The Baltimore Orioles have reportedly reached an agreement with Dylan Coleman, as confirmed by the right-hander himself via his Instagram. The 28-year-old has been looking for a new team since being released by the Houston Astros last August, and it’s assumed that his deal with Baltimore is a minor league contract.
Coleman’s only MLB appearance in 2024 came on April 3, when he threw a scoreless inning in the Astros’ 8-0 victory over the Blue Jays. He was optioned back to Triple-A the following day and struggled to a 6.50 ERA with a troubling 23.9% walk rate over 36 innings with Sugar Land before being designated for assignment and released by Houston.
Control issues have been a recurring problem throughout Coleman’s career. During his time in the Padres’ farm system and in his only extended MLB stint, he showed some promise. In 2022, Coleman posted a solid 2.78 ERA over 68 relief innings for the Royals, though a .247 BABIP and a 12.8% walk rate raised some red flags. Despite these concerns, it seemed as though he was finding his place in Kansas City’s bullpen.
However, things took a turn in 2023. Coleman posted an 8.84 ERA over 18 1/3 innings for the Royals and a 4.70 ERA in 30 2/3 innings with Triple-A Omaha. His walk rates ballooned to a staggering 19.8% in the majors and 21.8% in the minors, leading the Royals to trade him to the Astros in December 2023.
Coleman’s fastball has reached as high as 98 mph during his MLB debut in 2021, though it averaged 95.7 mph in Triple-A last season. Still, it’s considered a lively fastball, and Coleman has posted strong strikeout numbers, with a 24.2% strikeout rate over his 93 2/3 career innings in the majors. The Orioles must believe in his potential, as his 2022 performance shows what he’s capable of if he can improve his control. They’ll likely give him a chance to prove himself in spring training.
