Baltimore Orioles Re-sign Previously DFA'd Catcher to Minor League Deal

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a minor league contract with a player that they previously DFA'd this season.

Feb 21, 2024; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher David Banuelos (91) poses for a photo during photo day at Ed Smith Stadium. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a contract with a slugger that was previously sent to waivers this season.

Roch Kubatko of MASNSports reported on Sunday night that catcher David Banuelos was going to be signed to a minor league deal that comes with an invite to spring training.

While it isn't an earth-shattering move, it does show that they have at least some interest in keeping Banuelos around, even if he hasn't made an impact at the big league level.

The California native was a fifth-round pick by the Seattle Mariners out of high school. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins later that December for $1 million in international signing money.

He was never considered a top prospect, but there were hopes that he could become a solid backup catcher at the next level.

Over the beginning years of his career in the minors, he was unable to get his bat going. His best season over the first five seasons was 2022. He posted a .204/.273/.376 slashing line.

He wasn't hitting very many home runs and wasn't driving batters in. He only played in somewhere between a quarter and a half of his team's games most years, making it hard for him to find a groove.

After receiving a demotion to Double-A at the start of 2023, though, something clicked. That season was by far the best of his career with 10 home runs and 20 RBI over 48 games. His slashing line was up to .270/.369/.526.

Banuelos elected free agency after the year in hopes of finding a home that would allow for more consistent playing time.

That's when he joined the Orioles on another minor league contract back in December of 2023.

He made his MLB debut back in April but there's not much more to be said about his first season in the Baltimore organization. He flew out in his lone big league at bat and posted a .225/.360/.352 slashing line over 22 games in Triple-A.

The Orioles DFA'd the 27-year-old back in April and he cleared waivers before being out righted back to Norfolk.

Banuelos likely won't figure much into the rotation at catcher this season, but will act as franchise depth. Given the amount of young talent that Baltimore has behind the plate, that's all that the franchise needs him to be.

He'll get a chance at spring training, but it's unlikely that he opens the season on the active roster.