The Orioles might be able to add depth to their roster with talent that falls through the cracks after spring training

The Orioles have their own group of players that will likely be lost if they don’t make the major league roster out of camp, but there are plenty of players in the same situation across the league.

Baltimore could go shopping on the waiver wire if some of these players slip through the cracks in spring training.

Despite the plethora of talent in the Orioles infield entering 2025, the one uncertainty is first base. Ryan O’Hearn and Ryan Mountcastle have had their chances at the major league level and are not safe from the Orioles trying something new.

The Kansas City Royals have a solidified first baseman in Vinnie Pasquantino and there is a former first-round pick for the Royals that might have run out of chances with the increasing use of Salvador Perez at first base and the eventual debut of Jac Caglianone.

Nick Pratto was drafted 14th overall in 2017 MLB Draft, and was the presumed heir apparent to Eric Hosmer at the time. Since then, Pratto climbed the ranks steadily and made his Major League debut in 2022, but has yet to stick due to the presence of Pasquantino.

If Pratto fails to make the roster, he will have to sneak through waivers. Though his major league stats are not eye popping, at age 26 with multiple years of team control he could be an option for the Orioles if they want to branch out and try a different approach at first.

These 3 MLB players are out of minor league options. If they get DFA’d during spring training, the Orioles should make a move

While the Orioles did not neglect their pitching staff during the offseason, the moves were not as world breaking as fans would have wanted. While there is no clear cut Cy Young candidate that could be hitting hitting waivers this spring there are many options that have some upside. One of those options is Guardians’ starter Triston McKenzie.

McKenzie broke out in 2022 but suffered an elbow injury in 2023 that sidelined him and stunted his growth at the major league level. McKenzie was the second best pitcher for the Guardians in 2022 behind Shane Bieber.

However, his average fastball velo has dropped from 92.5 to 91.1 since his injury and while he struggled after returning from injury, the right hander still has the upside to be a front-end starter.

Unlike Pratto, McKenzie is more than likely to land on the roster for the Guardians but if something were to happen during spring training, Baltimore might want to keep tabs on him.

Out west, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ roster is the best in the league and they have made several key acquisitions in all position groups during the offseason.

One group that is among the most interesting is their bullpen, as they’ve acquired Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and re-signed Blake Treinen. All winter, they’ve loaded their bullpen with talent while potentially leaving some of the league’s best to be grabbed before Opening Day.

Evan Phillips is out of options and while he’s talented, LA’s roster is jammed. If he were to get DFA’d, he’d be scooped up quickly as there likely isn’t a team in the league that would let him slide past.

Phillips pitched for the Orioles between 2018-2020, though his time in Baltimore was uninspiring. He was able to get his career turned around after he left, showing improvement during a very brief stretch in Tampa before getting an opportunity in LA and having his breakout.

Phillips pitched to a 1.59 ERA across 124.1 innings for the Dodgers between 2022-2023.

He took a bit of a step back in 2024, pitching to a 3.62 ERA, though he still looked good and his strikeout rate crept back up and improved compared to 2023. If the Dodgers were to decide to move on, Phillips would be a welcome addition to the Orioles’ bullpen.

As Opening Day approaches players will begin to get their assignments for the 2025 season, and if these three players find themselves heading for the minor leagues, Baltimore may swoop in and save their MLB dreams.