Welcome to another edition of the Orioles Beat newsletter. Spring Training is right around the corner, and I’ll be arriving in Sarasota, Fla., on Wednesday. Make sure to follow along for coverage of everything O’s throughout the spring ...

BALTIMORE -- An 83-win showing during the 2022 season had the Orioles confident they had turned a corner heading into Spring Training in '23.

They were right. Baltimore went 101-61 last year, reaching the postseason for the first time since 2016 and winning its first American League East title since '14. It was also the first time the O’s had won 100-plus games since 1980 (100-62).

That performance has raised external expectations for the Orioles heading into 2024. Internally, though, nothing has changed. Players and coaches are coming to camp in Sarasota, Fla., confident Baltimore can be one of MLB’s best teams -- just like last spring.

“Knowing that those expectations are going to be there, you know, we’re kind of used to it now,” center fielder Cedric Mullins said. “So it’s just a matter of continuing to lock in on what we’ve been doing well, continuing to improve.”

Here’s everything to know about O’s Spring Training for 2024:

When is the first workout for pitchers and catchers?
Pitchers and catchers must report by Wednesday, with the first workout scheduled for Thursday.

What is the date of the first full-squad workout?
The rest of the position players must report to camp by Feb. 19. The first full-squad workout will be held on Feb. 20.

Where are the team’s facilities?
The Orioles’ facilities are located in Sarasota at Ed Smith Stadium, which has been the team’s Spring Training home since 2010.

Can fans attend workouts?
Yes. Workouts on the backfields at Ed Smith Stadium will be open to the public from Thursday through Feb. 23. Practice times haven’t been announced, but they’ve typically occurred from approximately 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET in recent years. It is free to attend, with parking available in the East Lot.

Who are some new faces fans should know?
Baltimore added two significant arms to its pitching staff this offseason -- ace Corbin Burnes (via a trade with Milwaukee) and closer Craig Kimbrel (free-agent signing).

Burnes will provide a needed boost to the top of the Orioles’ starting rotation. The 29-year-old right-hander developed into one of MLB’s best starters over the past six years with the Brewers. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2021, and he previously led the NL in ERA (2.43 in '21), strikeouts (243 in '22) and WHIP (1.07 in '23).

Kimbrel will serve as Baltimore’s closer in place of All-Star Félix Bautista, who will miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last October. A 35-year-old righty and 14-year MLB veteran, Kimbrel ranks eighth in AL/NL history with 417 career saves.

Who are some of the top prospects invited to Major League camp?
Jackson Holliday, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect, will be in big league camp for the second straight year as a non-roster invitee. This time, the 20-year-old infielder has a legitimate chance to make the Opening Day roster -- a “very strong possibility,” general manager Mike Elias said this winter.

Outfielders Colton Cowser (No. 19 overall) and Heston Kjerstad (No. 32) will be in camp as members of the 40-man roster after making their MLB debuts last year. Catcher Samuel Basallo (No. 17) and infielder Coby Mayo (No. 30) are non-roster invitees.

Basallo, 19, will be in big league camp for the first time. He’ll be there for a few weeks to get a taste of the experience before opening the season in the Minors (likely at Double-A Bowie).

When is the team’s first Grapefruit League game?
The O’s open their spring schedule on Feb. 24, when they’ll host the Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium at 1:05 p.m. ET.

What are a few other notable spring games?
Baltimore will play 32 Grapefruit League games. Six of those are against Pittsburgh -- three in Sarasota and three in nearby Bradenton. The Orioles will play seven night contests this spring, including four from March 20-23.

What is Spring Breakout, and when is the game?
This spring, MLB is launching a four-day prospect showcase that will feature baseball’s future stars. A series of 16 exhibition games will be played from March 14-17 between teams comprised of every organization’s top prospects.

Baltimore’s top prospects will play Pittsburgh’s top prospects on March 14 at 7:05 p.m. ET at LECOM Park in Bradenton. The Spring Breakout exhibition will be the second part of a doubleheader, following the Grapefruit League game that starts at 3:05 p.m. ET.

Will the team’s games be televised?
MASN has not yet announced which O’s Spring Training games will be televised this year. More details to come.

When is the club’s last game in Florida?
The Orioles wrap up their spring slate with a road matchup vs. the Twins in Fort Myers on March 24.

Will there be any additional exhibitions before the regular season?
No. Baltimore will have off-days on March 25, 26 and 27.

What are the details for Opening Day?
The Orioles will open the 2024 season vs. the Angels on March 28 at Camden Yards. It’s the first time Baltimore will be home for Opening Day since '18.

Since the Orioles moved their Spring Training home to Sarasota in 2010, which player holds the team mark for most Grapefruit League homers in a single spring?

A) Chris Dickerson
B) Jake Fox
C) Steve Pearce
D) Jonathan Schoop

Earlier this week, the Orioles announced their Minor League staffs for the 2024 season.

Buck Britton is returning for his third season as Triple-A Norfolk manager, while Roberto Mercado (Double-A Bowie) and Felipe Rojas Alou Jr. (High-A Aberdeen) have been promoted to new skipper roles. The manager at Single-A Delmarva will be first-time skipper Collin Woody.

Justin Ramsey will again be both Norfolk’s pitching coach and the upper-level pitching coordinator. The Tides (who won both the International League title and the Triple-A national championship last year) will have a new hitting coach -- Mike Montville, who joins the organization after serving as assistant hitting coach for Triple-A Worcester (Red Sox) in 2023.

B) Jake Fox

Some O’s fans likely remember Fox’s torrid spring in 2011, when he belted 10 homers in 27 games and slugged his way onto the Opening Day roster.

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