Young passes physical and signs contract (with Duquette quote)

The Orioles' one-year deal with outfielder Delmon Young finally became official today.

Young passed his physical and signed his contract, which guarantees $2.25 million and could reach $3 million with incentives.

Young agreed to terms on Dec. 24 and took most of his physical on Wednesday, with his bloodwork done the following day. It's been a process due to the holidays and a prolonged wait for the Orioles to hear from the doctors and get the paperwork completed.

The Orioles signed Young to a minor league deal at last year's minicamp in Sarasota and he responded by hitting .302/.337/.442 in 83 games, going 10-for-20 as a pinch-hitter during the regular season and winning Game 2 of the American League Division Series with his pinch-hit three-run double in the eighth inning.

Young is a career .302/.338/.467 hitter against left-handed pitching, which brings added appeal to the Orioles.

To make room for Young on the 40-man roster, the Orioles have designated catcher/first baseman Ryan Lavarnway for assignment.

It's been a wild ride for Lavarnway, who was claimed off waivers from the Cubs on Dec. 23. He previously was selected off waivers by the Dodgers on Dec. 5 and the Cubs on Dec. 19.

The Orioles had five catchers on the 40-man roster, easily the highest total in the majors, and they reached agreement Thursday with J.P. Arencibia on a minor league deal.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette's shopping list is growing smaller. He wants to add a left-handed hitting outfielder/designated hitter, and Colby Rasmus remains the most likely player to sign at this point. A veteran starter and right-handed reliever also are possibilities for depth purposes.

Note: You can add Tommy Hunter and Chris Tillman to the list of Orioles participating in next week's minicamp in Sarasota.

Hunter said he will report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex Monday morning.

Update: Here's a quote from Duquette:

"Delmon Young is an accomplished major league hitter who had a nice year with a lot of clutch hits in part-time duty in 2014. We look forward to his return and contribution to our 2015 team. Depending on how the team is structured, he could have a more vital role this season."