The Orioles announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander Branden Kline. He would otherwise have qualified for minor-league free agency.
Kline, 27, was a second-round pick out of the University of Virginia back in 2012. His path up the ladder in the Baltimore system was slowed by arm injuries, however. Kline missed most of 2015 and the entirety of the following two seasons owing to a terrible run of injuries.
Now that he has battled through a surgically repaired broken leg, Tommy John surgery, and other procedures, Kline will likely feature only as a reliever. But he showed quite some promise in that capacity in 2018, when he threw 65 2/3 innings over 44 appearances at the High-A and Double-A levels, working to a 1.64 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.
Why does this matter on October 30? I doubt he’s gonna make his major league debut tonight
Read the article
The transaction was made to prevent Kline from reaching minor league free agency, as he was drafted in 2012, which means that his rookie contract (often called the 6-year contract) was slated to expire. Typically, organizations can re-sign players but if the player refuses to re-sign, the team needs to add them to the 40-man roster in order to retain them. Tyrone Taylor from yesterday and Jake Cave from last year are examples.
Sorry I’m not really Bright.I just look at pictures
Reading. Live It. Love it.
The Phantom GM strikes again…. a day before Halloween. Spooky.
Zoiks Scoob!!!
He was a pretty big time prospect out of HS as remember. Threw mid 90’s. Boston offered him nearly 2m thinking when drafted?? Believe Boras was his so called adviser, not positive on that however. he turned it down of course. Probably should have taken it cause think he was another that ended up with less than a million eventually..
Played against him in HS. He was drafted 6th round by Boston outa HS and then 2nd out of Virginia. He made more money and made the right choice. Kid has struggled with injuries since getting into the minors but pitched great this year. I think he’ll be a potential 8th inning man this coming year.
Considering he was a 6th round pick I’m going to say he wasn’t offered anywhere near 2MM. Slot value for that round is ~$250K today. There’s no way on Earth they offered him more than that. he got over 750K from the orioles in the 2nd round a few years later and on top of that he got to go college. I think he’s alright.
No way on earth they offered him 2 million is what that should say. Any bonus the Red Sox would’ve offered him would’ve been damn close to what he got in Baltimore a few years later.
perfectgame.org/Articles/view.aspx?article=2087
“The Real 2009 Draft: Ordered by Bonus instead of Pick”
The 180th pick signed for $1.6 million. Keep in mind in 2009 there was not a hard slotting system. The 650th pick signed for $990k. The 1335th pick signed for $500k.
Looks like someone is pay attention at the warehouse.
Signs of Life
Yep. Guy’s got some nice potential. From Maryland too.
Sneaky good move by BAL, and a good mark on the new management.