In their turn in the Spring Breakout spotlight, several Orioles prospects got a chance to show their skills.
There are now 11 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. A week from today marks the last Grapefruit League game, after which the team will head north for one exhibition in our nation’s capital, then farther north into Canada so they can begin the season against the Blue Jays.
There was some fun in Birdland yesterday and it came almost entirely from the minor leaguers.
The Orioles prospects were in action against a team of Yankees prospects last night as part of MLB’s Spring Breakout series. The O’s team stormed back from a 4-3 deficit in the ninth inning to first tie up the game and then pick up the walkoff in a 5-4 victory.
Switch-hitting infielder Leandro Arias delivered the game-winning single not long after outfield prospect Austin Overn plated young shortstop DJ Layton for the game-tying run. What was fun about this turning into a walkoff win is that it clearly meant something to the players. Arias got the standard Gatorade bath and mob of celebrating teammates at first base. Even by spring training standards, the game didn’t count, but they got a chance to show off and they won.
Other highlights in the game included last year’s first round pick Vance Honeycutt getting a heck of an awesome inside-the-park home run. Usually when there’s an inside-the-parker you get some kind of fluke situation where a fielder falls over and there’s no one to back up the play or whatever. In this case, Honeycutt hit a ball that bounced off the warning track and looked like it might go over the fence for an automatic double.
Instead, the ball stayed in play and the Yankees center field and left field guys just didn’t make an effort to field the ball and get it in play quickly. So Honeycutt just kept on running and he scored.
Fellow outfield prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr., possibly the center fielder of 2026, had two hits in the game. Bradfield might have had more at stake than anyone else, as the MLB Network broadcast of the game (which included Orioles broadcaster Melanie Newman) frequqently mentioned Bradfield had a steak dinner bet going with his former Vanderbilt teammate and current Yankees prospect Spencer Jones.
As for the major leaguers, well… yesterday’s spring training game was one of those ones where it’s good that everything is getting wiped out in less than two weeks. The Orioles lost to the Pirates, 15-5, with Gregory Soto taking the loss after allowing an unearned run that resulted from his own throwing error. Later in the game, Seranthony Domínguez allowed three runs in only two-thirds of an inning.
Domínguez has gotten poor results through spring training so far. He might be the guy I’m side-eyeing the most as the regular season approaches. The thing about Domínguez is he wasn’t good last year, which is why the Phillies were trading him away, and he wasn’t good for the Orioles either. Yet Mike Elias wanted him anyway and constructed a bullpen that’s going to rely on him for key late innings, possibly even substantial numbers of ninth innings, and so here he is.
It’s a 23.14 ERA in spring. That rolls back to 0 for the regular season but if that’s anything close to how he’ll pitch, Domínguez is going to be everybody’s least favorite Oriole by the time the calendar turns to May.
In today’s spring training affair, the Orioles have a split squad day. The home Orioles will face the Phillies, while the road Orioles travel to play the Tigers. Albert Suárez is set as the starting pitcher for the road team, with Opening Day starter Zach Eflin in action at home. Neither game will be televised in any capacity. The Sarasota game will air on the flagship WBAL radio stations in the Baltimore area.
Around the blogO’sphere
Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) still eyes return by Opening Day: ‘That’s my plan’ (Orioles.com)
Still waiting for anything more concrete than “a strong belief that he can still get back into games” before the end of spring training. Time is running out!
Urías slowed by sore hamstring, rotation’s fifth spot still up for grabs (School of Roch)
Had you noticed Ramón Urías hasn’t played for a few days? His hamstring is ailing, though according to Brandon Hyde, he’s supposed to be back imminently.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 1962-63 catcher Hobie Landrith, and 1954/60-61 catcher Clint Courtney.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: 4th president James Madison (1751), baseball Hall of Famer Lloyd Waner (1906), comedian Jerry Lewis (1926), actor Victor Garber (1949), longtime Baltimore Ravens executive Ozzie Newsome (1956), rapper Flavor Flav (1959), and Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney (1965).
On this day in history…
In 1916, two regiments of American cavalry led by John Pershing crossed into Mexico to apprehend or kill Pancho Villa. However, Villa remained at large by the time the US joined World War I and the force was recalled with its objective unaccomplished.
In 1945, World War II’s Battle of Iwo Jima ended after five weeks of fighting on the island. Nearly all of the 20,000 Japanese soldiers died, with American combat deaths around 7,000, mostly marines.
In 1968, during the Vietnam War, American servicemen massacred up to 500 people in the villages of My Lai and My Khe. This was covered up for about 18 months before it became public.
In 1995, the state of Mississippi became the last state to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery on its ratification in 1865.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on March 16. Have a safe Sunday.
