Baltimore Orioles Roster
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Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said on Friday that the team wants left-hander DL Hall to start in 2023. However, Elias wasn't ready to say whether Hall would go to Triple-A to begin the year if he doesn't break camp in the major-league starting rotation. The 24-year-old southpaw made 11 appearances (just one start) in his major-league debut with the O's in 2022, and he went 1-1 with a 5.93 ERA (1.65 FIP), 1.68 WHIP, one save and 19 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings pitched. Hall will certainly have to improve his command this spring and throughout the year if he wants to win and maintain a rotation spot in Baltimore.
Baltimore Orioles infield prospect Gunnar Henderson said he plans to take repetitions at both shortstop and third base during spring training and is ready to play wherever the team puts him. Henderson said knowing he'll be on the team "takes a little pressure off," but he's heading to camp with the mindset that he's trying to earn a starting spot. The 21-year-old is listed as MLB Pipeline's top overall prospect in baseball for 2023, so he'll have high expectations after hitting .259/.348/.440 with a .788 OPS, four home runs and 18 RBI in 34 games during his major-league debut in 2022. Henderson played more short than third in the minors, but he was used mostly at the hot corner in Baltimore when he came up last year. No matter where he's playing, Henderson is one of the most exciting young players in the game right now.
Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that starting pitcher John Means' (elbow) Tommy John recovery has been going as expected, but July will be on the early side of the timeline for his eventual return. The 29-year-old left-hander had Tommy John surgery in late April of last year, so fantasy managers shouldn't have been expecting him to be ready to return to Baltimore's rotation in the first half of the 2023 season. Even when Means is able to return to the field this year, he won't be guaranteed to be sharp after having elbow reconstruction. He made just two starts before being shut down in 2022, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven in eight innings.
Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that he expects pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez to open the 2023 regular season in the starting rotation. Elias also thinks outfield prospect Colton Cowser will make his MLB debut at some point this year. Rodriguez is Baltimore's No. 2 prospect and seventh overall in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. It's likely that the 23-year-old right-hander would have debuted last year, but a Grade 2 lat strain set him back. Rodriguez was fantastic once he returned from a three-month absence at Triple-A Norfolk, showing that he doesn't have much left to prove on the farm. He'll likely face workload restrictions in 2023, but Rodriguez should have an immediate fantasy impact in all leagues if he stays healthy.
The Baltimore Orioles signed free-agent third baseman Curtis Terry to a minor-league deal on Friday. Terry made his major-league debut with the Texas Rangers in 2021 and went 4-for-45 with no homers, one RBI, three runs scored and 15 strikeouts in 48 plate appearances over only 13 games played. The 26-year-old spent the 2022 campaign with the Minnesota Twins' Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul and slashed .250/.348/.429 with a .777 OPS, 10 home runs, 32 RBI and 41 runs scored in 80 games. Terry will provide the Orioles with depth at the hot corner this year, but he'll likely begin the regular season in the minor leagues.
