Three moves Baltimore Orioles should make this offseason
By David Hill
Give the youth a chance in 2022
The Baltimore Orioles have several prospects on the cusp of the majors. Adley Rutschman showed that he is ready to be the Opening Day catcher, swinging a hot bat at both Double-A and Triple-A. DL Hall may have struggled with injuries, but he and Grayson Rodriguez were excellent at Double-A. It is a matter of time before they find themselves in Baltimore.
That time should come in 2022. Unless the Orioles look to manipulate Rutschman’s service time (although that could be part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions) there is no reason why he should not be part of the Opening Day roster. Hall and Rodriguez could join him after a couple of months.
This does not include another pair of prospects who already made their debuts. Dean Kremer and Keegin Akin may have struggled, but they need to prove that they can be part of the Orioles’ future. That involves taking their lumps and showing signs of progress.
And the Orioles need to let that happen. Instead of signing the likes of Jorge Lopez and Matt Harvey, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, they need to see what they have on the roster. Giving those young arms the opportunity to prove themselves, even if they struggle, will have much more of an impact on their future than signing some washed up veteran.
The Baltimore Orioles have plenty of intriguing young arms. It is time to let them sink or swim.