Baltimore Orioles Could Reunite with Former Prospect for Relief Help

A former Baltimore Orioles farmhand is available in the Rule 5 Draft and he could be an answer for their bullpen.

Jul 31, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A Baltimore Orioles baseball cap of a fan before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles are suddenly a bullpen-needy team.

Baltimore parted ways with Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb after the season. Craig Kimbrel is out the door as well, but he was only in town on a one-year deal and a placeholder for injured closer Félix Bautista, who returns to closer duties in 2025 after recovering from Tommy John surgery.

But, Baltimore still needs bullpen help and next month’s Rule 5 draft could provide such help. Interestingly, there is a familiar face available.

San Francisco Giants farmhand Ryan Watson, a right-handed reliever, is available in the draft. The Orioles signed him in 2020 as part of their COVID-shortened draft class. He played his college baseball at Auburn.

Baseball America recently profiled him as a player that could be selected next month.

Watson spent his entire minor-league career with the Orioles until he was dealt to the Giants in August for cash. With Triple-A Sacramento, he made 10 appearances and did not figure in a decision. But he recorded three holds, struck out 13 and walked five in 11.1 innings.

For the 2024 season, he played with four different affiliates and finished with a 3-1 record with a 2.83 ERA. He struck out 36 and walked 13 in 35 innings.

He has been both a starter and a reliever at the minor-league level, but his ERA last season was the lowest of his pro career. In 2022 with the Orioles he went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 27 games (18 starts) with 100 strikeouts and 29 walks in 107.1 innings.

For his career, the 27-year-old is 20-14 with a 4.12 ERA with 305 strikeouts and 104 walks in 294.1 innings.

Baseball America highlighted him as a player to watch because he has multiple years of experience at Triple-A, which makes him potentially Major League-ready next season. He also took to being a full-time reliever this year and the site’s evaluators note that the quality of his slider, which runs at 82-84 mph, will interest teams.

Because he was formerly a starter, he has a solid pitch repertoire, which includes a four-seam fastball that runs as high as 94 mph, along with a two-seam fastball and a splitter.

Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club's 40-Man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons.

If the Orioles take a player in the draft, they owe his team $100,000 and must put that player on their 26-man roster. If at any time the player must be released in his first season with the franchise, he must be placed on outright waivers in order to be removed from the 26-man roster. Should the player clear waivers, he must be offered back to his previous team for $50,000.