Dylan Bundy in Bowie: "I don't think it's anything too serious" (Wieters in Baysox lineup)

BOWIE, Md. - Orioles top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy was pitching well; he had just thrown his first outing of the year of four innings, and now he is dealing with another potential injury issue.

Bundy will have an MRI on his right shoulder tomorrow, but he doesn't believe this will turn out to be a serious issue. He was on the comeback trail from his Tommy John surgery of June 2013 and was making excellent progress this year.

In his last start for Double-A Bowie, Thursday at Trenton, he pitched four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts.

But he felt something in his shoulder the next day.

"Shoulder soreness after my last outing and it didn't get any better over the four days after either so we're going to take it slow and get an MRI tomorrow," Bundy said this afternoon outside the Baysox clubhouse.

Bundy saw a doctor earlier today in Annapolis. What did they tell him?

"Just soreness in one of the cuff muscles, so hopefully we just take some anti-inflammatories and get it taken care of," he said. "I threw my bullpen like I would normally and I kept getting treatment, trying to get it better for this start. And yesterday, I just told the pitching coach and trainer that I could not start today."

Bundy was asked if the MRI is just precautionary - to rule out any structural issue - or if there are reasons for more concern.

"I'm sure they're (team officials) concerned maybe," he said. "But I don't think it's anything too serious. You know, fingers crossed and we'll see what it says tomorrow."

In eight starts this year, Bundy is 0-3 with a 3.68 ERA. Over 22 innings, he allowed 21 hits with five walks and 25 strikeouts, allowing a .253 average against.

He felt like he had made some major progress this year and now he is hit with another setback of sorts.

"Yeah, I was getting my velo back," he said. "I was getting my command where I wanted it mechanically and everything and then you've got this. Kind of like starting from scratch all over again. Was just getting on a roll and have this little setback. Hopefully it is nothing more than a week or two.

"Yeah it (his frustration level) is pretty high right now. Just have to take things one day at a time. Get my MRI and see what they say."

Meanwhile, Matt Wieters is here today and takes a significant step tonight on his road back to the major leagues when he begins a rehab assignment with Bowie. He will catch and bat third as the Baysox begin a six-game homestand against Erie.

Wieters was not available to reporters before today's game according to an Orioles official, but Baysox manager Gary Kendall said he expected Wieters would play nine innings tonight. As for the plan after that, Kendall said he was not sure of that yet.

Bowie also activated Brandon Snyder off the disabled list today so the Orioles' 2005 (Snyder) and 2007 (Wieters) first-round draft picks will play for Bowie tonight. Snyder was signed by the Orioles to a minor league deal in late April and joined Bowie. He went on the DL retroactive to May 9 with a hamstring injury and is batting .303 in 10 Baysox games.

Wieters is still less than a year removed from ligament-reconstruction surgery on his right elbow last June 17. He can come off the 60-day DL and rejoin the O's roster on June 4 at Houston.

The last time Wieters played for Bowie was during the playoffs in September of 2008 as he was finishing up a strong minor league season that would end with him being named national Player of the Year by Baseball America.

He moved from Single-A Frederick to Bowie on June 27. Then in 65 games with the Baysox, he hit .365 with 12 homers, 51 RBIs, a .625 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.085. He was the easy choice in 2008 as the Orioles Brooks Robinson award winner as minor league Player of the Year.

Tonight, he plays here no longer as an up-and-coming elite prospect but as someone trying to get back on the Orioles roster to help the team chase a playoff spot. Wieters' last game with the Orioles was May 10, 2014.

Tonight's Bowie lineup:
CF Glynn Davis
LF Mike Yastrzemski
C Matt Wieters
DH Brandon Snyder
1B Sean Halton
2B Garabez Rosa
RF Michael Burgess
3B Jason Esposito
SS Ozzie Martinez

P - Jhonathan Ramos

With Snyder activated today, Bowie's roster is at 25 players. Pitcher Jarrett Miller, who started for the Baysox last night, was sent back to Single-A Frederick and catcher David Freitas was moved up to Triple-A Norfolk after catcher Steve Clevenger joined the Orioles.

Bud Norris will start here Wednesday night for Bowie and is expected to go six or seven innings and about 90-95 pitches.

The Orioles announced today that former Oriole Calvin Pickering has been named the hitting coach at short-season Single-A Aberdeen.