Latest on Orioles' 40-man roster and questions surrounding it

The Orioles have constructed a full 40-man roster with a revolving door at the end of it.

They began January by signing veteran starter Charlie Morton and designating catcher René Pinto for assignment. The Diamondbacks claimed Pinto on waivers. The Orioles claimed pitcher Roansy Contreras and designated infielder Livan Soto, who was outrighted after clearing waivers. They signed reliever Andrew Kittredge and designated catcher Blake Hunt before trading him to the Mariners. They claimed infielder Jacob Amaya and designated Contreras, who was claimed by the Yankees. They signed outfielder Dylan Carlson and designated Amaya, and they acquired infielder Luis Vazquez in a trade with the Cubs and designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera.

This brings us to February.

The White Sox claimed Amaya, and Vazquez was designated when the Orioles signed outfielder Ramón Laureano. We aren’t even a week into the month.

Let’s take the latest look at the 40-man roster, which used to contain four catchers but now holds seven outfielders.

Pitchers

Keegan Akin
Bryan Baker
Félix Bautista
Kyle Bradish
Yennier Cano
Seranthony Domínguez
Zach Eflin
Luis Gonzalez
Andrew Kittredge
Dean Kremer
Chayce McDermott
Charlie Morton
Cionel Pérez
Cade Povich
Grayson Rodriguez
Trevor Rogers
Colin Selby
Gregory Soto
Kade Strowd
Albert Suárez
Tomoyuki Sugano
Tyler Wells
Brandon Young

Catchers

Adley Rutschman
Gary Sánchez

Infielders

Gunnar Henderson
Jackson Holliday
Jorge Mateo
Coby Mayo
Ryan Mountcastle
Ryan O’Hearn
Ramón Urías
Jordan Westburg

Outfielders

Daz Cameron
Dylan Carlson
Colton Cowser
Heston Kjerstad
Ramón Laureano
Cedric Mullins
Tyler O’Neill

Cameron is the most vulnerable of the outfield group after the Orioles acquired him from the Athletics on Oct. 31 for cash considerations, but he can provide depth and help to fill out the roster at Triple-A Norfolk if he doesn’t make the club.

None of the eight infielders are in danger of removal from the 40-man unless there’s a trade. Rutschman and Sánchez will be the two catchers. Any other subtractions would come from the pitching staff.

The Orioles can get down to 38 players by moving Bradish and Wells to the 60-day injured list. They won’t be ready to pitch until the second half at the earliest.

Baker is a survivor. He made 19 appearances with the Orioles last season, posting a 5.01 ERA in 23 1/3 innings, and he was optioned multiple times. So far, he’s avoided a succession of DFAs.

Cameron and Baker can’t be sent down this year without clearing waivers.

Dylan Carlson has three options, but Laureano has none and he’s getting $4 million. He’s ruining some early roster mocks and complicating the breakdown between infielders and outfielders.

The anticipated four/seven split, with the two catchers bringing the position side to 13 players, could be switched to five/six. Laureano might be joining Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, Tyler O’Neill and Heston Kjerstad. There might be a trade in the works. There might be an undisclosed injury to another outfielder or just concerns that infielder Jorge Mateo won’t be ready. He would have been an extra right-handed hitting outfielder.

Having Mateo available on March 27, and the club deciding to carry seven infielders, would take us back to a trade or injury to get Laureano on the roster. How else would this work? They seem intent on carrying 13 pitchers rather than 12 despite the early days off in the schedule.

The Orioles wanted more right-handed bats during the offseason and they brought in O’Neill, Laureano, Cameron and the switch-hitting Carlson. O’Neill has a career .270 average and .923 OPS against left-handers. Laureano has a .274 average and .802 OPS. Carlson has a .285 average and .792 OPS. This is a nice complement to the left-handed hitting Cowser, Mullins and Kjerstad – the latter expected to finally get a legitimate chance with more regular at-bats and less sporadic playing time and trips back to the minors.

OK, I’ll say it. Unless he’s packaged in a trade. There you go.

I know you were thinking it.

Pitchers and catchers report on Wednesday – so close now that I don’t need to write the date – and executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias will speak with the media the following day. The Laureano signing the motivation behind it will be one of the hotter topics.

The cooling down would happen only if a trade is consummated beforehand.