All 17 of the Orioles arbitration-eligible players were either tendered a contract or signed for the 2024 season at Friday’s non-tender deadline.
Keegan Akin, Jorge Mateo, Sam Hilliard, and Ryan McKenna signed one-year deals. The Orioles and Mateo settled on a $2.7 million deal. Akin received $825,000, while outfielders Hilliard and McKenna each got $800,000.
Akin pitched in only 24 major league games last season, battling a back injury for most of the season. Mateo is a strong defender and a valuable pinch-runner, but saw his playing time diminish last season as infield prospects took over. Hilliard, picked up from the Braves earlier this month, and McKenna both figure into the Orioles’ outfield depth.
The other 13 arbitration-eligible players — outfielder Anthony Santander, reliever Danny Coulombe, starter John Means, first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, center fielder Cedric Mullins, left fielder Austin Hays, reliever Dillon Tate, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, reliever Cionel Pérez, pitcher Cole Irvin, reliever Jacob Webb, infielder Ramón Urías and pitcher Tyler Wells — were tendered contracts.
Figures are exchanged at a later date, and if the two sides do not agree, an arbitration hearing is scheduled for a panel to decide on a salary.
Players can still be designated for assignment or released, even if they signed or were tendered a contract.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
