Cody Sedlock Typifies Orioles’ New Development

The increased emphasis on using analytics and feeding data into the Orioles’ minor league system has been credited with unlocking some of the potential in 2016 first-round righthander Cody Sedlock.

Sedlock made 22 appearances and logged 95 innings, both career highs, while splitting his season between high Class A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He recorded a 2.84 ERA and 1.20 WHIP and averaged 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Orioles have been waiting for the 24-year-old Sedlock to offer the kind of production that justified making him the 27th overall pick out of Illinois.

“The farm system’s taken a huge jump this year,” general manager Mike Elias said. “Some of that was the draft with the No. 1 pick. Most of it was what happened with players already in the system, the player development improvements that we made . . . the step forward we continue to take.

Elias cited Sedlock as an example of player development success.

“I don’t know what the program was in the past, but with us just changing some things in spring training—changing his approach—his strikeouts went up three per nine innings, his ERA went down. It’s a wonderful story, and there were a lot of them.”

Sedlock missed about three weeks early in the season with elbow soreness after going 3-0, 1.44 in eight starts for Frederick. Staying healthy has been a challenge for Sedlock, who was sidelined in 2017 with right elbow and forearm discomfort and last year was diagnosed with a right shoulder strain and later with thoracic outlet syndrome.

“When something is taken away from you, it makes it so much sweeter when you are able to compete and get back to a point where you know you can pitch to the fullest of your ability,” Sedlock said earlier this summer. “I wouldn’t trade the struggles for anything because I definitely appreciate the game so much more.

“The confidence in the process right now with the new front office and coaches has been unbelievable.”

The Orioles must add Sedlock to the 40-man roster in November or risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft.

BIRD SEED

— The Orioles assigned Bowie outfielder T.J. Nichting to the Arizona Fall League as a late replacement for Austin Hays. The change occurred after Hays received 75 plate appearances as a September callup.

 — The Orioles claimed righthander Cole Sulser on waivers from the Rays and gave him the last open spot on the 40-man roster. The 29-year-old made seven relief appearances for the Rays in September and didn’t allow a run over 7 1/3 innings.