Orioles’ latest waiver claim may be sneaky good pickup after breakout 2025 season

If we are honest in our heart of hearts, the vast majority of any waiver claims made by the Baltimore Orioles or any team rarely amount to much. Players are placed on waivers for a reason and most that get claimed end up playing small roles or just take up roster space just in case other players get hurt. Even in successful cases as was the case with Baltimore and Shawn Dubin last season, the success is often very fleeting.

However, there are times when waiver claims are a bit speculative and turn out great. Back in the days of waiver wire trades, names like Larry Walker and David Cone ended up getting moved in pretty significant deals at the time.

While waiver wire trades are no longer allowed, it does appear as though Baltimore could be taking a flyer on an intriguing player after claiming outfielder Will Robertson off of waivers.

Orioles claiming Will Robertson off of waivers could pay massive dividends down the line

Now, is Robertson likely to turn into a lineup regular and get All-Star votes with the Orioles? The odds are pretty low of that. After all, the guy has a career .316 OPS in 75 plate appearances in the majors. If you are in a betting mood, Robertson is not a guy that you should bet money on making the team out of spring training.

However, what Robertson DOES bring is actual potential versus the usual spring training camp fodder that is often guys way past their prime if they ever had one at all. A former fourth round pick by the Blue Jays, Robertson's minor league career was decidedly ordinary until last season at Triple-A where he slashed .289/.387/.571 with 20 homers. The power has always been there, but the uptick with his hit tool combined with a very solid walk rate were welcome developments.

The Orioles' outfield picture is very murky at the moment with a lot of potential options either available on the trade market or facing increasingly uncertain outlooks after struggles in one or more aspects of their games. Finding a place for Robertson that involves a lot of playing time looks very tricky and may not come at all if he doesn't rake in spring training.

However, the Orioles don't need Robertson to be a star, they just need him to be available and to have actual upside. Given all of the outfield uncertainty, having a lottery ticket around that could fill in if/when an Orioles outfielder gets hurt or falls off has a ton of value. At what it cost the Orioles, the move certain cannot hurt their chances.