Jean Segura, a former infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, has signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles, the team announced on Friday. Segura played for the Phillies from 2019 to 2022, including a stint on their World Series runner-up team.
During that season, he contributed significantly, participating in 98 games and posting a .277/.336/.387 batting line. He demonstrated his reliability as a professional, which earned him trust across the league.
Segura, who was a two-time All-Star in 2013 and 2018, did not replicate his 2018 performance with the Phillies but had notable seasons, such as in 2021, where he achieved an OPS+ of 111, one of the highest of his career.
The Orioles’ move to sign him to a minor league contract is somewhat unexpected. After being traded to the Cleveland Guardians by the Miami Marlins in 2023 and subsequently released, Segura has not played professional baseball since. However, teams often discover valuable players in unexpected places, so Baltimore might see potential in him.
While he did make a notable acquisition of star closer Carlos Estevez this year, he took a more conservative stance regarding his prospect pool compared to previous years. This change in strategy could be due to a new focus on strengthening the farm system or simply a preference for making a single significant move.
This shift in focus is highlighted by the surprising news from Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer that the Phillies have released Simon Muzziotti, their No. 20 ranked prospect. Muzziotti, who was signed by Philadelphia in 2016 and reached as high as No. 10 among their prospects, had a promising start but struggled to maintain his status due to the canceled 2020 minor league season.
