Two years ago, Orioles right-hander Mychal Givens used the annual offseason minicamp as a springboard to a second-half call-up. At last year’s minicamp, reliever Donnie Hart made an impression that helped him join the Orioles bullpen as their situational lefty.
There’s no doubt that the team’s minicamp, which this week was held for the fourth straight year at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, has proven to be beneficial. And manager Buck Showalter said the opportunity to get a head start on spring training a month before pitchers and catchers report and uncovering talent that could ultimately help the big league club is still as important as ever to the Orioles.