Baltimore Orioles: Orioles acquire Gabriel Ynoa from Mets

Oct 2, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Gabriel Ynoa (63) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Gabriel Ynoa (63) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles added to their pitching depth on Friday morning by acquiring Gabriel Ynoa from the New York Mets. In a corresponding move, Francisco Pena was designated for assignment.

The Baltimore Orioles were busy the eve of Spring Training, acquiring Gabriel Ynoa from the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations.

As a corresponding move, the Orioles designated catcher Francisco Pena for assignment. Pena didn’t have any minor league options remaining and was slated to compete with Caleb Joseph for the backup catcher position.

Instead, the Orioles hope to have a pitcher that will add depth to their rotation.

Orioles GM Dan Duquette said the following after the Ynoa trade:

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“Gabriel Ynoa is young, strong, durable and talented. Our scouts feel he can develop into a major league starting pitcher by developing a consistent breaking pitch. We look forward to his contributions to the Orioles this season and beyond.”

Ynoa made his Major League debut with the New York Mets last season and had a 6.38 ERA in 10 appearances (three of them were starts). He struck out 17 batters and walked seven with 26 hits.

In his first full season in Class-A Savannah during the 2013 campaign, Ynoa went 15-4 with a 2.72 ERA. He was later added to the New York Mets 40-man roster in 2014 after he posted a 4.07 ERA in 25 starts between High-A Port St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton.

Last season Ynoa pitched a 3.97 ERA in 25 starts for Triple-A Las Vegas.

While his numbers seem promising, his one flaw is he doesn’t strike out a lot of people. He notched 78 strikeouts in 154.1 innings, which isn’t all that impressive.

Next: Caleb Joseph hopes for fresh season with O's

The Orioles have an entire season to see what Ynoa can bring to the table, and if he develops in the minors, he could be added to the list of starting pitching depth in the future.