Orioles 2022 Depth Chart: Catchers and Infielders

Note: This article is the first in a series looking at the Orioles 2022 depth chart.

Though below the standard of an immediate contender, the Baltimore Orioles 2022 depth chart of catchers and infielders provides glimpses of a brighter future. Headlined by the top prospect in the game, this group also includes a mix of young players as well as some veterans that will hold down positions for the 2022 season while prospects continue to develop in the minors.

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Catchers

Currently the Orioles do not have a catcher on their 40-man roster. However, it’s easy to look at the existing depth and imagine how things will shake out at the position. Adley Rutschman will be the starting catcher for the Orioles at some point in 2022, it’s just a question of when. Service-time manipulation incentivizes the Orioles to keep Rutschman in the minors for the first couple months of the season, with the intention of gaining an extra year of service time and delaying arbitration eligibility.

In an ideal scenario, we would be certain that Rutschman is the opening-day starter and be left with the far less interesting discussion about who will be his backup. However, unless it is eliminated or somehow curtailed by the next collective bargaining agreement, service-time manipulation could very well force him back to Triple-A Norfolk for the opening months of the season.

If Rutschman does indeed start back in the minors, the Orioles could begin the year with Jacob Nottingham and Anthony Bemboom, two players signed as minor-league free agents this offseason. Both have major-league experience and could hold down the position until Rutschman arrives. This offseason does not feature a good class of free agent catchers, but it is still conceivable that the Orioles could handout a low-cost one-year deal to one of the handful of veteran catchers available when the lockout ends. It is worth keeping an eye on the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, where a few interesting catching prospects will be available—including Blake Hunt, a former 2nd-round pick that the Rays acquired from the Padres as part of the Blake Snell trade prior to the 2021 season. The Orioles could also look to the waiver wire, which was how they landed former backstop Pedro Severino in 2019.

Infielders

There is a bit less uncertainty in the infield, where the positions are fairly set right now. Ryan Mountcastle and Trey Mancini appear likely to split first base and DH duties again, with newcomer Rougned Odor at second base, the defense-first Kelvin Gutierrez at third, Ramon Urias at shortstop, and Jorge Mateo on the bench as a utility player. While Mancini has been speculated as a trade candidate for some time, there was not much movement reported towards a trade or an extension before the lockout. It is possible that teams who lose out on free agents like Freddie Freeman or trade options like Matt Olson will approach the Orioles with an offer for Mancini, but for now it’s probably best to pencil him in for an Opening Day roster spot.

The situation on the left side of the infield could change before Opening Day. In each of the past two offseasons, Mike Elias has signed a veteran shortstop to a low-cost contract, inking Jose Iglesias before the 2020 season followed by Freddy Galvis last year. If Elias takes the same approach this year, a reunion with Iglesias could be in the cards, with seemingly a few other options in the mix for one-year deals that will not cost Carlos Correa or Trevor Story money.

Andrelton Simmons would be my preference of that group, as his defense should be good enough to provide value if his bat fails to rebound from a sluggish 2021. That said, Simmons figures to draw interest from other clubs, so he could end signing for more than what the Orioles are willing to pay. The same could go for former Oriole Jonathan Villar.

Should the Orioles sign a shortstop, then Odor and Urias could split time between second and third. Urias hit well enough last season to leave me believing that he should receive regular at-bats this year. Even if he doesn’t factor into this team’s long-term plans as a starter, it would still be good to know what they have in Urias.

Beyond that group, there are some infielders that could push for major-league jobs later in the year. Terrin Vavra was added to the 40-man roster in November, after a promising but injury-shortened 2021 campaign at Double-A Bowie. If he is fully healthy, a good couple of months at Norfolk could put him in the mix for opportunities at second base by July or August, especially if Odor struggles or performs well enough to become a trade deadline chip for the Orioles.

Vavra has consistently posted high OBPs and walk rates in the minors, with a plate approach that is routinely praised by observers both inside and outside the Orioles organization. He does not project to have much home run power but could be enough gap hitter to give the Orioles an upgrade at second base later in the year. 

The list of infielders projected to start the year at Norfolk includes a few other options for the major leagues. Tyler Nevin received some major-league time last year and should see some at-bats with the Orioles in 2022. The challenge for him, though, will be separating himself from the players that will also factor into the team’s plans for first base, DH, third base, and the corner outfield spots. Even if Mancini were to be traded, it is not a forgone conclusion that it would open playing time for Nevin, who struggled in Triple-A last season, and has never hit for the kind of power that major-league teams look for in first and third base/DH/corner-outfield-type players.

Rylan Bannon is another player on the 40-man roster that could help the Orioles at multiple spots, primarily second and third. However, he will need to shake an injury-plagued and largely ineffective 2021 season and show that his bat is worthy of major-league playing time. Perhaps Bannon could get back to being the patient, contact-oriented hitter who had success with Bowie in 2019, but the path to him getting back there will likely have to start with regular playing time at Norfolk.

Jahmai Jones, meanwhile, flashes plenty of tools and athleticism that have yet to translate into sustained major-league success. He often looked overmatched at the plate during his stint with the Orioles late last season and would have to show considerable improvement at the plate to make the Opening Day roster. Still, if his bat and his defense at second base trend in the right direction at Norfolk, he should get a look in the majors at some point in 2022. Shed Long, whom the Orioles signed as a minor-league free agent earlier this week, has a similar profile and could get a look in the majors if he eventually works his way onto the 40-man roster.

There are expected to be more high-upside infield prospects in Bowie, where Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson and Joey Ortiz are projected to be part of the Baysox’s Opening Day roster. Henderson is a consensus Top-100 prospect in the game right now, but at age 20 needs more development.  

Westburg is a few years older and more polished than Henderson but comes with question marks of his own, particularly if he can avoid swing-and-miss tendencies against more advanced pitching. While a huge breakout could result in him receiving a look in the majors late in the year, that is an absolute best-case scenario. Instead, it is likely more realistic to expect that he starts next year at Bowie and reaches Norfolk later in the year, which would put him in the conversation for a major-league role in 2023.

Ortiz is the best defensive shortstop of this trio, and he made significant strides at the plate last season before a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder forced an early end to this season. He will need to regain health, but his offensive breakout last year will be sustainable if he continues to hit the ball with more authority than he did prior to 2021. A strong start at Bowie should at least earn him a look at Norfolk later in the year.

For more on the Orioles 2022 depth chart, look for upcoming pieces on the club’s outfield and pitching. They will be written by my On The Verge co-hosts, Bob Phelan and Nick Stevens.