Orioles put Tate on 40-man roster and DFA Vielma

The Orioles have adjusted their 40-man roster in preparation for the Rule 5 draft, which will be held on Dec. 13 on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

Pitcher Dillon Tate was placed on the 40-man today, his contract selected from Double-A Bowie, to prohibit teams from taking him. With the roster already full, the Orioles created room by designating infielder Engelb Vielma for assignment.

Another spot must be opened later to allow the Orioles to make a selection, which is expected to happen while choosing first. They could designate a player or non-tender him.

The Orioles acquired Tate and pitchers Cody Carroll and Josh Rogers from the Yankees on July 28 for closer Zach Britton, a move that further signaled the organization's intentions to embark on a rebuild while headed toward a 115-loss season.

Only Tate failed to make his major league debut later in the summer. A sore shoulder while throwing down in Sarasota eliminated him from consideration for a September start, as former manager Buck Showalter scrambled to fill out his rotation.

Tate, the Yankees' sixth-rated prospect by Baseball America, went 2-3 with a 5.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in seven starts with Double-A Bowie. Eastern League opponents batted .302 against him. He was 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and .218 average-against in 15 starts with Double-A Trenton before the trade.

Any player selected in the Rule 5 draft must stay with that team for the entire season or pass through waivers and be offered back.

The Orioles also considered catcher Martin Cervenka and left-hander Luis Gonzalez for their protected list, but decided against it. Cervenka could compete for a backup job in spring training if he stays in the organization.

Only players from outside the organization can be placed on the 40-man between now and the Winter Meetings. The Orioles can make adjustments if they sign a free agent or consummate a trade.

A player who signed at 18 or younger and has five seasons of professional baseball is eligible for the Rule 5 draft. The Orioles also left pitcher Chris Lee and infielder Jomar Reyes exposed, among many others.

The Orioles tried to carry three Rule 5 players last season, including outfielder Anthony Santander, who still needed 44 days on the active roster before they could option him. Pitcher Pedro Araujo, selected last December, must remain with the club for 17 days due to his lengthy stint on the disabled list.

Vielma fractured his patella in May while playing for Triple-A Norfolk - he was chasing a foul ball and crashed into the railing - and underwent season-ending surgery. He appeared in six games with the Orioles and was 1-for-7.

The Orioles acquired Vielma from the Giants on Jan. 26 for a player to be named later or cash.