Orioles sign J.D. Davis to minor league deal

By Roch Kubatko

Masn Orioles

August 07, 2024, 2:13pm

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The Orioles made a move today to address their infield depth.

A source confirmed that J.D. Davis has signed a minor league deal. The Yankees released him last week.

No, he can’t pitch.

Davis, 31, is a right-handed hitter with a career .257/.340/.425 line in eight major league seasons. He’s hit 72 home runs, including 22 with the Mets in 2019 and 18 with the Giants last year.

The Athletics signed Davis on March 16 and traded him to the Yankees on June 23. He batted a combined .218/.293/.338 in 46 games and was 2-for-19 with nine strikeouts with New York.

Davis was a third-round pick of the Astros in the 2014 draft when Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias worked as the club's director of scouting.

Triple-A Norfolk’s roster surrendered corner infielder Coby Mayo, who earned his first major league promotion over the weekend. Jordan Westburg made 64 starts at third base for the Orioles before fracturing his right hand on a hit-by-pitch.

There could be an opportunity for Davis, who's made 270 career starts at third base in the majors and 50 at first base. He’s also appeared in 94 games in left field, the last in 2022. His most recent start was in 2020.

The Orioles bumped first baseman/outfielder TT Bowens from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk this week.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman first reported Davis’ deal.