Orioles Call Up No. 6 Prospect Amid Jorge Mateo Injury: Report

Another prospect is getting the call from the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. Connor Norby is with the club for their series against the Toronto Blue Jays after 198 games in Triple-A.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first with the report on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The corresponding move has yet to be announced. Second baseman Jorge Mateo was placed in concussion protocol in Baltimore’s previous game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Norby, ranked sixth on the Orioles’ prospect list, has watched a number of his Triple-A teammates get the call this season.

He’s slashing .286/.374/.510 with 9 home runs and 36 RBIs in 51 games with the Norfolk Tides.

Whether or not he’s being called up as apart of a taxi squad, or getting a legitimate shot at his MLB debut is unclear.

But after three-plus years and over 1300 at-bats in the minor-leagues, Norby will join Baltimore in the majors.

He was selected by the Orioles in the second round of the 2021 draft.

Mateo Headed to IL?

If the Orioles called up Norby with the intention of playing him, Mateo must have suffered a severe concussion that will require him to take some time off.

He suffered the injury in a June 2 game when teammate Cedric Mullins‘ bat made contact with his head in the dugout.

“I was getting loose,” Mullins told reporters postgame about the incident. “Looking at the pitcher and I did kind of like a circle stretch, pretty normal stuff. He was right behind me. Didn’t even see him.”

Team skipper Brandon Hyde didn’t offer much of an update on Mateo following the loss.

“He’s in concussion protocol right now,” Hyde told MASN postgame. “So we’re just waiting to see. He’s gonna get some more tests and we’re gonna see how he feels tomorrow.”

If he misses extended time, that’s a big loss for Baltimore on both sides of the ball.

Mateo’s batting .246/.294/.447 with 3 home runs and 10 RBIs in 2024.

His defense at second base is a crucial connecting piece for the Orioles’ infield.

Norby is noted as a defensive liability, placed at second base because of his inability to get the ball across the left side of the infield.

But he’s a power hitting prospect. As long as that translates to the majors proportionately, Baltimore will survive the Mateo injury. And he’ll have a solid foundation to his MLB career.

Vespi More Likely to Replace Mateo

Left-handed pitcher Nick Vespi was seen boarding a plane with Norby, per Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun.

So if it’s an injury to Mateo that’s forcing the transaction, it may not be Norby replacing him.

Baltimore has a spot open in their 40-man roster, and could simply activate the prospect outright.

Vespi, who hasn’t been away from the Orioles for the minimum 15 days, can only replace an injured player in the transaction.

So if it’s Mateo, or if it’s one of John Means or Tyler Wells, Vespi’s path to the roster is via the injury designation of another.

The 28-year old lefty has pitched 24.1 innings with the Norfolk Tides this season. Vespi’s thrown 30 strikeouts and given up 2 home runs, good for a 2.96 ERA.