Pretty much every Oriole fan knows the story by now. When Manny Machado was traded at the deadline in 2018 to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore got a collection of prospects in return.
The centerpiece, the surest bet to star in the major leagues someday, was outfielder Yusniel Diaz. Dean Kremer, who’s cracked the big leagues, was included in that return, but Diaz was the one for Orioles fans to look forward to and eagerly wait for.
Three years later, they’re still waiting. Diaz’s ascension through the Baltimore organization has been slower than hoped for, and now 24 years old, he has yet to play at a level higher than Double-A (though, granted, that might have changed last year).