The Orioles on Tuesday signed two of their 2020 Draft picks, inking third-round shortstop Anthony Servideo and fourth-rounder Coby Mayo to above-slot deals. They have now agreed to terms with all six of their 2020 picks and have signed five.
Servideo received a $950,000 bonus, according to sources, slightly above the $844,200 slot value for the No. 74 overall pick. The Orioles and Mayo agreed back in June to a $1.75 million deal, roughly $1.2 million above the slot value for the No. 103 overall selection.
MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis was first to report the agreements, which sources then told MLB.com. The team announced both signings Tuesday afternoon.
On July 1, the Orioles signed first-round pick Heston Kjerstad for $5.2 million, two-thirds the slot value ($7.8 million) for the second overall pick, and on June 27 they signed Competitive Balance Round A pick Jordan Westburg and second-rounder Hudson Haskin to full-slot deals. They've had a standing agreement with fifth-rounder Carter Baumler since mid-June for $1.5 million, per sources, more than $1 million above slot value for the No. 133 pick.
All told, the Orioles used roughly $13.7 million of their $13.9 million bonus pool, allowing them to avoid any penalties they would've faced by exceeding their allotment.
One of two Southeastern Conference shortstops the Orioles took with their first four picks, Servideo emerged as one of that league's premier leadoff hitters for Ole Miss this spring, posting a 1.270 OPS as a junior. The left-handed-hitting Servideo is seen as a slick fielder with plus speed and on-base skills, who grew into some power between his sophomore and junior seasons. He is also the maternal grandson of 1965 American League Rookie of the Year Award winner Curt Blefary, who also won a World Series title with the Orioles in '66
NDFA signing
The Orioles added another arm to the organization on Tuesday, signing non-drafted free agent Shane Davis to a $20,000 deal, according to a source. A 6-foot-3, 165-pound right-hander from North Carolina Central University, Davis pitched to a 2.01 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings as a junior this spring, having transferred to NCCU after two seasons at Division II Bryant & Stratton College. The club has not confirmed the deal.
The Orioles have now agreed to terms with eight non-drafted free agents and have signed six. Five are right-handed pitchers: Brandon Young, Ryan Watson, Isaiah Kearns, Thomas Girardi and Davis.
Meanwhile, at Summer Camp
The first injury of Orioles summer camp has struck, with shortstop José Iglesias sitting out Tuesday’s workout due to a sore back. O’s manager Brandon Hyde said Iglesias received treatment on his back Tuesday, indicating the issue was minor.
Iglesias, 30, signed a one-year $3 million deal with a 2021 club option last winter to be Baltimore’s everyday shortstop. He had participated in workouts this weekend before being sidelined Tuesday.
Let’s play ball
The Orioles are pushing their workouts into the evening to simulate regular-season scenarios, and they will hold their first intrasquad game Wednesday under the lights at Camden Yards. Thomas Eshelman and Tommy Milone will start what will be a 7 1/2-inning game. Hyde said reliever Miguel Castro is also slated to throw at some point in the game.
The Orioles plan to continue playing intrasquad games daily through the end of Summer Camp, by which point they must slice their 45-man player pool to 30.?
“Our guys are in game shape and ready to go,” Hyde said. “We have two-plus weeks of watching our guys play in games against each other as well as a couple exhibition games, and then a 60-game season where we’ll find out more about our guys. I think we’re still in that process of evaluating our own talent and developing from within.”
Rogers on the mend
Progress was plain to see on the Twitter account of O’s Minor League lefty Josh Rogers, who tweeted a video of himself throwing off a mound Tuesday for the first time since undergoing ulna collateral ligament revision surgery.
“Back on the mound for the first time in a year and couldn’t feel better,” Rogers tweeted. “One step closer to being back on the field again with my teammates.”
Rogers, who turns 26 on Friday, had revision surgery on July 3, 2019. He also had Tommy John surgery during his senior year of high school. In between, he was drafted in the 11th round out of Louisville by the Yankees in 2015, then traded to Baltimore as part of the package for Zack Britton three years later. He owns an 8.65 ERA in eight MLB appearances, including three starts.
Given the 12- to 18-month recovery timetable for reconstruction surgery, Rogers is expected to miss the entire 2020 season.