This, that and the other

Last year’s Winter Meetings appeared to confirm the handful of Orioles prospects deemed untouchable, at least to some rival executives - a group that included Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo and Heston Kjerstad.

This week could present an opportunity for media in Dallas to glean whether some statuses have changed.

Holliday projects as the starting second baseman after a rough introduction to the majors, where he batted .189/.255/.311 with 69 strikeouts in 60 games. He’s made an adjustment at the plate, removing the leg lift as a timing mechanism and going with a toe tap, and the Orioles maintain a high opinion of a player drafted one/one and who ranked as the top prospect in baseball.

Jordan Westburg, Jorge Mateo and Ramón Urías also can play second, giving manager Brandon Hyde infield flexibility. But the ideal setup has Holliday at second, Westburg at third and Urías and Mateo working in utility roles. Mateo also could be an extra right-handed hitting outfielder.

Kjerstad could find many more opportunities bouncing between the outfield and designated hitter. The Orioles signed Tyler O’Neill to replace Anthony Santander, but Kjerstad offers the contrast of a left-handed bat.

It’s time to see if he’s done with Triple-A and able to be the player that they envisioned after making him the second-overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Mayo’s path is more cluttered, of course. The Orioles aren’t holding third base or first base for him. They don’t seem inclined to try him in right field. But they love his power and potential and, we assume, will give him a legitimate chance to win a job in spring training.

An alternative is to remove the untouchable label and listen to offers for him.

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden offered seven trades that he’d like to see at the Winter Meetings, and he mentioned Mayo going to the Mariners for starter Bryce Miller, who posted a 2.94 ERA and 0.976 WHIP this year in 31 starts.

Miller is under team control until after the 2029 season. He hasn’t reached arbitration eligibility. And the Orioles might be forced to trade for a top-shelf starter if they can’t sign Corbin Burnes or Max Fried. The White Sox’s Garrett Crochet is available, but there’s a line forming for him.

How can the Orioles create a spot for Mayo beyond carrying eight infielders on a 26-man roster? I’ve seen fan suggestions that they trade Ryan Mountcastle and give first base to Mayo and Ryan O’Hearn. Mountcastle has been a Gold Glove finalist in back-to-back seasons, so the club would be sacrificing defense. And the left field fence is moving in, which could unlock more of Mountcastle’s power.

Of course, it could do the same with Mayo if he’s making contact.

Mayo needs consistent at-bats, which have been available only in the minors. It’s true of many power hitters and he’s no exception.

* Santander remains on the free-agent market and the Orioles apparently have moved on from him by reaching agreement with O’Neill on a three-year, $49.5 million deal. Bowden projects a six-year, $142 million contract for Santander, so the Orioles spared their payroll while also getting one of the top corner outfielders on the market - someone who makes hard contact and can draw walks.

They needed a right-handed bat and didn’t want to sacrifice much power. O’Neill is a good fit with his 31 home runs this year, 13 fewer than Santander. O’Neill posted a .336 on-base percentage that would have ranked second on the Orioles behind Gunnar Henderson’s .364. Santander owns a career .307 OBP.

O’Neill has registered a 12.6 bWAR, compared to Santander’s 11.1. He’s won two Gold Gloves. But Santander overcame his early injury history to appear in 152, 153 and 155 games the past three seasons. O’Neill’s 113 this year are the second-highest of his career after 2021’s 138, and he made three trips to the IL this summer – raising his career total to 14 - with right knee inflammation, a concussion and a leg infection.

Santander was a popular figure in the clubhouse and one of the team’s leaders. He’s going to be missed. But O’Neill could bring a productive right-handed bat and more outfield versatility with his ability to play all three positions.

The Orioles might check on other right-handed hitting outfielders with plus-defensive skills who could work in a reserve role. Otherwise, Mateo could fill it when he isn’t starting at second base or shortstop.

To carry seven infielders, the Orioles would have to limit the number of outfielders to four. O'Hearn is an option in the corners. Perhaps they use O’Neill and Kjerstad in a platoon, though $49.5 million seems like a steep price under that arrangement. Perhaps O’Neill gets most of the starts in the outfield and Kjerstad gets heavy usage at designated hitter, though the trick is also giving O’Hearn regular playing time.

O'Neill has homered in five straight Opening Days, a major league record, so look for him in the March 27 lineup in Toronto.

* The Orioles discussed Gary Sánchez as a backup option a few winters ago and they reached an agreement with him Saturday on a one-year, $8.5 million deal.

Sánchez brings more power than James McCann, but he’s always carried a bat-first reputation. Yankee fans grew frustrated with the 16 passed balls in 2017, 18 in 2018 and five in the truncated 2020 season that led the league. But he has a career 3.0 dWAR and won’t be counted on to carry a heavy workload behind the plate.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias wasn’t going to dangle multi-year offers for a backup catcher with No. 2 prospect Samuel Basallo reaching Triple-A this summer. A one-year commitment makes the most sense while Basallo, at age 20, keeps developing with the Norfolk Tides. McCann could get two years.

Moving in the left field wall should benefit O’Neill and Sánchez. The Orioles are making Camden Yards a more attractive option for right-handed hitters without chasing away pitchers.  

The 40-man roster includes catchers René Pinto and Blake Hunt, and the Oriole re-signed David Bañuelos to another minor league deal. Maverick Handley is on Norfolk’s roster. That’s a lot of catchers in Triple-A.

Pinto is out of options and would have to clear waivers and be outrighted.  

* RIP former Orioles outfielder Merv Rettenmund, an underrated contributor to those powerhouse Orioles teams in the late '60s and early '70s. Rettenmund was fighting cancer and died at his San Diego home.

Rettenmund spent the first six of his 13 major league seasons with the Orioles, and he batted .318/.422/.448 in 141 games in 1971 while finishing 19th in Most Valuable Player voting in the American League. But the tendency, and it's understandable, is to focus on Frank Robinson, Paul Blair and Don Buford.

His post-playing career was spent as a long-time hitting coach, including nine seasons in San Diego.

Rettenmund, who was traded to the Reds in the Ross Grimsley deal in 1973, was 81 years old.