Will Yusniel Diaz Ever Break into the Orioles Lineup?

At the 2018 trade deadline, the Baltimore Orioles traded Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a five-player package, including prized prospect Yusniel Diaz

Manny Machado has since left the Dodgers and signed a big deal with the San Diego Padres, but Yusniel Diaz is still in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system. Will we ever see Diaz in the Baltimore Orioles lineup or will this be a trade filled with empty promise?

Injuries have been Yusniel Diaz’s biggest problem while in the minor leagues for the Orioles, causing him to miss significant time.  It also didn’t help that Minor League Baseball’s 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. General Manager Mike Elias has drafted players like Heston Kjerstad, Kyle Stowers, and Colton Cowser in the last couple of drafts as well, throwing a wrench into Diaz’s route to being part of the team’s future in the outfield.

If Yusniel Diaz has plans on being part of the Baltimore Orioles, he needs to do whatever it takes to stay healthy and remain up at the Triple-A level. He’s been moving up and down the Orioles farm system, but the 2022 season is an important one for Diaz.  If he can make an impact during Spring Training or early on in the minor leagues, he could possibly get a call-up sometime in the upcoming season. If not, who knows when we might see Diaz in the big leagues for the Orioles.

Yusniel Diaz has all the tools to be a great major league player, he just needs to get past the injury bug.  If that happens, then the Baltimore Orioles might have something to look forward to in Diaz. The 25-year-old outfielder could bat either in front or behind the team’s top prospect, Adley Rutschman, in a year or two.  That would be a fun lineup to see, as it would surely include All-Star outfielder Cedric Mullins at the top.