Former Orioles prospect hits free agency after being released by Blue Jays

The Blue Jays will be in the news all day today. They signed their star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr to a massive 14-year, $500 million contract extension that'll keep the four-time All Star in Toronto for the rest of his career. For Jays fans, it must be nice to know that your front office isn't all talk, considering the absolute nightmare situation that occurred with Shohei Ohtani two winters ago, and seemingly getting so close with Roki Sasaki this winter before ultimately losing both players to the Dodgers.

Earlier in the week though, the Jays released a lesser known reliever who spent the last two and a half years bouncing around their organization. That player, right hander Zach Pop, happens to be a former Orioles prospect.

Pop wasn't with the Orioles for long. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 2017 but came over to Baltimore as part of the five-player group that the Orioles received in exchange for Manny Machado at the trade deadline in 2018. Pop pitched for the then Bowie, now Chesapeake, Baysox in 2018 but underwent Tommy John surgery in early 2019 and lost the 2020 season to the COVID shutdown.

Former Orioles' prospect Zach Pop released by Blue Jays

Pop was eligible for the Rule 5 draft after the 2020 season and was selected by the Diamondbacks at pick number six. The righty was subsequently traded to the Marlins and he made his major league debut with Miami in 2021. Pop was effective with the Marlins, pitching to a combined 3.98 ERA across 74.2 innings between 2021-2022.

He was dealt to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline in 2022 along with Anthony Bass in a deal that sent infield prospect Jordan Groshans to Miami. Pop had less success during his time in Toronto, pitching to a 4.89 ERA in 81 innings with the Jays. A hamstring strain severely limited his time in 2023 and he hasn't been able to regain the form he found in that strong 2022 season.

Recently, Pop had been diagnosed with elbow inflammation, though his scans reportedly hadn't shown any significant damage. He had a bad spring with the Blue Jays, injured his throwing elbow, and was unceremoniously released, entering free agency with limited prospects of finding another major league job.

If this is the end of Pop's career, he can at least hang his hat on that one truly effective season in 2022. While Dean Kremer is still pitching for the Orioles, Pop had more major league success than any of the other prospects who were shipped to Baltimore in the Machado deal. Maybe that's enough.