3 Orioles players out of minor league options and on the hot seat heading into 2025

The Baltimore Orioles have many talented young players that are pushing for a spot on the major league roster, but the emergence of those key young contributors will place some of the older players on the hot seat this spring. The Orioles have multiple fringe roster pieces who have run out of minor league options, leaving them in a make-or-break season.

Roansy Contreras has been passed between teams all offseason. The righty has been claimed off of waivers by four different organizations on five separate occasions, including being scooped up twice by the Orioles. He's coming off a season in which he appeared in 49 games for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels.

The Orioles are looking to lengthen Contreras' outings and turn him back into a starting pitcher. While this plan could allow Contreras to find a long relief role in the bullpen, it's unlikely for him to break into the rotation if everyone stays healthy. This pits Contreras against another pitcher on the hot seat in Albert Suarez, who the Orioles are looking at as one of their top depth arms.

These 3 Orioles players are out of minor league options and could get dumped before the season begins

Suarez is in his second stint in MLB. He made his debut back in 2016 with the Giants but was never able to stick. He ended up leaving the US and pitched for the Yakult Swallows of Japan's NPB from 2019-2022. He spent the next two years with the Samsung Lions of the KBO before returning to MLB for the 2024 season.

Suarez was an effective starter in 2024, making the most of an opportunity created by major injuries to the Orioles' pitching staff. However, with the addition of Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano in 2025, he may be relegated to a bullpen position. This places him in a competition against Contreras in camp. Suarez has the edge in this battle after manager Brandon Hyde said that Suarez and left-hander Cade Povich are being looked at as their two best depth pieces.

The infield is crowded with talent, both at the major league level and in the minors. Ramon Urías may find himself in the heat of a battle between himself and top prospect Coby Mayo. The latter is off to a slow start in spring training despite the power display during live batting practice in the first week. This should give Urías a slight edge, assuming that the O's top power prospect is not ready for the major league level quite yet.

Urías started 75 games for the Orioles last season and appeared in a total of 100. He won a Gold Glove award in 2022 and was an above average hitter last season. Urías is also one of the more versatile options that Hyde could keep around, as he has played every infield position for the Orioles since his debut in 2020.

All three of these players are unlikely to slip through the cracks if they were to hit the waiver wire following spring training. If Baltimore wants to hold on to the trio of players then they will have to find them a spot on the major league roster. Contreras was claimed five separate times in the offseason and the seasons from Urías and Suarez are unlikely to be looked over.