The Baltimore Orioles have officially announced a one-year major league contract agreement with outfielder Dylan Carlson for the 2025 season.
Carlson, who is 26 years old, had a challenging 2024 season, batting .209/.287/.277 (49-for-235) with seven doubles, three home runs, 19 runs scored, 25 RBIs, 22 walks, five hit-by-pitches, and two stolen bases across 96 games split between the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays. He began the year on the 10-day Injured List due to a left acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprain and was reinstated by the Cardinals on May 5. Later, on July 30, 2024, Carlson was traded to the Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Shawn Armstrong. His performance in day games was notably better, slashing .263/.327/.305 (25-for-95), compared to a .171/.261/.257 (24-for-140) slash line in night games.
Throughout his five big league seasons with the Cardinals and Rays, Carlson has posted a .237/.317/.376 (365-for-1538) slash line with 83 doubles, 10 triples, 37 home runs, 192 runs scored, 175 RBIs, 158 walks (3 intentional), 30 hit-by-pitches, and 13 stolen bases in 484 games. As a switch-hitter, Carlson boasts a lifetime .285/.361/.431 (123-for-432) average against left-handed pitchers compared to a .219/.300/.355 (242-for-1106) average against right-handers. He has also appeared in the postseason three times with St. Louis (2020-22), and his six Wild Card Series games are second only to Yadier Molina (7) among Cardinals players. In 2021, Carlson finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and set Cardinals single-season records for rookie switch-hitters with 53 extra-base hits, 237 total bases, 31 doubles, 65 RBIs, and 57 walks. Carlson was originally selected by the Cardinals in the first round (No. 33 overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Elk Grove High School in California.
To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Jacob Amaya has been designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster now stands at 40 players.
