Jonathan Schoop

SARASOTA, Fla. --In today's Baltimore Sun, I wrote about Orioles prospect Jonathan Schoop, who will leave the team this weekend to play for Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. This is Schoop's first big league camp. Last year, he made some appearances in games as part of a group of players who came in from minor league camp. So this isn't entirely new to him. Orioles manager Buck Showalter has said this spring that one of the great advantages to having some of the younger prospects in camp is that they can observe firsthand how the veterans carry themselves.

The Orioles' top position player prospect, Jonathan Schoop, was placed on the seven-day minor league disabled list Thursday with a lower back strain. The 21-year-old Schoop, who raised his stock after strong offseason performances in the Arizona Fall League and the World Baseball Classic, is hitting .268/.331/.386 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 34 games at Triple-A Norfolk. The injury isn't expected to be serious. Schoop is the Orioles' No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America behind pitchers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After playing a strong World Baseball Classic with the Netherlands, Orioles top position prospect Jonathan Schoop is slated to return to major league camp on Tuesday, where manager Buck Showalter said he intends to get a few more looks at the 21-year-old before optioning him to the minors. “I'd like to get him some at bats here to take a little look at him,” Showalter said Thursday. “We've gotten very few peeks at him.” Schoop, who tied for the Netherlands team lead with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in eight WBC games, initially started at second base for the Netherlands, then moves to third when Jurickson Profar joined the team.

This spring's competition for the fifth spot in the Orioles' starting rotation came a little bit closer to a conclusion Saturday when the team optioned left-hander Zach Britton to Triple-A Norfolk. The team also optioned infielders Jonathan Schoop and Yamaico Navarro to Triple-A and reassigned right-hander Daniel McCutchen to minor league camp. Those moves trim the Orioles' spring roster to 40 players. In five Grapefruit League outings this spring, the 25-year-old Britton had a 6.10 ERA, allowing 13 hits and seven runs in 10 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Orioles infield prospect Jonathan Schoop said Saturday that he plans to play for the Netherlands in this spring's World Baseball Classic. Schoop is listed on the Netherlands' provisional roster that came out this week, but he said was considering not playing because of a nagging left knee injury. “Last year, I felt a little big of weakness in my leg, in my knee,” Schoop said. “I was feeling not 100 percent. Right now it feels good.” Orioles center fielder Adam Jones will represent the United States in the WBC, and reliever Luis Ayala will pitch for Mexico.

The Orioles' top position prospect, Jonathan Schoop, had been away for most of the spring while representing the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He finally returned Wednesday and, on Friday, he led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 21-year-old started at shortstop and had three hits in his first three at-bats, including a RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth against Rays starting pitcher Jeff Niemann. Steve Pearce also homered as the Orioles improved to 16-6-3 in Grapefruit League action.

In preparation for setting their roster before December's Rule 5 draft, the Orioles added two players to their 40-man roster on Tuesday, infielder Jonathan Schoop and left-hander Mike Belfiore. To make room, the Orioles took pitcher Oliver Drake off the roster and outrighted him to Triple-A Norfolk. Schoop, 21, was the organization's 2011 minor league player of the year and held his own at Double-A Bowie (.245 average and .324 on-base percentage) in 2012 despite being one of the youngest players at that level.

Orioles infield prospects Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop played in the MLB Futures Game on Sunday night. Schoop, a second baseman, had a single in his only at-bat as the United States team beat the World, 6-4. Machado, one of the top prospects in baseball, went 0-for-2, but he made a fine defensive play at shortstop. Unfortunately, I can't embed the video because Major League Baseball won't allow me, but you can check out his sweet scoop and throw here . While you're at it, here is video of him taking batting pratice beforehand.

When Baseball America published its list of the Orioles' top 10 prospects this week, the only question was whether pitcher Dylan Bundy or infielder Manny Machado would top the list. That honor went to Bundy, who was the club's top draft choice this past June. Machado was No. 2, and infielder Jonathan Schoop was No. 3. Here's the rest of their list: 4. Parker Bridwell , RHP 5. L.J. Hoes, OF/2B 6. Nicky Delmonico, 3B/1B 7. Ryan Flaherty, IF/OF 8. Jason Esposito, 3B 9. Xavier Avery, OF 10. Dan Klein, RHP Nothing terribly surprising here, but what exactly does it say about the player development system that Dan Duquette inherited when the player the Orioles picked in this year's Rule 5 draft -- a guy left unprotected by the Cubs -- immediately registers as one of your top prospects?

