Minor League

A few days ago, I wrote about the goings-on in Sarasota and how some players are already working out with Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall. There will be more to come once minor league minicamp opens at the Twin Lakes Complex in less than two weeks. Now we have a list of minor leaguers who will be attending the organization's minicamp, which is slated to begin Feb. 18. It will include some of team's top draft picks in last season's draft: Second-rounder Branden Kline, third-rounder Adrian Marin and fourth-rounder Christian Walker.

The Orioles have added to their outfield surplus by announcing the minor league signing of Chris Dickerson. The 30-year-old Dickerson, who will receive a spring training invite, joins a crowded Orioles roster of veteran outfielders not on the 40-man roster:  holdovers Steve Pearce and Lew Ford, as well as Jason Pridie and infielder/outfielder Conor Jackson. In addition, Adam Greenberg, who made headlines last year with one at-bat for the Miami Marlins, was signed to a minor league deal.

The wait on Jair Jurrjens is finally over. Three weeks after the right-hander reportedly agreed to a major league deal with the Orioles, the club announced Friday night that it has instead signed Jurrjens to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training. Jurrjens, 27, is expected to arrive in camp Saturday, in time for the team's first full-squad workout of the spring. According to sources, Jurrjens and the Orioles agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million major league deal (with $2.5 million more available in bonuses)

Looking to add to their minor league outfield depth, the Orioles have signed former Pittsburgh Pirate Jeff Salazar to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training. Salazar, 29, appeared in 21 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, going 1-for-23 (.046) with an RBI. With experience at all three outfield spots, Salazar is expected to start the season at Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles have plenty of outfield depth at the major league level with Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Lou Montanez, Felix Pie, Nolan Reimold and Luke Scott.

Baseball Ex-O's pitcher Lopez signs minor league deal with Braves The Atlanta Braves have signed former Orioles right-handed pitcher Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league spring training, the National League team announced Monday. Lopez, 35, was 7-16 with a 5.00ERA with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. He pitched 200 innings, the second-highest total of his career, in his first full season since elbow ligament-replacement surgery in 2007.

The Orioles made two outfield roster cuts before Monday's game, optioning Russ Canzler to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigning Jason Pridie to minor league camp. The moves trim the Orioles spring training roster to 38 players, including 10 non-roster invitees. Canzler, who played both outfield and first base competing for a reserve spot, recorded a .265/.324/.294 batting line this spring in 23 games. Pridie, a non-roster invitee, had a solid spring, hitting .310/.341/.548 with two homers and nine RBIs in 19 games.

Just catching up with some recent minor league signings made by the Orioles that I don't believe we had mentioned here before. The Orioles have signed right-handed pitchers Ross Wolf and Willie Eyre and lefty Ryan Edell to minor league deals. Eyre and Edell will receive spring training invitations. Wolf, 29, returns to the organization with which he spent all of 2009 and part of 2010 before being traded to the Oakland A's for Jake Fox in the unforgettable Wolf-Fox swap. Wolf has a 7.92 ERA in 25 major league games with the A's and Florida Marlins.

A second Orioles minor-league catcher has been suspended for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Progam. Michael Ohlman received a 50-game suspension for his second violation of the drug policy, the office of the commissioner of baseball announced Tuesday. The suspension was for a drug of abuse, which means it was not for use of a performance-enhancing drug. This spring, catcher Brian Ward also received a 50-game suspension. Ohlman's suspension will begin immediately, but he is currently recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during an automobile accident during spring training.

Orioles top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy was named to this year's Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team. Bundy, the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, was one of four starting pitchers selected from all levels of minor league baseball to make the first team. The 19-year-old right-hander was 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA in 23 starts between low Class-A Delmarva, high Class-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He struck out 119 in 104 innings and allowed just 67 hits. Despite speculation that Bundy might join the Orioles once rosters expanded, he is participating in instructional league in Sarasota, Fla. The team was selected by Baseball America's staff.

With several American League East opponents on the spring schedule, Orioles manager Buck Showalter has chosen to pitch some of his starters in minor league games at Twin Lakes Park. Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen got his work in during a Class-A game Monday. Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez threw five innings Wednesday at Twin Lakes. Next week, when the Orioles play back-to-back night games Wednesday and Thursday, Showalter said he will likely throw Jason Hammel and Chen in minor league games.