Baltimore Orioles: Looking at the 2020 non-tender candidates

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.

Baltimore Orioles 2020 non-tender candidates.

For a brief amount of time, Pedro Severino and Chance Sisco formed one of the top offensive catching units in all of baseball in 2020, but a late-season slump left both catchers limping into the offseason. Now, Severino enters the offseason as a first-year arbitration-eligible player.

It’s only a matter of time before Adley Rutschman cements himself behind the plate in Baltimore, but that won’t be in 2021. Pedro Severino is in his first year of arbitration and barring an offseason trade, he likely is not a non-tender candidate.

Since joining the Orioles as a waiver claim in 2019, he has put together back-to-back seasons with a wRC+ of 94 and has slashed .249/.321/.409 in 144 games. That’s a massive improvement from his .187/.223/.287 slash line in 105 career games with the Washington Nationals.

The toughest decision could involve designated hitter Renato Nunez. Across parts of three seasons in Baltimore, Nunez has hit 50 home runs, including 31 in 151 games last season. With his ability to hit 20+ doubles and 30+ home runs with 80+ RBI in a season, Nunez could see a solid pay raise through arbitration.

With no defensive value, a long list of younger options available to DH, and the need for roster spots in 2021, Renato Nunez is a non-tender candidate for the Orioles. Maybe, he can fetch some trade value with a permanent DH in the National League, but it’s hard to imagine any team giving up very much for Nunez.