Orioles' Walker Eyes New Role — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

SARASOTA, Fla.—The Orioles found a way to get Christian Walker steady at-bats at Triple-A Norfolk and improve his chances of sticking in the majors.

All he has to do is learn a new position.

First base is blocked in Baltimore by Chris Davis. Trey Mancini, the organization’s minor league player of the year in 2015 at Double-A Bowie, will get most of the starts at first with Norfolk.

The Orioles’ plan calls for Walker to play left field on a regular basis after getting two starts in Grapefruit League games.

“It’s a new experience,” said Walker, 25, a righthanded batter. “It could be an opportunity. I’ve just got to keep hitting and learn the new position.”

Walker has played first base in all 377 of his minor league games since the Orioles selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft out of South Carolina. In his first game in left field this spring, he threw out a runner at third base and handled every flyball.

“Obviously, the sample size is very short,” Walker said, “and it is learning a new position, regardless of how quickly I can learn something or pick something up.

“So I’m going to take my time with it and get the reps I need. Whenever everything’s good and ready, it will be my time.”

Walker has been working with Orioles first-base coach Wayne Kirby, who doubles as outfield instructor.

Walker, the organization’s minor league player of the year in 2014, got off to a fast start in camp and totaled four doubles, a triple, four home runs and 14 RBIs in 22 games. He finished with a .227 average in 44 at-bats

“Christian’s got a track record, and I thought he was more centered,” big league manager Buck Showalter said. “He can do this. And I know he’s excited about playing the outfield.”

BIRD SEED

• The Orioles optioned righthander Jason Garcia to Bowie and announced that he will work in the rotation. He appeared in 21 games in relief last year as a Rule 5 draft pick. Garcia made 51 minor league starts while in the Red Sox system.

• Bowie second baseman Garabez Rosa collected seven hits in his first nine at-bats this spring, an impressive feat considering that the Orioles kept summoning him from minor league camp. He produced the winning run against the Pirates on March 27 with an RBI single in the ninth inning. Rosa, 26, split last year between Double-A and Triple-A.