Two college RHPs, INF agree to deals with O's

June 18th, 2020

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles continued to fill out their Minor League system with undrafted free agents this week, agreeing to terms with Duke right-hander Thomas Girard and Pitt-Johnstown right-hander Isaiah Kearns on Tuesday and Central Connecticut State infielder TT Bowens on Wednesday.

The Orioles have not confirmed any of the deals, but the various schools’ athletic departments announced the signings. Baltimore has now agreed to deals with six undrafted free agents since those players became eligible to sign Sunday, with four of them being right-handed pitchers.

One of the ACC’s top relievers, Girard struck out 19 and walked only one in 11 innings during his shortened junior season. In 2019, he went 9-for-9 in save opportunities while leading Duke with 28 appearances. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder previously attended Avon Old Farms School in Avon, Conn., the same school that produced Orioles second-round Draft pick Hudson Haskin, an outfielder out of Tulane.

Kearns emerged as a two-way star at Division II Pitt-Johnson this spring after spending his first two years at West Virginia, registering a 1.61 ERA on the mound and hitting four homers in 17 games. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound junior struck out 27 and walked four across four starts, totaling 22 1/3 innings. The Orioles view him exclusively as a pitcher.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Bowens hit .306 with 13 home runs and 72 RBIs across 96 career games at CCSU, playing both first base and left field. He boosted his profile starting last summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, pacing the circuit in homers and winning its home run derby during All-Star weekend. This spring as a redshirt junior, Bowens hit .234 with two homers and six RBIs in 12 games before the season was shut down.

Earlier this week, the Orioles agreed to terms with Louisiana-Lafayette right-hander Brandon Young, Auburn right-hander Ryan Watson and Radford first baseman JD Mundy as undrafted free agents. They used five of their six selections in last week’s Draft on position players.