Baltimore Orioles Might Have Found Next Breakout Pitcher After 'Exciting' Performance

The Baltimore Orioles might have found another reclamation project who can turn into an impact player for them.

Jul 24, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde (18) before a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The sentiment surrounding the Baltimore Orioles entering spring camp is they are further away from winning the AL East title than they were last year when they were coming off a 101-win season and division title.

Perhaps that's fair.

It's been well-documented the production that walked out of their clubhouse by way of Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander, and while the Orioles have the horses to replace their star slugger, they didn't do much to combat the departure of the former Cy Young winner.

But Baltimore is confident.

At some point this roster was going to be made up of the star prospects they accrued during their teardown rebuild, and based on the Opening Day projections, it seems like 2025 is the year that era will be truly debuted.

During the course of the Orioles' rapid rise to prominence, they have done a great job of developing different players who have come into the organization who either weren't highly-touted or were reclamation projects.

Albert Suarez is the most recent example of that.

After spending time pitching in Japan and South Korea, he signed a minor league contract with Baltimore. He was called up on April 17 last year and made his first Major League appearance since 2017. And after his spot start where he gave up just three hits in 5.2 innings of shutout ball, he remained on the roster for the rest of the season and finished with a 3.70 ERA across his 32 outings (24 starts).

Now, he is expected to be an important swingman for the team this year, having the ability to start games as needed or appear in long relief roles.

That's huge for this Orioles team where there are major quesiton marks about the pitching staff.

And they might have found their next Suarez in camp.

Rodolfo Martinez signed a minor league contract with Baltimore back on Nov. 1 earlier in the offseason after spending time in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Japan.

It wasn't a move on anyone's radar, maybe even some people inside the building as well, because he has never made a Major League appearance and hasn't been with an MLB organization since 2019.

But it's safe to say he's caught the eye of some people now.

Per Roch Kubatko of MASN, Martinez struck out Samuel Basallo and Enrique Bradfield Jr., two of the most exciting prospects in the Orioles' pipeline who are both expected to be key contributors at some point in the next couple of years.

"You never want to get overly excited in spring training, especially early, but when a guy's throwing high 90s with a split like that and a slider he can throw for strikes, that does open your eyes. I had never seen him throw before and that was exciting," Brandon Hyde said.

It's early, but that's a great sign.

Martinez likely doesn't break camp with a spot on the Opening Day roster no matter how well he performs, but he can do a lot for himself by continuing to show well during the spring.

With question marks in the pitching staff, Baltimore needs as many good arms as possible.

Martinez could be the next breakout star for the Orioles, just like the previously unknown Suarez was for them last season.

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