Orioles' first round of cuts includes one name that's especially disappointing

The Baltimore Orioles made their first round of cuts this spring training, bringing the total number of players on the spring training roster down to 69. These cuts are inevitable as the front office and coaching staff slowly determine which 26 players will make the opening-day roster. Chayce McDermott was a bit of a long shot to make the team, but seeing him included in the first round of cuts is very disappointing.

With how little the Orioles did to address their bullpen, McDermott came into camp with a decent shot to make the team. It wasn't that long ago that he was the Orioles' top pitching prospect. After being a starter for his entire career, this was his first offseason and camp since transitioning to being a relief pitcher.

What was supposedly holding McDermott back from being a starter with the Orioles was a combination of poor command and a lack of opportunity. With a move to the bullpen, the command issues wouldn't matter as much, and with the Orioles only bringing in two external bullpen arms, there should have been lots of opportunity for a pitcher already on the 40-man roster to snag one of the available bullpen spots.

Despite having what should have been an inside track over guys like Hans Crous and Josh Walker, McDermott did not perform well, and the Orioles were much more interested in getting an extended look at several non-roster invitees than him.

McDermott being an early camp cut puts his 40-man spot in jeopardy

With that in mind, it's understandable to question how much longer McDermott will keep his spot on the 40-man roster. He's been there since the 2024 season, and during that time, he's provided 12.2 total innings at a 12.79 ERA. That's not good.

Sometimes, a young player will hang around the fringes of the 40-man roster for a few years because even though he's not ready to produce at the major league level, they want to protect him from the rule five draft, and they know if they try to sneak him back through waivers, he'd get snatched up in a hurry.

However, McDermott is not a young player who just needs a little more seasoning. This is his age 28 season, it will be his fourth season in triple-A, and every year has gotten worse. Last year, he had an ERA north of six at Norfolk.

This isn't to say that the Orioles should DFA McDermott just for the sake of it. He has multiple good pitches, and he's shown that he can miss bats and be effective in the past. It's possible that he could put it together and be a good relief pitcher, but that might have to happen somewhere else. If the Orioles were to bring in some last-minute free agents to reinforce the pen and have to drop someone to be the corresponding move, there's no reason to prioritize McDermott over any of the other arms they have on the roster.