2013 Minor League Free Agents: Second Base

Second base is not a position of strength for the Orioles.  Their current options are last year's Rule 5 pick Ryan Flaherty, waiver wire pickup Alexi Casilla, elder Brian Roberts, and the green Jonathan Schoop.  The position does not have many great options on the free agent market with players like Marco Scutaro and Kelly Johnson headlining the 2013 class.  Although the team may choose to let the four in house options fight it out in Spring Training, it may be useful to have another option in Norfolk.

Before this past season, Ryan Adams manned 2B in Norfolk offering a potential offensive minded middle infielder.  Adams though will be sitting for the first 50 games due to a drug related suspension and word is that Adams' election for MiL free agency will mean that he is no longer going to be part of the Oriole organization.  There are some other options out there.

Adrian Cardenas, 26yo
Chicago Cubs

		PA	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS+
Iowa	AAA	282	.300	.381	.461	109
Chicago	MLB	67	.183	.269	.283	52

Cardenas used to be a top notch prospect, making two top one hundred listings as well as six organizational listing.  Cardenas began his professional career as a shortstop.  When his range decreased, the hope was that he could be an offensive minded second baseman.  Having little touch for second base, he has been mainly shifted to the outfield.  Without a remarkable bat, he likely is now more limited as a utility infielder.

Yangervis Solarte, 26yo
Texas Rangers

		PA	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS+
Round Rock	AAA	568	.290	.342	.407	97

Minor league free agent second basemen are a pretty thin lot as evidenced by having to select a rather run of the mill option here.  Solarte joined the Rangers last season, but had spent his career before then in the Twins system.  He manages to put the ball in play with average power and walks for a second baseman.  He could fill in if need as a 2B, 3B,or LF, but not much else.  The Orioles do not have much at 2B in Norfolk until Schoop pushes his way up or if Flaherty is demoted.  There may be some opportunity to see if Solarte has anything to work on.

Brad Emaus, 27yo
New York Mets 

		PA	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS+
Buffalo	AAA	232	.212	.297	.315	85

Emaus has performed well in the minors, but has drawn many questions about how well his skill-heavy-talent-light would play at the Major League level.  He originally was in the Blue Jays system, left unprotected in Rule 5/selected by Mets/returned, traded to Rockies, traded to Red Sox, released by Red Sox, and then signed by Mets.  In 2012, his time in the Mets minor league system was a disaster.  Before last season though, Emaus was noted for his understanding of the strike zone. Including that season, his AAA career split is 276/365/458.  That might interest Dan Duquette.