Inside The Orioles

Orioles Add To Their Triple-A Catching Depth by Promoting 2022 Draft Pick

The Baltimore Orioles have had quite a few catchers go down with injury recently, and will now bring one of their prospects up to Triple-A as a depth option.
Jeremy Trottier|
Jun 17, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Longhorns catcher Silas Ardoin (4) at bat in the second inning against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Charles Schwab Field.
Jun 17, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Longhorns catcher Silas Ardoin (4) at bat in the second inning against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Charles Schwab Field. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles have had a difficult season, and one of the most notable reasons for that has been their injury setbacks.

With the large majority of their roster having been injured at one point or another, the team has had to scramble to find replacement options, whether it be veterans or prospects they need to call up earlier than anticipated.

The most noticeable position that has taken a beating recently is catcher, with four of their MLB-level players on the injured list.

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Currently, the team is without Adley Rutschman, Gary Sánchez, Chadwick Tromp and Maverick Handley, so they have had to make some moves to fix this problem over the course of the last 24 hours or so.

As of now, the starting catcher is Jacob Stallings with the recently-acquired Alex Jackson set to be the backup.

If needed, Triple-A Norfolk has quite a few options they can choose from, with Samuel Basallo, David Bañuelos and Connor Pavolony all at that affiliate.

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There will be one more catcher joining them, as one of their 2022 draft selections has been promoted to Triple-A despite having a rough start to 2025.

In a recent announcement from the Norfolk Tides, they revealed Silas Ardoin has been promoted to their team.

Ardoin has been in Double-A since late 2023, working on his craft and trying to improve his skillset in hopes of a promotion. While this move comes during a slump at the plate for the 24-year-old, he has shown some flashes of promise in that span as well.

With Double-A Chesapeake this season, Ardoin is slashing .197/.340/.322 with 29 RBI, 22 runs, four home runs, four stolen bases and 74 strikeouts to 45 walks. His strikeout numbers have been abysmal to put it lightly since he has struggled in that category, but his ability to draw walks has boosted his overall on-base percentage despite him not hitting at a high rate.

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A promotion likely would not have occurred for Ardoin if the team wasn't dealing with so many injuries since he still has work to do.

With that in mind, it will be intriguing to see how he handles Triple-A and if the promotion boosts his confidence enough to start producing at a solid level with Norfolk.

Hopefully, this is just what he needs to gain some momentum and show his true skillset over the course of the next week or two.

For more Orioles news, head over to Orioles On SI.

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Jeremy Trottier
JEREMY TROTTIER

Jeremy Trottier started his writing journey with WBLZ Media, and has worked through multiple publications with 247Sports, USA Today, Fansided, SBNation and others. He is an avid fan of motorsports and most sports in general, and has completed a degree in sports management to further understand the sports industry. During his time with sports media, he has been credentialed for coverage of Boston College sports, and can often be found attending their football and basketball games as well as expected coverage of their men’s soccer team in the near future. Sports are a large part of his life and career, as he looks to pursue a full time role within the industry someday.

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