The Orioles announced Friday that they’ve selected the contracts of outfielder Jordyn Adams and infielder Terrin Vavra from Double-A Chesapeake. Infielder Luis Vazquez was also recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. They’ll fill three of the roster spots vacated by Baltimore’s series of deadline trades.
Adams, 25, was a first-round pick by the Angels in 2018. This is his second look with Baltimore this season since signing a minor league pact over the winter. He appeared in five games earlier in 2025 but was primarily a pinch-runner/defensive replacement. He only received one plate appearance. Adams played in 28 games with the Halos from 2023-24 and, in 78 plate appearances, hit a combined .175/.205/.216 with a 36% strikeout rate.
Adams hasn’t fared much better in the minors this year. He’s hitting .185/.281/.280 in 235 plate appearances — all but five of them coming at the Triple-A level. He’s not likely to see regular playing time, but he’ll fill a reserve role behind Dylan Carlson, Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill following yesterday’s trades of veterans Cedric Mullins (to the Mets) and Ramon Laureano (to the Padres). Adams is a plus runner and defender who can handle all three outfield spots.
Vavra, 28, is a known commodity for O’s fans. He’s appeared in two prior seasons with Baltimore and been in the organization since coming over from the Rockies in a 2020 trade sending Mychal Givens to Colorado. Vavra is hitting .247/.354/.341 in Triple-A this year. He’s experienced at second base, third base and first base. He’s a left-handed bat who draws walks and gets on base but offers minimal power upside. He can mix in at various spots around the infield and take some at-bats as Baltimore’s designated hitter, too — roles that are more open following trades of slugger Ryan O’Hearn (to the Padres alongside Laureano) and utilityman Ramon Urias (to the Astros).
Notably absent from Baltimore’s slate of post-deadline call-ups is former top prospect Heston Kjerstad. The 26-year-old, whom Baltimore selected second overall in the 2020 draft, was optioned to Norfolk earlier this season after some pronounced struggles against big league pitching. His offense fell even further after being sent down, as he slashed just .149/.225/.248 in 112 plate appearances at Norfolk before exiting a July 25 game. Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among the members of the O’s beat to report a couple days ago that Kjerstad had been playing through fatigue and was being placed on the 7-day injured list to rest. He’ll be reevaluated in a week’s time.
Today’s lineup:
Holliday 2B
Westburg 3B
Henderson SS
Rutschman C
O’Neill RF
Cowser LF
Mayo 1B
Carlson CF
Jeremiah Jackson DH
Cowser should really be playing CF everyday the rest of the year to see if he can cover it full time in 2026 or if we need to go out and get a 1 year stopgap this offseason to hold us over until Bradfield is ready.
Agreed and I would be giving Jackson time all over the IF and OF rather than DH to see if he can adequately fill the super utility role since both Urias and Mateo (I’m hoping/assuming) will not be around in ‘26.
Also agreed, but cut JJ some slack for his first game.
Still no Basallo or Beavers. There is no better time then now!
There is a better time. In September when it wormy effect their rookie clock and make them eligible for rookie of the year next year
Aug 15 is that magic date actually. They can be recalled at any point after then and retain rookie status in ‘26.
So only 2 weeks. Makes sense to wait to me. 2 weeks won’t make or break anything, and you also get 2 tickets in the ROY lottery next season.
It’s actually 130 at bats that we need to keep them below to maintain their rookie status for next season.
It’s both. Number of days and 130 ABs.
Also agreed, but cut JJ some slack, let him ease in for his first game.
Note that the top two AAA hitters (by wrc+)that will be AL rookies in ’26 are Basallo and Beavers. Salivating over that 32 pick.
Course, last one was Griff Oferral now hitting an ops of 612.
I hated the O’Ferrall pick. Reminded me of Cadyn Grenier in 2018 who we also chose with a comp pick at the end of the 1st round. Waste of a pick, especially seeing not much was saved with the signing bonus given.
Ba$tards just being cheap in regards to service time!😡
Not service time at all. Service time will not change in any meaningful way whether they get called up now or 2 weeks from now.
Wrong.
Nope
Yes, because they would get to be free agents sooner.
Not at all. 2 weeks now will not get a full year of service time. It takes 6 full years. If you get 2 months this year, that will not get you 6 years in 2030. Same with 6 weeks this year.
You can believe what you want to believe.
I hope Vavra actually gets some real playing time in the coming weeks to see if he can be a utility bench guy for us next year.
Or Vazquez
I’m OK with Vavra, but I prefer Jackson since he’s more versatile and athletic. Jackson may be better all around defensively.
Hell, we might need both guys next year unless Elias decides to bring in a “veteran presence” utility guy in the offseason.
I really like Vavra’s on base prowess, but Jackson and Vazquez should definitely get an audition too.
Vavra definitely shows a good eye at the plate. He seems to be trending in the wrong direction from a development standpoint though, possibly due to all his various injuries. He offers little in the way of pop or speed, whereas Jackson might. I don’t think the Os were ever high on his infield defense either.
Will be good to see the competition and these guys battling it out either way.
Adams sucks, can’t even hit AAA pitching. Orioles just being cheap about Beavers status.
I’m a huge Beavers fan. Two weeks doesn’t change things at this point to keep him at Norfolk and get an extra ticket in the ROY lottery next season for the extra draft pick. Sammy isn’t a shoo in for that. Never know what might happen with injuries, etc. I think it makes sense to be patient in this case.
Wrong. There’s no point in changing Beavers schedule at this point in the season. Same w Basallo. Every decision isn’t about money.
Kjerstad is a really sad situation. Astronomical minor league numbers, and of all the young Os he got off to the best MLB start – so much so that they added him to the playoff roster in 23. He was performing well in 24 until the beaning so it seems pretty clear he has not recovered from that either physically or mentally.
Careers have ended this way, but hopefully he has a chance. Maybe the Os should shut him down for the year – perhaps send him to the instructional league. Regardless his career seems to be on the line because Clay Holmes decided to throw at his head.
Here come the scrub lineup whee!
There shouldn’t be a comma before “too.” This is an old rule.