Orioles has signed the midfielder Ben DeLuzio to a minor league deal, according to him transaction tracking at MLB.com. He’s reported to Triple-A Norfolk Tides and is in the squad for tonight’s game.
DeLuzio, 28, joined the Cardinals last year but failed to bid at the end of the season and became a free agent. He signed a minor league contract with the Cubs this winter but did not cause the club to run out of camp and be released. He went to the Dodgers on another minor league contract but he only hit 0.180/.286/.258 in Triple-A and was released again last week, having now landed with the Orioles.
His only major tournament experience came with Cards last year, when he hit 0.150/.292/.200 in a small sample of 25 disc appearances. While he didn’t steal bases at the time, his speed and defense were his best assets. He stole 30 bases in Triple-A last year and added 5 more during his short stint for the Dodgers this year. When he entered the pro league last year, Statcast determined his sprint speed in the 98th percentile.
The Orioles already have plenty of pace, as their 43 collective steals put them fifth out of the league’s 30 clubs. However, if DeLuzio can take a meaningful step forward with the cane, he could serve as an attractive substitute for the club, serving as a poking runner and defence. . He’s scored 0.283/.359/.430 in the minors between 2019 and 2022 and is probably more likely to show off than what he’s gathered here in 2023 so far. If he can make a list, he has a full range of options and less than a year of service.
