Hess talks about his departure from Orioles organization

David Hess understood that the only team he'd known since the 2014 First-Year Player Draft was moving closer to removing him from the 40-man roster. A handful of pitching prospects had been promoted to the major league roster over the summer. He was limited to three relief appearances and vulnerable to an offseason transaction.

The Orioles outrighted Hess, 27, on Thursday after he cleared waivers, but he's able to become a free agent for the first time and explore his other options. He allowed five runs and 10 hits in seven innings, his last pitch thrown on Aug. 13 in Philadelphia, and is 4-20 with a 5.86 ERA and a 1.466 WHIP in parts of three seasons.

"It wasn't necessarily a shock, but the actually happening of it was a shock," he said.

"I understand that there's a lot of upcoming guys and I understand the position I was in, and so keeping all those things in mind, it wasn't something that completely caught me off guard. But I was hoping for the best and I feel like the circumstances led to that. That's part of the game, that's part of professional baseball and you've just got to kind of roll with it."

Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer and Bruce Zimmermann combined to make 14 appearances and could comprise three-fifths of the rotation in 2021. Jorge López was claimed off waivers from the Royals on Aug. 9 and given six starts among his nine outings. There's another wave of pitching prospects trying to break through next summer.

Hess didn't need access to lineup cards and stat sheets. He could read the handwriting on the wall.

"I understood the layout of everything and I know where the team's at," he said. "They're in very capable hands, not just with the players but with the coaching staff, so I think there's a lot of big things to be excited for for guys who are coming up. And when those guys started to trickle up, I started to think a little bit more about the reality of it. That's why I think it wasn't necessarily a shock.

"And I understand that over the last couple years my performance hasn't been as good as I would have liked for it to be. So in an ideal world that scenario never comes up, but that's part of the game and it's exciting to see those guys getting the chance that they're having, because I've seen how hard they've worked. I know the feeling and the excitement that they're having right now and I'm just really happy that they're able to get that opportunity."

The Orioles recalled Hess from the taxi squad on Sept. 24 for the final series in Boston, but he didn't leave the bullpen. He returned home, plotting how he'd work out over the winter and braced for the phone call.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias contacted Hess to explain the decision.

"It was good," Hess said. "He was exactly what you would expect. He was professional, he handled it really well, and basically just told me that they were shaping things up for how they wanted to roster to be going into the offseason. So I can say that through everything with my time with him, he's handled everything really well with me."

That includes leaving open the possibility of a minor league deal over the winter or next spring.

"We left it on good terms and the door, as far as I can tell, is still open for potentially returning," Hess said. "There's something with the contract that set me into free agency, so that's kind of a really weird and different thing."

Hess is torn between wanting to stay in the organization that made him a fifth-round pick out of Tennessee Technological University and introduced him to the majors four years later - he won his debut in Game 1 of a May 12 doubleheader at Camden Yards, with family and friends providing a vocal support system - and perhaps finding a team that offers a better chance at a roster spot.

"That's something that I've been weighing and thinking about, really just going to see where it takes me," he said.

"Ultimately, you want to do what's best for you and your career, but the Orioles drafted me. I spent quite a few years over there, built some really good relationships with a lot of people, and so that's something that I'm really grateful for, regardless of what happens with everything going forward. I'm just really happy that I was able to meet those people, have those experiences and get to experience Baltimore the way that I was able to."

If you haven't picked up on the clues at this point, Hess is undoubtedly one of the nicest guys in baseball. Or in any profession. He's just good people.

The results didn't match up, and I respect how he's realistic and honest about them, with no excuses made or misplaced bitterness directed at the Orioles.

Hess certainly had moments that offered encouragement, including his debut and the 6 1/3 hitless innings last year in Toronto in his first start. He tried something different last winter by showing up at the same pitching performance center in St. Louis that changed John Means' career. The desire was there.

It hasn't left him.

We'll find out later whether he's leaving the Orioles for good.