Orioles announce 44 of 60 players in pool

The Orioles are preparing for their second spring training, or first summer camp if that's the preferred description, by revealing the majority of their 60-player pool earlier today.

Forty-four players have been announced and outfielder Trey Mancini goes on the 60-day injured list to leave the 40-man roster at 38 players.

The injured list eventually will be reduced to 45 days, but Mancini won't play in 2020 while undergoing chemotherapy treatments following his colon cancer surgery in March.

The remaining camp players will be announced "in the coming days," according to the Orioles. Major League Baseball required only that a list be submitted by the 4 p.m. deadline.

Players reporting to Camden Yards for workouts include 35-year-old non-roster pitcher César Valdez, who tossed five scoreless innings with two hits allowed, no walks and nine strikeouts this spring. He was brought over from the minor league side for four games and earned a longer look.

Here are the names shared today by the Orioles:

PITCHERS (26)
RHP Shawn Armstrong
LHP Ty Blach
LHP Richard Bleier
RHP Cody Carroll
RHP Miguel Castro
RHP Alex Cobb
RHP Thomas Eshelman
LHP Paul Fry
RHP Mychal Givens
RHP Eric Hanhold
RHP Hunter Harvey
RHP David Hess
RHP Branden Kline
LHP Wade LeBlanc
RHP Travis Lakins Sr.
LHP John Means
LHP Tommy Milone
LHP Tanner Scott
RHP Chandler Shepherd
RHP Kohl Stewart
RHP Cole Sulser
RHP Dillon Tate
RHP César Valdez
RHP Hector Velázquez
RHP Asher Wojciechowski
LHP Rob Zastryzny

CATCHERS (4)
Bryan Holaday
Pedro Severino
Chance Sisco
Austin Wynns

INFIELDERS (10)
Hanser Alberto
Chris Davis
Dilson Herrera
José Iglesias
Richie Martin
Renato Núñez
Rio Ruiz
Pat Valaika
Andrew Velazquez
Stevie Wilkerson

OUTFIELDERS (4)
Austin Hays
Anthony Santander
Dwight Smith, Jr.
DJ Stewart

Teams are forbidden from exceeding the limit of 60 players in the pool during spring training 2.0 or the regular season. Changes can be made to it by removing a player in order to create a spot for someone else, for example, via trade, waiver claim, release, or placement on the 45-day injured list or COVID-19 list.

The trade deadline has been moved from July 31 to Aug. 31. Only players in the pool are eligible to be dealt.

Absent from today's announcement are pitcher Bruce Zimmermann, outfielders Mason Williams and Yusniel Diaz, infielder Richard Ureña and catcher Taylor Davis, who remained on the camp roster when baseball shut down. They're likely to be headed to the alternate site.

Outfielder/infielder Ryan Mountcastle, catcher Adley Rutschman and pitcher Keegan Akin also are missing from today's announcement. Mountcastle and Akin could make their major league debuts later in the summer.

Hess was optioned after the Orioles returned home, but he's on today's list. Reliever Evan Phillips isn't as he recovers from a sore right elbow. He's been throwing bullpen sessions and drawing closer to appearing in simulated games.

The Orioles are concentrating now on players who could be on the opening day roster, but they'll also need to make distinctions later between taxi squad candidates who could assist them later in the summer and prospects using the next few months to remain active and further their development.

Intrasquad games can be set up to push the activity beyond basic workouts and drills.

The opening day roster will hold 30 players and the total decreases to 28 after two weeks and 26 after four. The schedule hasn't been announced and may not become public until after camps open.

The first game will be played on July 23 or 24.

Spring training 2.0 begins on July 1, but the first workout may not be held until two days later, after players and staff are tested for the virus and isolated.

The Orioles will need an alternate site for players who aren't in major league camp. Prince George's Stadium in Bowie is a prime candidate, but the facilities at short-season Single-A Aberdeen and Single-A Frederick also are under consideration.