Baltimore Orioles: Orioles sign Robert Andino to minor-league contract

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The Baltimore Orioles and Robert Andino have reunited! The Orioles signed Andino to a minor league deal, with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

The Baltimore Orioles announced they have re-signed infielder Robert Andino to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. However, the Orioles anticipate Andino will start the season as a shortstop for Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles also officially announced the signing of Johnny Giavotella and Kevin Gausman.

Andino sounds like a familiar name to Orioles fans, doesn’t it?

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That’s because Andino used to play for the Orioles from 2009 to 2012. Since then, Andino played 29 games with the Seattle Mariners in 2013, and 13 games with the Miami Marlins in 2016. In between his stint with the Mariners and the Marlins, Andino was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the middle of the 2013 season.

He was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis Indians where he played the rest of the 2013 season. In 2014, the Pirates signed Andino to a minor-league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Andino ultimately didn’t win a job with the Pirates and was once again sent to the minors. He spent the entire 2014 season in Triple-A and left the Pirates organization when his contract expired at the end of the campaign.

Andino spent the 2015 season with the Somerset Patriots in the Atlantic League before returning to the Majors the following season.

Andino played over 100 games for the Orioles in 2011 and 2012. While Andino showed promise during the 2011 season (.263/.327/.344), his numbers tailed off significantly in 2012 (.211/.283/.305).

Next: Kevin Gausman avoids arbitration with $3.45 Million deal

Andino will provide much needed infield depth behind Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, Chris Davis and to an extent Mark Trumbo.