Orioles Reinstate Cade Povich, Add Catcher Dominic Keegan Off Waivers, Designate Kyle Nicolas for Assignment

The Baltimore Orioles continued reshaping their organizational depth Saturday with a trio of roster moves that could have implications for both the pitching staff and catching pipeline over the remainder of the 2026 season.

Baltimore officially reinstated left-handed pitcher Cade Povich from the 15-day injured list after recovering from left elbow inflammation. Rather than immediately returning him to the major league rotation or bullpen, the Orioles optioned the 26-year-old to Triple-A Norfolk, where he’ll continue building innings before potentially earning another call-up.

The Orioles also claimed catcher Dominic Keegan off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays and assigned him to Double-A Chesapeake. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas was designated for assignment.

Povich Returns Healthy

The biggest news of the day is undoubtedly the return of Povich.

One of Baltimore’s top left-handed pitching options, Povich had been sidelined with elbow inflammation after beginning to establish himself as valuable starting pitching depth.

Before landing on the injured list, Povich had appeared in the Orioles’ rotation and showed flashes of why the organization continues to believe in his long-term upside. Through the start of the 2026 season, he had compiled a 7-18 career record with a 5.20 ERA and 199 strikeouts in the major leagues. While the overall numbers still leave room for improvement, his ability to miss bats has remained encouraging.

Rather than rushing him back to Baltimore, the Orioles are taking a patient approach.

Sending Povich to Norfolk allows him to:

• Build arm strength following the elbow injury.
• Increase his pitch count.
• Continue refining his command.
• Be fully stretched out if Baltimore needs another starter later this summer.

With injuries inevitable over a 162-game season, Povich could become one of the first names called if another opening develops in the Orioles rotation.

Keegan Gives Orioles More Catching Depth

Baltimore also quietly strengthened its organizational catching depth by claiming Dominic Keegan.

Originally selected by Tampa Bay, Keegan has developed a reputation as an offensive-minded catcher with legitimate power potential. Although he has yet to establish himself in the major leagues, the Orioles clearly saw enough upside to add him to the 40-man roster before immediately assigning him to Double-A Chesapeake.

During the 2026 minor league season, Keegan has continued to show offensive ability while splitting time behind the plate. His right-handed bat gives Baltimore another developmental catcher in a system already featuring several intriguing young position players.

The move carries very little risk while giving the Orioles another player development project that could eventually reach Triple-A Norfolk or even Baltimore.

Nicolas Becomes the Odd Man Out

Unfortunately for Kyle Nicolas, the numbers game caught up with him.

The Orioles had acquired Nicolas earlier this month after Cincinnati designated him for assignment, hoping his upper-90s fastball could translate into bullpen depth.

Instead, Nicolas struggled throughout 2026.

Between the Reds’ organization and Triple-A Louisville before arriving in Baltimore, he posted a 5.17 ERA while issuing nearly as many walks as strikeouts in Triple-A. His brief major league stint with Cincinnati also featured an 8.59 ERA and significant command issues before he was removed from their roster.

Baltimore never brought Nicolas to the major league roster after acquiring him, and Saturday’s move indicates the club preferred keeping Keegan’s catching depth over another hard-throwing relief arm.

Nicolas will now either:

• Clear waivers and remain in the Orioles organization,
• Be claimed by another club,
• Or be traded before completing the DFA process.

What It Means

This wasn’t a blockbuster transaction day, but it reflects how Mike Elias continues to manage organizational depth.

Reinstating Povich provides another potential rotation option as Baltimore continues its playoff push. If he performs well at Norfolk, he could find himself back at Camden Yards sooner rather than later.

Claiming Keegan represents another low-risk move to add catching depth to the farm system, while designating Nicolas for assignment simply became the cost of maintaining flexibility on the 40-man roster.

For now, the Orioles appear focused on getting healthier while ensuring they have enough pitching and positional depth for what they hope will be a meaningful second half of the season.

Final Thoughts

None of Saturday’s transactions will dominate national headlines, but organizations often build successful seasons through these types of incremental roster decisions. Povich’s health is the biggest takeaway, as Baltimore could soon have another left-handed starter available if injuries or doubleheaders create an opening.

Keegan becomes another intriguing developmental piece, while Nicolas’ brief stint in the organization comes to an uncertain end as the Orioles continue balancing immediate needs with long-term roster construction.