Orioles promote Maverick Handley & Kade Strowd

Both Handley and Strowd anticipate Major League debuts soon

*Cover Photo Credit: Skylar Prieto, Norfolk Tides

The Baltimore Orioles have continued to shuffle their roster around as they attempt to maneuver through injuries and a lack of performance.

In the midst of a flurry of transactions, they have promoted two Norfolk Tides to the big league roster.

The Orioles have recalled right-handed pitcher Kade Strowd and have also selected the contract of catcher Maverick Handley.

The Orioles have promoted Kade Strowd. Photo: Katie Gilmore

Strowd, 27, had his contract selected this winter so that the Orioles would not lose him in the Rule 5 draft. He is a former 12th round pick out of West Virginia Universtity and has spent the last five-plus years working his way up the ladder to the Major Leagues. He may have an offsetting 8.10 ERA with Norfolk this season, but he has an impressive 18 strikeouts in 10 innings (16.2 K/9) and a good 2.34 FIP.

Strowd has the craft of a strikeout pitcher. He tops out in the upper-90s with his fastball and works to blow his stuff by batters in order to gain whiffs. The Orioles need guys who can get outs, and putting the hard-throwing Strowd in out situations might not be a bad idea given his strikeout numbers and his velocity-focused arsenal.

His promotion comes following the demotion of soutpaw Grant Wolfram to Norfolk.

As for Handley, this has been a long-awaited opportunity. He was the Orioles' 6th round pick in 2019 out of Stanford University. After posting a solid 2022 season with the Baysox (.236 BA, .769 OPS, 11 HR, 45 RBI), he was quickly moved to Norfolk and was even consider to be Adley Rutschman's back up catcher one day. He has been working with the Tides since the 2023 season.

The Orioles have selected Maverick Handley. Photo: Skylar Prieto, Norfolk Tides

He has been off to a great start offensively this season as he is hitting .346 with a .991 OPS in 15 games. He has eight extra base hits and 11 runs scored.

What is more crucial from Handley is his defense. He has been one of the best defensive catching prospects that the Orioles have had in recent years. His arm is ridiculous, and he will use it when necessary. He has a lifetime 36 percent caught stealing rate, which is well above the MLB league average at 30 percent. That is good for 104 career runners caught stealing in the Minors, including 47 in 2021 with Aberdeen. He is also a brick wall, as he only has 19 career passed balls.

The Orioles have prided themselves in catching defense since the success of duo Rutschman and James McCann. Former Yankee slugger Gary Sanchez, whom the Orioles signed this offseason, has not lived up to expectations so far. Now that he has landed on the Injured List with wrist inflammation, this gives the Orioles an opportunity to see if Handley will be an upgrade behind the dish and if he and Rutschman can command a struggling pitching staff.

These two are well-deserving of promotions, and they have been waiting a long time for this moment. Congrats on the promotions, Kade and Maverick!