Orioles promote Rutschman, Hall to Norfolk; Pitcher Logan Allen claimed on waivers

BALTIMORE—Catcher Adley Rutschman and pitcher DL Hall were promoted by the Orioles from Double-A Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday. The move was announced after Hall pitched 3 2/3 innings in Bowie’s 6-1 loss to Harrisburg.

Rutschman, who is rehabbing a sore right triceps muscle that he suffered in a minor league intrasquad game on March 12^th, played last week at High-A Aberdeen. On Thursday, he was 2-for-4, and in three games with the Baysox he hit .417 (5-for-12) with two RBIs.

The Orioles say Rutschman, the overall top draft pick in 2019 and MLB Pipeline’s top prospect, will be in the lineup on Friday night when Norfolk plays at Nashville.

Hall, who has never pitched above Double-A and is coming back from an elbow injury last season, threw four scoreless innings, striking out six, for the IronBirds on April 29^th.  On Thursday, he allowed two runs on three hits, walking one and striking out one.

Rutschman played 43 games for Norfolk last year and hit .312 with an .896 OPS. He hit five home runs and drove in 20 runs.

The Orioles are being conservative with Hall’s innings after he missed much of last season because of the elbow injury. Hall started seven times for the Baysox in 2021, throwing 31 2/3 innings.

“I’m excited for all of our prospects,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’ll have guys make their debuts this year. I don’t know the timetable on any of those guys. I’m obviously following what’s happening very closely and know what’s happening with our upper-level minor league prospects, but really focused on our team that’s here right now and the guys that we have, trying to get the guys better every single day.

“When the prospects get there, I’ll be ready to roll.”

Hyde speaks often with executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias about the team and its prospects.

“We’re not going to promote those guys out of need,” Hyde said. “We’ll promote when Mike and his group feels like they’re ready. When there’s needs of the club, I’m in those discussions, and Mike does talk to me about the prospects and potential timelines and scenarios.

“I am in those discussions with Mike, but we do promotions with [Kyle] Bradish and with some of the other guys that might come up this year, we’ll do with it when they’re ready to play in the big leagues.”

Logan Allen claimed: The Orioles also claimed left-hander Logan Allen on waivers from the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday.

Allen was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four games with Cleveland this season. In four seasons with San Diego and the Guardians, Allen was 5-10 with a 5.80 ERA.

“I don’t know much about him,” Hyde said. “I have heard of him. I have seen him pitch. It’s a left-hander with a really good arm, was a starter coming up. We’re just going to take a long [view] on a guy with a high ceiling with an exceptional arm.”

Hyde expects Allen to arrive on Friday, and that he’ll probably go to the bullpen. He’s the first waiver claim of 2022 for the Orioles.

Notes: Hyde said that Phil Nevin’s sore right groin has improved, and he will be available off the bench on Thursday night when the Orioles wrap up a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins. … A year ago Thursday, John Means threw a no-hitter in Seattle. Hyde said that he’s recently texted with Means, who underwent Tommy John surgery on April 27^th. “He’s doing well,” Hyde said. “He seemed upbeat. I think we’re going to see him soon.”