Minor Leagues

The Orioles reassigned a pair of non-roster invitees, catcher Jose Gil and infielder Nuiman Romero, to minor league camp on Thursday. The moves leave 51 players remaining in big league camp, 14 of them non-roster invitees. Romero was 4-for-11 with and RBI and a walk in 12 Grapefruit League games. Gil was 0-for-10 with five strikesouts in seven spring games.  

The Orioles made their first cuts of the spring Thursday, sending five players to minor league camp, including two of the organization's most promising young pitchers. The club sent out left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and right-hander Mike Wright, who are widely considered the Orioles' top pitching prospects behind Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman. Also re-assigned to minor league camp were catcher Allan de San Miguel, who did not play in a Grapefruit League game for the Orioles because he was with the World Baseball Classic's Team Australia; catcher Luis Martinez, who didn't play in a game because of a left oblique strain; and left-hander Zach Braddock, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said the team was “more comfortable” signing right-hander Jair Jurrjens to a minor league deal than a major league one after closely vetting the results of a physical on his right knee. “There's some safeguards for the player in there, as well,” Duquette told reporters during Saturday's first full-squad workout, which Jurrjens participated in fully. “At least we have a chance to work together and see if we can help him be a good big league pitcher.

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 two veterans to minor league deals - and both are pitchers they know fairly well. The club has agreed to terms with lefty Mark Hendrickson and right-hander Joel Pineiro, according to industry sources. Pineiro, 34, pitched in five games in the Orioles organization in 2012, three for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and then two at Triple-A Norfolk before having season-ending right labrum surgery in July. The veteran is 104-93 with a 4.41 career ERA in 335 big league games over a 12-season career, including seven seasons with the Seattle Mariners.

The Orioles have announced their minor league coaching staffs for the 2013 season. Most of the staffs remain similar to last year's, although former Orioles player Ryan Minor will become the manager at advanced Class-A Frederick after managing at low Class-A Delmarva for the past three years. He replaces Orlando Gomez, who had been the Keys manager for the past three seasons. Gomez will become the manager of the Orioles' rookie level Gulf Coast League team. The staff at Triple-A Norfolk remains nearly intact, with Ron Johnson returning as manager for his second season, Mike Griffin as pitching coach and Denny Walling the hitting coach.  Jose Hernandez will become the team's field coach after working in that capacity at Frederick last year, Delmarva in 2011 and the Gulf Coast League in 2010.

Dan Duquette's Orioles have become the landing spot for players looking for a second chance. If you were a failed, can't-miss prospect, an aging veteran or a successful independent league player, well, come to the Orioles and show whether you can make it to the big leagues. So it's really no surprise that the Orioles have announced they have signed left-handed hitting outfielder Adam Greenberg to a minor-league deal. He will not receive a formal invitation to spring training, however.