Orioles invite 23 non-roster players to camp

The Orioles released their list of 23 non-roster invites to spring training earlier today, headlined by catcher Adley Rutschman, their top prospect and the first-overall selection in last year's First-Year Player Draft.

Rutschman is joined by pitching prospects Zac Lowther, Alex Wells and Bruce Zimmermann, infielders Rylan Bannon and Mason McCoy and outfielder Yusniel Diaz.

The future will be illuminated by the Florida sunshine.

Other non-roster invites to camp are pitchers Cristian Alvarado, Ty Blach, Hunter Cervenka, Marcos Diplán, Tom Eshelman, Eric Hanhold, Brady Rodgers, Chandler Shepherd and Rob Zastryzny; catchers Martin Cervenka, Taylor Davis and Bryan Holaday; infielders Malquin Canelo, Dilson Herrera and José Rondón; and outfielder Mason Williams.

Pitchers and catchers report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex on Feb. 11. The first full-squad workout is held Feb. 17.

Rutschman was rated the No. 5 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and No. 4 by Baseball America. He's going to begin the season at one of the Orioles' Single-A affiliates, with his major league debut anticipated for 2021.

Lowther is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Norfolk after going 13-7 with a 2.55 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and .197 average against last summer in 26 starts with Double-A Bowie. He struck out 154 batters in 148 innings.

Wells and Zimmermann, also left-handers, should be joining Lowther on the Tides' pitching staff. Wells was 8-6 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 24 walks over 137 1/3 innings in 24 starts with Bowie. Zimmermann, a Maryland native, earned a promotion to Norfolk after registering a 2.58 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 18 games with the Baysox.

Bannon and Diaz were part of the package obtained from the Dodgers in the Manny Machado trade and they could be making their major league debuts later in the summer. Bannon hit a combined .266/.345/.421 in 110 games at Bowie and 20 at Norfolk. Diaz was sidelined twice with hamstring and quad injuries and batted .262/.335/.472 with 19 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 76 games with Bowie.

Diaz was 11-for-33 in Grapefruit League games last spring, including three doubles and a home run.

McCoy began the 2019 season at Single-A Frederick, appeared in 27 games and slashed .379/.416/.509. He moved up to Bowie and hit .266/.326/.343 with seven triples in 105 games.

McCoy was selected to the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game.

Williams, re-signed to a minor league deal, will compete for a backup job in camp. Outrighted pitchers Eshelman, Shepherd and Blach will vie for spots in the rotation.

The invite list could grow because the Orioles remain in the market for pitching and infield depth. They're willing to hand out another major league contract but also could reach agreements on minor league deals.

Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis signed a minor league deal, but it didn't come with a spring training invitation. He spent the past five years in the Mets' system.

Also missing is pitcher Luis Ortiz, acquired from the Brewers in the Jonathan Schoop trade. The Orioles outrighted him on Oct. 30, but he was expected to be tossed into the rotation competition.

Pitching prospects Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer, infielder Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Ryan McKenna are on the 40-man roster and already assured of having lockers at the spring complex.