Baltimore Orioles: Looking at the 2020 non-tender candidates
By Nick Stevens
As the Baltimore Orioles enter a likely quiet offseason, which of their arbitration-eligible players may be non-tendered?
For the Baltimore Orioles, the 2020 season was largely a big success on multiple fronts.
The Orioles outperformed expectations, showcased one of the top bullpens in the majors, were able to add three new Top 30 prospects to a farm system that MLB Pipeline now ranks among the top ten, and witnessed impressive rookie debuts from outfielder/first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and starting pitchers Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer.
The play on the field may not have been highly entertaining every night, but the Baltimore Orioles are clearly moving in the right direction and there are genuine reasons to be optimistic about the near future of the organization entering 2021.
Attention has now turned to the offseason, an offseason expected to be pretty quiet for the Baltimore Orioles as they continue to maintain a low payroll, evaluate a number of talents already in the majors, patiently await the arrival of the next group of prospects, and deal with the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After trading away relief pitchers Miguel Castro and Mychal Givens, the Orioles are down to seven arbitration-eligible players heading into the offseason, a few of whom are potentially non-tender candidates.
Let’s start with the players who will surely be tendered a contract and return in 2021.
Infielder Hanser Alberto and outfielder/first baseman Trey Mancini are entering their second year of arbitration and they are no-brainers to be tendered a contract. The Orioles are pretty thin at second base and Alberto has played well the last two seasons in Baltimore. As for Mancini, his impact reaches well beyond Camden Yards and every Orioles fan is sending every positive vibe available his way in hopes of Mancini returning to the field next season after battling colon cancer.
You can also throw in Anthony Santander‘s name here. Before an oblique injury prematurely ended his 2020 campaign, Santander slashed .261/.315/.575 with 11 home runs and 13 doubles in 37 games. The switch-hitting outfielder will be back in the starting lineup for Opening Day 2021.