With Spring Training just around the corner, the Orioles pulled off a blockbuster trade Thursday night by acquiring right-hander Corbin Burnes from the Brewers.
In exchange, Milwaukee will receive infielder Joey Ortiz (Baltimore’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline), left-handed pitcher DL Hall and a 2024 Competitive Balance Round A Draft pick.
Burnes owns a 2.94 ERA over 562 2/3 innings since becoming a full-time starter for Milwaukee in 2021, winning National League Cy Young honors that year. The 29-year-old right-hander is a three-time All-Star and, though he got off to a rocky start last season, finished strong with a 2.71 ERA over 14 starts after the All-Star break.
Ortiz, 25, was a fourth-round Draft selection by the Orioles out of New Mexico State University in 2019. An excellent defender at multiple spots on the infield, he’s projected to potentially become an elite defensive player in the Majors. Though he was drafted as a glove-first player, his offense has started to catch up — at Triple-A Norfolk last season, he slashed .321/.378/.507 with 30 doubles, four triples and nine homers in 88 games.
Hall, also 25, was selected by Baltimore with the 21st overall pick in 2017. After making his MLB debut in 2022, he turned in a strong ’23 campaign in which he posted a 3.26 ERA and a 28.4% strikeout rate in 18 relief appearances for the Orioles. In 17 appearances (11 starts) for Norfolk last year, he had a 4.22 ERA and a 32.2% strikeout rate.
