The Orioles announced Wednesday that they’ve signed veteran second baseman Kolten Wong to a minor league deal. The PSI Sports Management client will join their big league camp as a non-roster invitee. Baltimore also confirmed its previously reported signing of right-hander Julio Teheran — also on a minor league deal and non-roster invitation.
Wong split the 2023 season between the Mariners and Dodgers, struggling mightily over a monthslong stint in Seattle before posting sharp numbers in a tiny sample of 34 plate appearances with the Dodgers late in the season. The now-33-year-old veteran hit just .165/.241/.227 in 216 trips to the plate as a Mariner — 65% worse than league average, by measure of wRC+ — before batting .300/.353/.500 with a pair of homers in his brief time with Los Angeles.
Prior to last season’s uneven and generally ugly showing, Wong was a relatively consistent source of slightly above-average production at the plate and standout defense. A two-time Gold Glove winner at second base, he was the game’s premier defensive option at the position for a few years. And from 2017-22, Wong tallied 2564 plate appearances between the Cardinals and Brewers, slashing a combined .269/.349/.414 (about 7% better than average, per wRC+).
Wong has never been a premier power hitter or speed threat, but he does have five seasons of double-digit home run totals and another five seasons of double-digit stolen base totals. He’s fanned at a 16% clip that’s well south of the league average while walking at a 7.7% rate that’s less than one percentage point shy of the league mean.
Given the sheer volume of infield talent the Orioles possess, Wong will face an uphill battle to make the club. Gunnar Henderson can handle either position on the left side of the diamond, and he’ll be joined by a combination of ballyhooed prospects including Jordan Westburg, Connor Norby and Jackson Holliday — the current No. 1 overall prospect in baseball.
Baltimore also has veteran depth/utility options in the form of Ramon Urias and Jorge Mateo, the latter of whom is seeing more time in the outfield this spring on account of the wealth of infield talent the O’s have in house. Corner infielder Coby Mayo is also rapidly climbing the minor league ranks and could debut this season, while yet another top prospect, Heston Kjerstad, is also in the mix for at-bats alongside veteran Ryan Mountcastle at first and Anthony Santander in right field. One thing perhaps working in Wong’s favor is his left-handed bat. Each of Westburg, Norby, Mayo, Urias and Mateo bats right-handed. If the O’s want a veteran lefty bat off the bench who can spend some time at second and provide insurance for their bevy of talented but inexperienced infielders, Wong could fit the bill.
Cuz what they really need is another infielder …
If they wanted a LH IF who can’t hit, didn’t they just trade for Maton?
I am surprised Wong is a 22 career WAR player.
Slightly below league average player for 12 years will do that. What I’m surprised about is he’s been in the majors for 12 years as an all-bat 2B only guy.
“all-bat 2B”
Are you high?
“I thought you said “Joe Montoya”
Terrible take by seam, Wong was a fantastic defender and player in general. His 162 game average WAR was a hair over 3 per season.
As a Cub fan, I always hated seeing Wong at the plate, he was a killer of division opponents and if he wasn’t getting on base he was either working incredibly deep counts or advancing the runner.
All bat? Dude could pick it at 2B.
If this is Wong I don’t wanna be right. Ahahaha!
On second thought, if this is right I don’t wanna be Wong. Ahahaha!
Yeah, laugh it off. Your mother had to.
Old, overused pun
Definitely the Wong place at the Wong time
If they decide certain young players need more seasoning in the minors, then this signing is this year’s Odor/Frazier signing.
Why do players always magically get better on the Dodgers?
Superior coaching/facilities/environment/atmosphere/culture
Coaching? I agree with everything but the coaching part. Robert’s is an average at best manager. The team is talented enough to run its self. However Robert’s has failed to win the big series outside of the Covid shortened season.
This year we have Yamamoto,Glasgow and Miller. Next year you can add Otani to the mix and the dodgers have 4 Aces!!! Miller is young but there’s a reason this kid is untouchable in trades.
You’re giving him too much credit calling him average. My Dodger fan friend is constantly complaining about how bad of a manager Roberts is. He says the guy has no fire and just sits there through games.
Roberts is not a coach, he’s the manager.
Not a good one at that! They need to buy a better one. They might get that second title in 36 years…….
DC
“Coaching? I agree with everything but the coaching part. Robert’s is an average at best manager. The team is talented enough to run its self. However Robert’s has failed to win the big series outside of the Covid shortened season.”
Totally unknowledgeable take
1) the manager is, at minimum, not the only coach.
2) managers don’t win games, series or championships. Organizations do.
3) fans have basically 0 idea how good or bad a manager is. Most of what managers do is out of sight
Kellin
“You’re giving him too much credit calling him average. My Dodger fan friend is constantly complaining about how bad of a manager Roberts is. He says the guy has no fire and just sits there through games.”
Why are you assuming that your rando friend is the ultimate arbiter of Roberts’ ability?
Why do you think he knows more than, the Dodgers’ F/O, for example?
LaRussa sat around too, over in St.louis. the reason players go to the Dodgers is the winning culture and their not afraid to pay
D2021
“there’s a reason this kid is untouchable in trades.”
You have no idea if he’s untouchable in trades.
No comparison. Larussa loved or disliked was a proven winner multiple championships! A title in both leagues! One of the best managers in the history of the game. If he managed the great teams in LA over the last 11 years you would have more titles than the one Covid title.
Having a great record is yes great. Winning titles like the cardinals and Yankees have is why you play the game.
