Oliver Drake

Drake entered the 2016 season coming off an impressive campaign in which he saw time with both Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore. He began the 2016 season with Norfolk and picked up where he'd left off. In 56.1 innings of relief, the 29-year-old posted a 2.72 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. While both of these figures are very solid, it was his 34.2 percent strikeout rate that signals the value he's capable of providing in a big league bullpen. The Orioles recognized the value and promoted him on multiple occasions to work out of their elite bullpen. He put together a 4.00 ERA, 28.4 percent strikeout rate and 9.5 percent walk rate in 10 big-league innings. Drake's ceiling is ultimately limited due to his relatively old age, but it would not be surprising if he continued to provide some effective innings in low-leverage situations for the Orioles as he shuttles between Triple-A and the majors.

Drake is enjoying a renaissance after being converted to a reliever in 2013. The Orioles promoted him to Triple-A to start 2015, where he delivered a 26-inning scoreless streak at one point, while punching his strikeout rate up to 13.5 K/9. The Orioles promoted him for a couple of stints, and he held his own in 13 MLB appearances. Drake mixes his fastball with a splitter that he throws in the low-80s. He does not have a third pitch, which may be a cause of concern for some. He has done pretty much all he needs to do in the minors, but the Orioles have taken it slow with him. Drake could break camp as a member of the bullpen, or he could continue to ride the shuttle back and forth between the Orioles and Triple-A Norfolk until a full-time role opens up.