Orioles Acquire Shane Baz from Rays: What to Make of Trade

The splits were off on Baz this past season. Baz posted a sub-4.00 ERA this past season on the road. However, in Steinbreneer Field — a stadium that leaned hitter-friendly — he gave up 18 home runs and had a 5.90 ERA in Tampa.

Baz is a five-pitch pitcher who mainly leaned on four pitches this past season. One of those was a hard, upper-90s four-seamer with ride and more run than cut. His mid-80s knuckle-curve was a good offering for him this past season, generating a lot of weak contact. Additionally, he’ll work in a low-90s cutter and high-80s changeup, the latter of which was mainly used against lefties.

Baz also has a slider in his arsenal, a pitch that was his go-to secondary offering as late as 2024. However, he all but ditched in 2025. Why? Baz threw a lot of spinners with it, which mainly hung right over the zone.

Out of the 82 sliders Baz threw in 2025, six were home runs.

Baz has three years left of team control.

The Rays’ Return

• C Caden Bodine (.326/.408/.349, one XBH over 11 GP (A))
• OF Slater de Brun (Did not play professionally in 2025)
• SP Michael Forret (91 K, 21 BB, 1.58 ERA over 74 IP (A+ and AA))
• OF Austin Overn (.249/.355/.399, 13 HR & 30 XBH over 114 GP (A+ and AA))
• 33rd pick in 2026 MLB Draft

Arguably, the most notable player in this trade on the Rays’ side is Slater de Brun. de Brun was the 37th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, a player that Baltimore spent $4MM to secure this past summer.

de Brun ran wild in the 17U WWBA tournament as a high schooler, as he batted .474 with two home runs and 10 walks. An elite runner who ran a 6.39s 60-yard dash, has a strong arm, and can make solid contact. Compact swing, will choke up often.

The other first-round pick involved in this deal is Caden Bodine, a three-year starter at Coastal Carolina between 2023 and 2025. Bodine had arguably his best season as a freshman, as the switch-hitter hit .367 with 11 home runs and a .456 on-base percentage with the Chanticleers. All were career-bests for Bodine, a New Jersey native.

Bodine did very well when it came to gunning down runners at the collegiate level. He didn’t have as much success as a professional, though, as he posted a 21% CS% with Low-A Delmarva in abbreviated action.

Not a big power hitter by any means. However, he walked more than he struck out at Coastal Carolina, had a sub-17% Whiff% in the Carolina League this past year, and got hit a lot in college. He was hit by a pitch 17 times last season with CCU.

Michael Forret was a 14th-round pick by the Orioles in the 2023 MLB Draft. Forret had a breakout season between High-A and Double-A this past year, one year after he struck out 124 over 99.2 IP in full-season ball last season. The right-hander posted a 2.01 ERA and struck out 91 over 74 innings. He also cut down the BB/9 to 2.6, compared to 4.0 in 2024.

Effective fastball and breaking balls. Forret was able to induce swings and misses out of the zone, as well as spot and work backwards.

The last piece to this deal, aside from the draft pick, is Austin Overn. Overn was a third-round pick by the Orioles in 2024.

Overn did a lot of work with his legs at USC, as he ran out 14 triples in 2023 with the Trojans. The 22-year-old had a solid season between High-A and Double-A, as Overn slashed .249/.355/.399 with 13 home runs and 30 extra-base hits over 114 games.

He struck out often (27.2% K%). However, Overn also took his walks (13.4% BB%).

Analysis

The Rays and Orioles have been regular trading partners over the past few years. Tampa Bay traded Zach Eflin to the Orioles in 2024. And this past year, Baltimore flipped reliever Bryan Baker to the Rays.

For Baltimore, the Orioles continue to re-align their rotation. The O’s traded away Grayson Rodriguez to add more power, then added Baz to essentially bridge the gap in the rotation.

With Baz, he’s shown the ability to get strikeouts. It’ll be interesting to see what refinements are made for 2026 — especially if he tries to make it work with his slider. And given the home/road splits, perhaps a change of scenery — even though he was going to get one no matter what in 2026 — will help.

As for the Rays, this is a classic move by the organization. Tampa Bay loves athletes with plus-plus tools, and de Brun, with elite speed, fits that model.

It’s a good return on paper for the Rays, who’ve become a pitching factory over the years. A switch-hitting catcher who can get on base, a high-upside pitcher, and a toolsy outfielder in Overn. However, prospects can boom or bust. Which is likely why the Orioles — a team flush with prospects — made this move.