin. But Hyde can't recite stats beyond how Chris Davis and Pat Valaika have each hit three home runs.

"I couldn't tell you want (Hanser) Alberto's batting average is," Hyde said. "I thought he took good at-bats (Saturday). I thought Austin Hays took three great at-bats (Friday) in Tampa. I think Richie Martin's been taking great at-bats all spring, not having any idea what his batting average is.

"I'm looking just at quality of the at-bat, the competitiveness in the at-bat, and have certain guys just get ready for the season and looking like they're ready to go. If somebody goes out there and hits three balls on the nose today and they're 0-for-3, I'm pumped about it."

Holaday owns one of the 15 home runs hit by the Orioles in spring training, and it easily ranks among the most impressive, the ball slamming off the base of the light tower in left-center field at Ed Smith Stadium.

"I was hunting middle-middle and I got it," he said. "I was trying to drive the ball to left-center field and got lucky enough that it got out of there."

The more important search involves a job with the Orioles, who signed Holaday to a minor league deal on Jan. 28.

He's proven that he can take a baseball for a long ride. What else does he want to show Hyde?

"I think a little bit of everything, honestly," he said.

"I think first and foremost my job is behind the plate. It's managing a pitching staff, calling a good game and making sure I'm on the same page with those guys and getting to know them as best I can. And show them what I'm capable of offensively, as well. I know that always takes a back seat to catchers, but it's something I know I can do and I'd like to show everybody else I can do it, as well."

The intensity in camp workouts and in games is going to increase noticeably after yesterday's off-day.

"As the camp shrinks roster-wise and as we get closer to the season, you're going to see guys get more at-bats, you're going to see guys play a little deeper in games, you're going to see guys play back-to-back a lot more often," Hyde said.

"(Anthony) Santander is going to start playing the outfield. We're going to start ramping up to a little more of a regular-season feel as best we can while still protecting guys and getting a good look at others."

Santander expects to be in the outfield tonight in Sarasota.

* In case you missed it, former Orioles pitcher and international scout Calvin Maduro landed in the Twins organization as pitching coach with low Single-A Cedar Rapids.

The Orioles fired Maduro in September in a second wave of dismissals in the organization.

Maduro pitched for the Orioles from 2000-2002 after they signed him as an amateur free agent in 1991.

* BetOnline is listing Ryan Mountcastle at 40/1 odds to be chosen as the American League's Rookie of the Year. Hays didn't make the cut.

White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech is 3/1 and Tigers pitcher Casey Mize is 9/2.