Baltimore Orioles sign Michael Bourn to minor league contract

The Baltimore Orioles have signed outfielder Michael Bourn to a minor league contract. The team released Bourn at his request at the end of March.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed outfielder Michael Bourn to a minor league deal, per Roch Kubatko.

Bourn had initially signed a minor-league deal with the Orioles at the end of February, but was released at his request after he suffered a broken finger while trying to catch a football during a workout in Sarasota.

Originally, Bourn had signed a minor league deal that would have paid him $2M had he made the major league team out of spring training. The deal also included an additional $3.5M in incentives.

Bourn will be sent to extended spring training as he continues to rehab his finger and hopes to eventually join the major league team.

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Bourn is 34 years old and was traded to the Orioles last season in a deal that sent Jason Heinrich to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Last season, Bourn finished the year slashing .264/.314/.371 with five home runs, 48 runs, 38 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases in 113 games and 413 plate appearances.

During his time with the Baltimore Orioles last year, Bourn batted .283/.358/.435 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 46 total at-bats.

Bourn has never been known for power, but he was, at one point, one of the best base-stealers in the game. His best season was in 2009 with the Houston Astros when he batted .285/.354/.384 with three home runs, 97 runs, 35 RBIs, and 61 stolen bases.

Bourn has aged, obviously, but is still a decent threat on the basepaths, racking up a solid 6.8 speed rating last season (for reference, the league leader was Starling Marte with 7.7. Josh Harrison and Jean Segura were tied for second with 6.8).

Bourn’s plate discipline has never been great, but it’s gotten worse, and along with that (and his declining speed), his average has declined. Once a hitter who could be counted on to hit anywhere from .275-.290, now Bourn tends to float around the .240-.260 mark.

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It’s clear that the Orioles liked Bourn last year, which is why they were willing to work out a deal with him, and I think he’s a good addition. He’s still a great fielder and could provide the Orioles with some much-needed speed, as well as depth in the outfield.