Every year, whether intentionally or not, minor league free agents end up being a big part of the Orioles' plans. Whether it's the major league veterans they bring in on spring training invites or the breakout minor league depth pieces that fill in the gaps of their farm system and make the affiliates more competitive, these names end up playing a sizable role in what they do.
So it's with that in mind that the annual release of the massive list of minor league free agents by Baseball America is of interest to the Orioles. With Branden Kline added to the 40-man roster last week and a bigger group including Arizona Fall League participants Chris Lee and Martin Cervenka re-signed in September, the Orioles’ own list was relatively thin.