Logan Gillaspie Comes From Out Of Nowhere

Righthander Logan Gillaspie didn’t produce the overall numbers this year that made him a lock to be added the Orioles’ 40-man roster.

But Baltimore certainly liked the 24-year-old’s arm and didn’t want him exposed in the Rule 5 draft.

Gillaspie registered a 4.97 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 26 games between High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie, with 11 walks and 52 strikeouts in 41.2 innings. He finished the season in the Arizona Fall League, which was a big step for a player whom the Orioles signed in June.

“He was a guy who came to us in the latter half of the season, and we really didn’t know much about him, but obviously you look at the stuff and it was really good,” Bowie pitching coach Justin Ramsey said.

“It’s one of those arms where, if he can hone in his command of the zone, you can’t let that go and have a chance of him catching on somewhere else.”

Gillaspie was not drafted out of Oxnard (Calif.) JC but pitched in four different independent leagues before the Brewers signed him in July 2018. Milwaukee released him after the 2019 season and he did not pitch in 2020.

“He’s a guy who works hard. He wants to get better,” Ramsey said. “You saw what the stuff looked like in the Fall League and a little bit with us. It’s a real arm. He’s got multiple pitches that, he’s getting to the point where he can throw them any time.”

Gillaspie’s fastball touched 98 mph in AFL, and also when Bowie needed a win against Altoona to qualify for the Double-A Northeast playoffs. 

“He went into a bases loaded situation and no outs and he absolutely dominated,” Ramsey said. “You can see what’s there when he puts it together. He’s just got to maintain the focus a little more consistently throughout the outings.”

In his last three appearances for Bowie, including the playoffs, Gillaspie notched seven scoreless innings with no walks and 14 strikeouts.

BIRD SEED

— The Orioles also protected lefthanders D.L. Hall and Kevin Smith, shortstop Terrin Vavra and righthanders Kyle Bradish and Felix Bautista by adding them to the 40-man roster.

— The Orioles signed righthander Rico Garcia to a minor league contract. He appeared in two games with the Rockies in 2019 and 12 with the Giants in 2020 but won’t be ready to pitch in spring training while recovering from Tommy John surgery he had on May 17.

— The Orioles claimed shortstop Lucius Fox on waivers from the Royals. The Giants signed the native Bahamian to a club-record $6 million bonus in 2015. He has slashed .244/.339/.332 with 142 stolen bases in five minor league seasons.