Key Highlights
- He caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who selected him 12th overall, and he would sign with them. Baz would then be part of the trade with Tampa Bay, which sent Chris Archer to Pittsburgh for Baz and a few others. MORE: The Orioles have set themselves up to do something the Blue Jays did last seasonEverything points to Shane Baz being the breakout arm the Orioles needShortly after making his MLB debut, Baz would face some major obstacles.
- He had arthroscopic surgery in March of 2022 to remove bone chips from his elbow. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLater that year, he would undergo Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entirety of the 2023 season.
- In 2024, he faced some oblique issues, but did not have any more injury troubles last season. Now, he will look to make the most of his new situation.
- He will be suiting up for the Baltimore Orioles, who spent the offseason aggressively filling holes. He likely won't be the club's ace, but according to The Athletic's Eno Sarris, he is trending toward being a breakout arm in 2026."He also made an adjustment last year, going away from a slider that consistently landed middle/middle to a cutter he could throw to better parts of the zone.
- He's always had a good fastball/curveball duo, he's figuring out the rest of his arsenal and he's headed to a normal park situation in Baltimore.