Dylan Carlson, Orioles agree to one-year contract

The Orioles are taking a flier on a high-upside rebound candidate, agreeing with outfielder Dylan Carlson on a one-year Major League contract for 2025, the team announced Monday.

A former first-round Draft pick, Carlson was considered a five-tool talent when he made his MLB debut as a 21-year-old with the 2020 Cardinals. He began to fulfill all of his promise in 2021, his first full season in the big leagues, by registering 18 home runs, a 115 OPS+ and 3.1 bWAR over 149 games. He was named a National League Rookie of the Year finalist following the season.

However, Carlson has been unable to replicate that initial success over the past three seasons. From 2022-24, he produced a .225/.309/.341 slash line across 1,008 plate appearances. Carlson has also dealt with his fair share of injuries, which has caused him to play in fewer than 100 games in each of the previous two seasons.

After spending last offseason recovering from season-ending left ankle surgery, Carlson sustained a left shoulder injury late in Spring Training and didn’t appear in a 2024 regular-season game until May. After batting .198 over 121 homerless at-bats, Carlson was shipped to the Rays ahead of the Trade Deadline. The change of scenery didn’t lead to much better results for Carlson, who produced a .219/.299/.316 slash line with three homers and a 28.3% strikeout rate in 127 plate appearances with Tampa Bay. He was non-tendered in November.

Carlson, entering his age-26 season, is a switch-hitter who has had much more success throughout his career against left-handed pitchers (.285 average, .792 OPS) than righties (.219 average, .655 OPS). He also has experience at every outfield position, but he tallied at least minus-two outs above average at each of the three spots in 2024.

To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Jacob Amaya was designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.