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4 deserving Orioles players who'll be squeezed off 2024 Opening Day roster
Baltimore is going to have some really good players hanging out in the minor leagues to start the 2024 season.
The Baltimore Orioles have a problem that isn't actually a problem down at spring training. Between the guys they are returning from their division-winning roster from 2023, as well as their new acquisitions and prospects they have in camp, the Orioles have way more good players than they have roster spots at the moment.
Again, this is the best kind of problem to have, and some solutions will be pretty straightforward. There are going to be guys that are clearly a tier below the other options and many of the young guys, especially those who aren't on the 40-man roster, can be sent back to the minor leagues so the team can kick the decision down the road.
4 Orioles players that deserve an Opening Day roster spot, but won't get one
Even after those "easy" moves, Baltimore still is going to have to make some much tougher choices between worthy roster candidates. Looking at recent Orioles Opening Day roster projections, as well as the general scuttlebutt out there right now, here is a look at some of the more deserving Orioles players that appear to be set to miss out on a roster spot.
Bruce Zimmermann
The circumstances coming into camp seemed to bode well for Zimmermann's roster chances. John Means is still recovering from a throwing elbow flare up, and and Kyle Bradish is dealing with a UCL sprain. Even with the addition of Corbin Burnes, it feels like multiple rotation spots are unsettled. Given Zimmermann's swing and miss stuff, he should be firmly in the conversation.
However, that is not how things have played out. Zimmermann has had an okay spring training (3.52 ERA with seven strikeouts), but Cole Irvin still appears to be the preference over him despite having a strictly worse camp this year. As usual, it appears that Baltimore will use Zimmermann's last minor league option and fill him in as needed during the season instead of giving him a day one opportunity.
Heston Kjerstad
Heston Kjerstad is a tough case. Kjerstad has been through a lot ever since the Orioles picked him second overall in the 2020 MLB Draft. Hailed as one of the absolute best bats in his draft class, Kjerstad was diagnosed with a heart infection that kept him off the field until 2022 and forced him to play catchup.
However, catch up he did, as he slashed .309/.394/.457 in his first look at pro ball in 2022, and was even better in the minor leagues last season with a .904 OPS. In fact, he was so good in the minor leagues and made so much progress in a short period of time that the Orioles let him make a cameo appearance in the big leagues late in the season.
The issue for Kjerstad going into the 2024 season is the sheer amount of high quality bats Baltimore has in camp. Just among outfielders, the Orioles currently have Austin Hays, Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, Kyle Stowers, Ryan McKenna, and Kjerstad competing for playing time. Even with the DH being available for plate appearances, that is a lot of guys for not a lot of available spots.
Kjerstad being on the 40-man roster helps his cause, but all of his competition is also on the 40-man, and several of them have had monster springs while Kjerstad has put up a .488 OPS down at camp. As a result, it looks like Kjerstad could be the odd man out and will be forced to get some more reps in the minor leagues while being one of the next guys up if someone gets hurt or falters during the season.
Albert Suarez
There are always guys that come out of nowhere during spring training and force themselves into a competition. It is especially fun when it is a non-roster invitee that wasn't on anyone's radar. When the Orioles signed Albert Suarez to a minor league deal, few thought he would look anywhere close to as good as he has this spring...but here we are.
Suarez started his career in the big leagues with the Giants, but after a couple failed stops, he took his talents overseas to Japan and Korea, where he put together a few quality seasons. Now, he is back to try and give the big leagues a try once again.
Coming into Baltimore's camp with a revitalized fastball, Suarez has gotten a lot of attention while putting up some gaudy strikeout totals. His last spring appearance against the Rays didn't go well and has skewed his numbers in the wrong direction, but he still leads all Orioles pitchers with 16 strikeouts in just 11.1 innings of work this spring.
Suarez has been floated as a rotation option, but the bullpen seems like the more likely option. Unfortunately, Baltimore still seems wedded to guys like Jacob Webb and Cionel Perez that don't have the ceiling that Suarez has, but who are more proven commodities that won't require an additional roster move.
Kyle Stowers
Given what Stowers has done this spring, it would be wild to see him not make the Opening Day roster. However, he is dealing with the same issues with roster crowding that Kjerstad is, and is currently in a tight battle with Colton Cowser for an Opening Day spot in the outfield.
Stowers has certainly made his case this spring. After his three-homer game over the weekend, Stowers now has a 1.181 OPS with seven home runs this spring. It has been nice to see him showcase the talent that made him one of the Orioles' best position prospects, but it may not be enough.
As good as Stowers has been this spring, Colton Cowser has somehow been even better. In his 13 games this spring, Cowser is slashing .364/.488/.758 with four homers of his own. Given that Stowers' previous two seasons in the big leagues haven't gone all that well, Baltimore seems like they could go with the hot hand and higher ceiling guy in Cowser.
Stowers does still have a case, however. Not only did Cowser also struggle in his first look at the big leagues, but Stowers has the experience edge. On top of that, Cowser is more highly thought of in the long-term, and if Baltimore's plan for the fourth outfielder they carry is to not play them too often, the Orioles may want to make sure Cowser is getting regular at-bats in the minor leagues while rotating Stowers into the lineup every now and again.
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