The Orioles on Friday acquired right-handed starting pitcher Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for four top prospects — catcher Cade Bodine, outfielders Slater de Brun and Austin Overn, right-handed pitcher Michael Forret and next year’s Competitive Balance Round A Pick, the 33rd overall.
Baz, who’s 26, was 10-12 with a 4.87 ERA in 31 starts for the Rays last season, striking out 176 in 166 1/3 innings. He missed the 2023 season after Tommy John surgery.
Baz had much better results on the road in 2025, pitching to a 3.86 ERA compared to a 5.90 ERA at Steinbrenner Field, Tampa’s temporary home ballpark.
Most important to the Orioles, Baz has three seasons of club control. The Orioles traded three prospects in their top 11, per MLB Pipeline.
de Brun, ranked No. 6, was the 37th overall pick in the 2025 draft and didn’t play after he signed in July. The Orioles acquired the rights to the 37th pick when they traded right-hander Bryan Baker to the Rays.
Bodine, who was ranked No. 10, was the Orioles’ second first-round pick in 2025, the 30th overall, and hit .326 with four RBIs in 11 games for Single-A Delmarva last season.
Forret, the 11th-rated prospect, was the team’s 14th-round pick in 2023 and was 2-2 with a 1.58 ERA in 19 games with the IronBirds and Baysox.
Overn, who was rated 30th, was the Orioles’ third-round pick in 2024 and hit .249 with a .754 OPS, 13 home runs and 43 RBIs for Single-A Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake last season.
To make room for Baz on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated left-handed pitcher Josh Walker for assignment. He had been reclaimed off waivers from Atlanta on December 10th.
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