The Orioles announced this afternoon that they’ve signed infielder Terrin Vavra to a minor league deal. Vavra was designated for assignment by the Mariners last week and elected free agency shortly thereafter. Since Vavra changed organizations after September 1, he will not be eligible to participate in the postseason with the Orioles.
Vavra, 27, was a third-round pick by the Rockies back in 2018 who was dealt to the Orioles at the trade deadline in 2020 as part of the deal that sent Mychal Givens to Colorado. He made his big league debut back in 2022 and posted a solid 40-game stretch with Baltimore where he hit a roughly league average .258/.340/.337 while splitting time between second base and the outfield for the club. Entering the 2023 season, Vavra was with the club in the big leagues but hit just .245/.315/.245 in 56 trips to the plate before heading to the IL with a shoulder strain.
That shoulder problem eventually turned out to be a torn labrum, and Vavra went under the knife to address the issue in September of last year. He returned to action back in May and, although he posted a decent .243/.350/.368 in 44 games at the Triple-A level with the club’s affiliate in Norfolk, he didn’t manage to crack the club’s increasingly crowded big league roster and eventually found himself designated for assignment back in August without having made a big league appearance for the club this year. Vavra was claimed off waivers by the Mariners shortly thereafter, but did not make it into a big league game with the club and played just three games with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma before being designated for assignment to make room for the return of infielder Luis Urias to the 40-man roster.
Vavra then elected free agency, leading him to his latest stint with the Orioles. While the 27-year-old won’t be able to play for the club in the postseason even if added to the 40-man roster at some point down the stretch, he still offers the club a familiar emergency depth option for the remainder of the regular season who can be called upon in the event more of the club’s infield options join Jordan Westburg, Ramon Urias, and Jorge Mateo on the injured list as the club remains engaged with the Yankees in a close battle for the AL East crown. The Orioles currently have Nick Maton and Livan Soto backing up their middle infield of Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday while Coby Mayo and Emmanuel Rivera split time at the hot corner.
I thought this was going to happen.
I always like to think of him as a lost Jedi. His name just sounds like something Lucas came up with.
Terrin Vavra…now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time…
A long time.
Terrin Vavra? I wonder if she means Old Terry Vavra?!
Avracavavra, it’s magic.
Maybe he’ll have a little success and make a nice bonus prize in one of Elias’ patented “moves at the margins”. I wish him well.
This guy is a super utility guy who makes contact and can hit for average. He is exactly the type of bench player I want on the orioles. Hoping he gets a shot this time around.
Seems like he will have a legit chance next season. I believe Ramon Urias is a FA at the end of this season, so is Mateo, Urias sort of fell out of favor even though he’s been producing in his limited role most recently.
Urias is also arbitration eligible in 2025, and Mateo will probably also earn a pay raise that will put them both out of salary range for backups on the Orioles.
Kinda hoping both Urias and Mateo stick. They were the ones getting the majority of reps at their respected positions during last year’s 101 win season and the winning season in 22.
But, also a Vavra fan. Convinced, if not for injury, he would’ve been a mainstay starting last year.
Is there room for all 3?
I had forgotten that the O’s were having him learn the catching position to further add another tool for this contact hitting Swiss Army Knife. Hope he gets some reps before the off season
Welcome back, TV!
Print extra playoff tickets !
Called it. Good move.