The Orioles announced they’ve claimed utilityman Jorge Mateo off waivers from the Padres. To create active and 40-man roster space, infielder Pat Valaika was designated for assignment.
Mateo has spent the past season-plus in San Diego, tallying his first 121 MLB plate appearances in the process. He’s only managed a .195/.235/.310 line with two home runs in that time, but Mateo’s also never had the benefit of regular playing time on a win-now Padres club. However, because Mateo is out of minor league options, San Diego had to keep him on the active roster or else risk losing his long-term rights. That left the 26-year-old as a sort of designated bench piece, with most of his time coming as a pinch hitter, pinch runner or late-game defensive replacement (primarily in the outfield).
As with the Padres, the O’s have to keep Mateo on the big league roster or risk losing him on waivers themselves. Mateo ranked among the game’s top 100 prospects at Baseball America for three consecutive seasons (2016-18) thanks to his blistering speed and decent raw power. There’s plenty more opportunity for the rebuilding Orioles to give him a regular look against big league pitching if they’re so inclined. If Mateo earns a permanent spot on the roster, he can be controlled through 2025.
Valaika has spent the past two seasons in Baltimore. He broke into the majors with the Rockies, briefly landed with the Diamondbacks, but wound up with the Orioles on waivers. Valaika performed well in a brief look in 2020 (.277/.315/.475 over 150 plate appearances) but he hasn’t followed up on that this season. The 28-year-old has tallied 212 trips to the dish this year and managed just a .192/.251/.280 line with four homers.
Baltimore will place Valaika on waivers in the coming days. Should he pass through unclaimed, he’d have the right to reject a minor league assignment by virtue of the fact that he’s previously been outrighted in his career.
i like this move
Valaika should accept the minor league assignment. We will be up before you know it.
You’re assuming that he makes it through waivers, which I don’t think is a given.
I like it, hope he gets everyday playing time ROS
I love this move this another Elias smart move. Mateo looks bad on offense, now Mateo should be playing
3 or 4 games & will get some regular reps. See O’s SS Urias after getting reps. Go Birds!
Former Yankee #1 prospect. His bust will be in the HOF right next to Refsnyder’s.
@bobtillman- no, Mateo was never the Yankees #1 prospect, but I would definitely take him as a utility player over Tyler Wade right now. Refsnyder is Judge’s old buddy, one of the nicest guys in the planet supposedly. I see you got jokes.
Nice guys can’t hit in mlb
@HidekiMatsuimalemodel- Refsnyder is hurt right now, but he was starting to hit of late for the Twinkies.
Can’t hit and he can’t defend, so should be fine.
Good grab for the O’s. Good place to land for Mateo.
Another sub .200 hitter for the Orioles. They spare no expense!
Hitting a buck ninety, fits right in
Hopefully Mateo gets playing time and Valaika hooks up with some team that wins soon and escapes being claimed by the Orioles for a third time. 😀
You would think the Cubs should be in on every single one of these reclamation project type guys given the state of that team, but hey.
Orioles have higher waiver priority b/c of the worse record
Wouldn’t Cubs have had Priority due to League? Doesn’t it go through the league of the waiving team then move to the other league?
Yeah this is correct, reverse record by league. So any NL team would have priority over any AL team.
You obviously don’t follow the Cubs.
Lmao you mean the team giving Andrew Romine and Matt Duffy (both 30+ IF on one year deals) regular playing time? The Cubs should be in on anybody who is a young/young-ish reclamation project who is controllable beyond this year..
As a Padres fan, I wish Jorge Mateo well. As they say, “Speed never goes into a slump”. Jorge can turn a walk or a single into a double with the wheels he has. Good luck on the O’s Jorge!
Smart move by O’s
Finally, a change of pace for the O’s infield.
I am interested in seeing Mateo and Richie Martin playing on the same field. All the speed, none of the bat.
5 years ago he was a future all-star lock. Blake Rutherford too. Not sure what happened.
Not everyone makes it, obviously.
The other side of that is that there are also guys who come out of nowhere and become really solid major league players.
As a Padres fan, I hope he kills it. He’s a cool cat, just no real place for him on the bench. Surprised he lasted as long as he did, but with Marisnick move, he time was up.
***his
Certainly worth a look. Get the man in the lineup everyday and see what he has.