Orioles claim potential James McCann replacement off waivers from division rival

On Monday, the Orioles made a pair of interesting waiver claims that could potentially have an impact on the 2025 roster. The less notable of those claims was reliever Thad Ward, who was let go by the Nationals. While Ward is more likely minor league depth, the O's also acquired catcher Rene Pinto from the Rays, who is a much more interesting player.

Pinto obviously doesn't have the same leadership qualities that McCann did but there are still reasons to think that the former Ray could work behind Adley Rutschman this year. Prior to 2024, Pinto had shown solid plate discipline and decent pull-side power in the minor leagues. He'd consistently been a roughly .330 OBP guy with good defense and Rays fans expected him to work his way into a major league role.

Unfortunately for Pinto, things cratered a bit this past year. He was terrible in Triple-A, struggling to a .191/.257/.373 line with a 36.5% strikeout rate. He was a bit better in 19 games with the Rays, as he hit .214/.292/.429 with 2 homers and 3 doubles in the limited sample.

Waiver claim Rene Pinto could work as Adley Rutschman's backup in 2025

Despite the elevated strikeout rate in 2024, Pinto provided good enough defense and just enough power to warrant consideration from the Orioles. With the future of James McCann still unclear, it's fair to think that with the current roster construction Pinto could get the chance to win the backup catcher job this spring.

McCann is coming off the final year of a 4 year, $60 million contract that he originally signed with the Mets. Most of McCann's value came on the defensive side, as well as in the clubhouse. He had a tough time at the plate this year, hitting .234 with a .667 OPS.

Orioles fans will long remember McCann getting plunked in the face with a Yariel Rodriguez fastball. McCann went down with a bloodied face but remained in the game, looking tough as nails. That grit and leadership won't be forgotten, but if the Orioles want to put the best team on the field in 2025, they can certainly upgrade from McCann, at least in terms of offensive production.

Pinto realistically isn't the best possible option. There are other catchers on the free agent market that might make a bit more sense, or provide more stability from a roster standpoint. But Pinto is cheap, and with top prospect Samuel Basallo on the way, it might make sense for Mike Elias and the O's to bide their time and wait until Basallo is ready. That'll likely be around mid-season next year, if all goes well.