Coaching is about more than just the manager. All he does is game time decisions. What Reynaldo is talking about is the guys who nobody knows about. The hitting coaches, infield coaches, bench coaches, etc.
DC
“No comparison. Larussa loved or disliked was a proven winner multiple championships! A title in both leagues! One of the best managers in the history of the game. If he managed the great teams in LA over the last 11 years you would have more titles than the one Covid title.”
Insert Brad Pitt Moneyball “you’re just talking” video
Look up the emergent roles of coaches that do things like game prep/readiness, mental skills, quality assurance, etc. These are roles that are responsible for collecting, distilling, and communicating data to players in a way that can hep them improve their game.
We’re not in the 90s anymore.
@filihok do you login under an alternate ID just to give yourself points, because I can’t imagine anyone else giving you a thumbs up for anything you say.
well look at your username again
Casey lost the 1960 series near singlehandedly.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Be careful, beware of the mute of the King muter, Filihack.
Imagine being so narcissistic that you tell people that you muted them, as if they care on a baseball commenting forum, it’s hilarious.
@Reynaldo
It’s Filihack.
CCoo
“Why do players always magically get better on the Dodgers?”
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke
The talent that surrounds him is a big incentive.
In the regular season, yes.
Dodgers couldn’t even afford to bring this guy back???
No spot for him. Dodgers had to trade Margot just to clear a spot for kike to come back. Wong has done significantly less for the club than kike has, so no brainer there.
For the orioles he can be the replacement for the role that Adam Frazier had for the team last year.
At least the Reds didn’t sign him.
This would be a great family reunion over in St.louis!!!! St.louis is cheap and he probably would of taken nothing to go back!! All the cards care about is attendence. They don’t care about winning. If you wanna win spend money. The dodgers are brilliant!!!
Wong on a minor league deal is worthwhile. I don’t understand it on a team overflowing with promising young infielders.
“Promising young outfielders”..I imagine Kolten Wong is only for a “break glass in case of emergency” situation. There’s no way he breaks camp with the O’s. In my personal opinion, this guy is completely washed. Even on defense, he made routine plays look spectacular, which is not a great trait to have.
The Cardinals are bottom feeders!!! He would fit their bill nicely. Sonny grey is their ace lol. Blake Snell maybe?
Why did the Orioles do this
Why did Wong see the O’s as an opportunity?
I guess at best, Wong is another Frazier, but why do the Orioles need another Frazier
They have so many
Deep depth
Because of the side of the plate he hits from. It’s also a minor league deal so he might not be cracking the roster.
The Orioles don’t “have so many” Fraziers, thankfully. They have so many guys better than Frazier.
Wonder why other teams didnt try to sign him to a minor league deal. He was a productive player as recently as 2022 which should be worth a minor league deal. I would have thought he would sign a minor league deal with a team more in need of infielders to make it easier to win a roster spot.
Players who end up signing a minor league deal don’t get a lot of choice as to who offers such a deal. If they had obvious value, they would be signing a major league deal.
As a Yankee fan it is really nice to see Baltimore in a position to challenge for a title.
This website is confusing
Please leave minor league deals for another website. Thanks
Go to that other site and complain there, please?
As I said, this website is confusing. It’s called MLBTR, not MiLBTR
Go somewhere else. Hayward was a minor league signing last year and it worked out great!!!
Is this a major league or minor league rumors website?
What, you’ve never heard of Wong, either?
Never said that. I asked why they’re posting a minor league transaction
He’s invited to Spring Training but not as a player on the roster. Participants are different than 3rd wheels
The Orioles signed him, not the Norfolk Tides. MiLB signings are covered here, as they should be.
Wong is too young to join Cards. Gotta be in the 35+ age group
Wong’s 2023 was awful and he may be done, but he was a 3+ WAR player from 2018 to 2022. Worth a flier at age 33, but strange fit for the O’s.
Physical ability wise, yes, a bit strange. That said, teams like the Orioles value player attitude as much as analytics that project value based on past numbers.
He shouldn’t be here but is because Orioles believe he’s a veteran presence willing to sip the orange Kool aid that the FO is selling … which in turn rejuvenates past performance and doesn’t negatively effect team chemistry.
Was worse than his brother for the M’s. Yowser.
@ Pom. It’s posted here because he provides depth at a position that could enable the O’s to package Westburg for a starting pitcher? Food for thought.
Another trash signing
No such thing as a bad MiLB signing.
O’s and Reds trying for mandingo depth with INFers.
Being the Reds fan I am I’m bummed they got him first, we were on a roll.
I never realized the number of MLB GMs that posted on this site. People post their opinions like they know better than the FO
This guy STINKS! M’s missed the playoffs by ONE game last year, b/c this guy was -2.0 WAA(Wins Above Average) so if he had just been merely AVERAGE the M’s make the playoffs! He’s a forever scrub in my book!
Ross
“had just been merely AVERAGE ”
The vast majority of players are below average.
The claim that “vast majority” of players are “below average” is logically flawed.
Ra
“The claim that “vast majority” of players are “below average” is logically flawed.”
No. It’s not. It’s 100% true
Most likely, you don’t understand what average means
But, go ahead and explain to me why you think it’s logically flawed so I prove you wrong.
Obviously YOU don’t understand what average means. ROFLMAO! Your claim is childishly moronic.
Ra
Explain to me what you think average means.
Teach me
I will even warn you, this is very much a trap.
Heck, I’ll give you another hint: mean and median
The floor is yours
Honestly it’s I pretty good depth and insurance move.