Norfolk outfielder L.J. Hoes highlights the list of Orioles farmhands that have been chosen to play in the 2012 Arizona Fall League, considered the top venue for young prospects. The others are all on Bowie's roster: left-handed pitchers Chris Petrini and Mike Belfiore, right-handers Mike Wright and Clay Schrader and infielder Jonathan Schoop. All will play for the Mesa Solar Sox. Catcher Brian Ward is on Mesa's taxi squad, meaning he will be eligible to play on Wednesdays and Saturdays only.

For three of the four innings he pitched Friday, right-hander Steve Johnson showed why he remains in consideration to be the Orioles' fifth starter. The other inning, though, the 25-year-old St. Paul's alum would like to forget. In the Orioles' 6-3 road win against a Tampa Bay Rays split squad, Johnson retired the first eight batters he faced before temporarily losing control and walking the bases loaded in the third inning. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria followed with a sinking liner that left fielder Trayvon Robinson couldn't handle, resulting in a three-run double.

The Orioles' top position prospect, Jonathan Schoop, had been away for most of the spring while representing the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He finally returned Wednesday and, on Friday, he led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 21-year-old started at shortstop and had three hits in his first three at-bats, including a RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth against Rays starting pitcher Jeff Niemann. Steve Pearce also homered as the Orioles improved to 16-6-3 in Grapefruit League action.

Just met with Orioles manager Buck Showalter prior to tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Sarasota. Here are some highlights: Brian Roberts is back in the Orioles lineup Thursday after fouling a ball off his ankle in the sixth inning Wednesday. He said he was fine; he was. Nolan Reimold is back out in left field for the second consecutive game. Showalter said previously that Reimold needs to play the field to be active on Opening Day. Right now, Showalter said he feels “good about [Reimold playing left field]

Each Wednesday, blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Orioles. zero -- runs allowed by Pedro Strop in six games for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Orioles position players Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop produced mixed results at the World Baseball Classic -- each had some big hits but put up underwhelming numbers overall -- but reliever Pedro Strop was of the most unhittable relievers in the tournament.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Although the Orioles aren't making any proclamations about their rotation with Opening Day looming in less than two weeks, Zach Britton's chances of going north with the club seemingly took a hit Wednesday as he failed to get out of the second inning in a Grapefruit League start against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 25-year-old lefty allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while retiring only four batters, pushing his spring ERA to 6.10 and likely damaging his standing in a battle with Jake Arrieta , Steve Johnson , Brian Matusz and others for the fifth rotation spot.

Orioles top infield prospect Jonathan Schoop returned to Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday after playing on the world's stage as part of an upstart Netherlands team that made it to the World Baseball Classic semifinals before losing to the eventual champions, the Dominican Republic. “I was happy. We did a good job. We showed the world that we could play baseball, compete at a high level,” said Schoop, who is from the island of Curacao, a constituent country of the Netherlands.

The Bowie Baysox are trying to put some romance in the air at Prince George's Stadium. The Orioles' Double-A affiliate is holding a "Date Night at the Diamond" promotion July 6. And if you don't have a special someone to take along to watch the likes of Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop face the Harrisburg Senators, they've got you covered. The Baysox are holding a date auction featuring members of their staff and two players: first baseman Rhyne Hughes and outfielder Robbie Widlansky.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After playing a strong World Baseball Classic with the Netherlands, Orioles top position prospect Jonathan Schoop is slated to return to major league camp on Tuesday, where manager Buck Showalter said he intends to get a few more looks at the 21-year-old before optioning him to the minors. “I'd like to get him some at bats here to take a little look at him,” Showalter said Thursday. “We've gotten very few peeks at him.” Schoop, who tied for the Netherlands team lead with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in eight WBC games, initially started at second base for the Netherlands, then moves to third when Jurickson Profar joined the team.

Orioles minor league pitcher Jonatan Isenia suffered a strained right elbow injury while pitching for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. The 19-year-old Curacao native will be replaced on the Netherlands roster by Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen. Isenia threw just 3 2/3 innings in the World Baseball Classic, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He was added to the Netherlands roster when the final rosters were released. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Isenia pitched for the Orioles' Dominican Summer League team last season, going 0-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 13 relief appearances and allowing 14 hits with 10 strikeouts over 18 1/3 innings.