Orioles Acquire Catcher Chris Snyder From Angels For Pitcher Rob Dulaney

Dan Connoly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles have acquired catcher Chris Snyder from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league pitcher Rob Dulaney. The trade will mark Snyder’s return to the Baltimore/D.C. area, as he spent Spring Training with the Washington Nationals.

Feb 23, 2013; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; Washington Nationals catcher Chris Snyder (7) takes the field before a spring training game against New York Mets at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Snyder gives the Orioles a viable option to back up Matt Wieters with Taylor Teagarden dealing with a dislocated thumb. Snyder also provides a solid power bat off the bench for manager Buck Showalter. While Snyder hit just .176 with the Astros last season, he possesses excellent raw power in his bat and, despite his high strikeout rate, has a knack for drawing walks. He’s also committed just 12 errors in over 5600 innings at catcher, making him quite capable of holding down the fort defensively when giving Wieters a day off.

While the Orioles lose a potentially promising relief prospect in Dulaney, he struggled early on this season at AAA Norfolk, and with the Orioles bullpen amongst the best in baseball, it’s a trade the O’s could afford to make.