The rotation after the trade and more on Jahmai Jones

With right-hander Alex Cobb expected on his way via trade to the Los Angeles Angels, the Orioles rotation, thought to have at least one opening, now has at least two.

It's two if you have John Means atop that rotation, which anyone certainly must at this point. But that is if you also have at least penciled in Dean Kremer and Keegan Akin, who combined to make 10 starts late last year.

Their chance to make up 40 percent of the starting five may be more secure today than yesterday.

But the Orioles certainly are still in the market for at least one starter and maybe more on either a major league or a minor league deal - or maybe one of both. That was said to be their position even before the news of the Cobb deal.

It was on Feb. 1, 2020 when the Orioles signed lefty Wade LeBlanc to a minor league deal. On Feb. 14, they added Tommy Milone to a minor league deal. He pitched to an ERA of 3.99 in six starts with Baltimore before he was traded to Atlanta for two players to be named later. They turned out to be Greg Cullen and AJ Graffanino.

So there is time remaining for the Orioles to sign someone that would be in their opening day rotation - whenever opening day arrives.

But at some point in the 2021 season, we could see as many as four rookies in that Baltimore rotation. The 40-man roster now includes Zac Lowther, Alexander Wells, Michael Baumann and Bruce Zimmermann. It also includes 28-year-old right-hander Ashton Goudeau, acquired via waivers in December from Pittsburgh. He made a brief major league debut for Colorado in 2020 with an ERA of 7.56 in four games. When last seen in the minors, he pitched to an ERA of 2.07 in the Double-A Eastern League in 2019.

The 40-man includes the two Rule 5 pitches taken in December by the Orioles in right-handers Mac Sceroler and Tyler Wells. The Cobb deal could open the door a bit wider for them to make the Orioles' opening day roster, pending other additions to the staff. Jorge López who made six starts in 2020, could definitely be in the rotation mix as well.

There are non-roster pitchers that could soon be knocking on the door. Such as lefty Kevin Smith, the club's No. 12 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, acquired from the Mets in the Miguel Castro deal. He advanced to Double-A late in 2019. Also right-hander Kyle Bradish, the club's No. 29 prospect per MLBPipeline.com. He was acquired in the December 2019 deal with the Angels for Dylan Bundy and had an impressive run at the club's alternate camp at Bowie last summer.

About the new guy: The fact the Orioles reportedly ate so many dollars of the Cobb 2021 contract allowed them to get a top 10 Angels prospect in return, one who once cracked the national top 100 lists.

They added 23-year-old second baseman Jahmai Jones, a right-handed hitter who was drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft out of a Georgia high school at 17. Jones was mostly an outfielder then, but the Angels converted him to second base in spring training of 2018. He's made 225 career starts on the farm at second base and 230 in his career in the outfield, with 193 of those coming in center field.

He leaves the Angels as their No. 7 prospect via MLBPipeline.com and No. 8 by Baseball America. MLBPipeline.com gave Jones a 50 hit tool grade with 45 power, 60 for running, and 50 grades for fielding and arm.

After the 2017 season and ahead of the 2018 campaign, Jones was ranked No. 89 in the Baseball America top 100 and No. 93 by MLBPipeline.com. That year, between low Single-A and high Single-A ball over 127 games, he batted .282/.348/.446/.794 and was the Angels' Minor League Player of the Year.

But he didn't hit as well in 2019 at Double-A, batting .234/.308/.324/.631. For 484 career games on the farm, he has hit .258/.338/.386/.724. Jones made his major league debut in August and went 3-for-7 (.429) in three games.

Jones, whose first name is pronounced "juh-MY," was drafted in the second round, No. 70 overall, out of Wesleyan High School in Georgia in 2015. He had a committed to play college baseball at North Carolina and got an overslot $1.1 million bonus.

Jones could have played college football and his family has a long of history of achievements on the gridiron. His late father, Andre Jones, was a linebacker on Notre Dame's national championship football team in 1988 and played for the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers and NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. His oldest brother, T.J. Jones (who also played football at Notre Dame), played wide receiver in the NFL, most recently with the New York Giants. His other brother, Malachi, also played in the NFL and was the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year in the National Arena League. Rocket Ismail, Andre's Notre Dame teammate, is godfather to the Jones children.

So, in getting Jones, the Orioles are getting a former top 100 prospect who has yet to play at Triple-A. He's got a decent glove and above-average speed with athleticism and decent plate discipline. On defense, he has versatility to play infield and outfield and a glove that both Baseball America and MLBPipeline.com grade at 50.