Under-the-Radar Baltimore Orioles Players Ready to Impress This Spring

Baseball is back.

Spring training is underway across MLB as players ready themselves for the grind of a 162-game season and fans become more and more anxious for Opening Day.

The Baltimore Orioles enter spring camp as the defending AL East champions hoping to build off a season in which they reached the ALCS for the first time since 1997.

The team lost a few key players in free agency this past winter, but the core of the roster remains strong, and the pitching that was a major contributor to the team's 2014 success remains almost entirely intact.

Still though, the team has a few questions marks and some guys battling it out for roster spots this spring. Obviously, those guys aren't going to be the type of players fans first think of when they imagine the construction of the 25-man roster on Opening Day.

The following players possess the skill set to impress this spring and the potential to provide a positive impact on the Orioles this season.

Nolan Reimold, DH/Outfielder

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Nolan Reimold's ability and potential have never been questioned. The guy can play baseball, and play it well.

The problem for Reimold has always been staying healthy, as he's been injury-prone since his strong rookie season in 2009.

Reimold has appeared in 100 or more games just once in his career, back in 2009 when he hit .279 with a .365 OBP, mashed 15 homers, 18 doubles and 45 RBI in 358 at-bats. And when Reimold finally was able to start a season fully healthy, in 2012, he put up insane numbers in the 16 games in which he was able to: .313 BA, six doubles, five homers and 10 RBI.

Unfortunately Reimold hasn't been able to put together even one full season of play due to his health issues. He'll be playing this season at age 31, so he's also no longer a kid.

However, if Reimold can, by some miracle, stay healthy this year, it wouldn't shock me at all to see him break camp with the major league team and put up some strong numbers this season (much like Steve Pearce last season), or at least make his way onto the O's at some point this summer.

Jason Garcia, Pitcher

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Right-hander Jason Garcia was taken in the Rule 5 draft from the Boston Red Sox organization.

He's an interesting prospect for the club. He's never pitched above the Single-A level and he underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2013. He's a young pitcher, as he'll spend the 2015 season pitching at age 22.

However, he impressed at the team's minicamp last month with an upper-90s fastball and a smooth delivery, and the team seems to be excited about Garcia's "stuff."

Being a Rule 5 draft pick, Garcia has to make the club out of spring training and remain on the 25-man roster all season in order for the O's to keep him, or he'll have to be offered back to the Red Sox. So if he has an impressive spring, expect manager Buck Showalter to find a way to fit him on the team come April 6.

Everth Cabrera, Utility Man

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Everth Cabrera might be the most interesting of all the interesting cases in the O's camp this spring.

A former All-Star in 2013, Cabrera brings an element of speed to a team that sorely lacks it. He has stolen 136 bases in his six-year career, swiping 44 in 2012 and 37 in 2013. He also posted a .355 OBP in his impressive 2013 campaign.

However, he was suspended for the final 50 games of the 2013 season as part of the Biogenesis scandal, and he just reached a plea agreement from an arrest in San Diego back in November for driving under the influence of marijuana, as reported by Jeff Sanders of U-T San Diego. Cabrera has been placed on three years' probation and will need to perform 80 hours of community service in San Diego.

The O's are no strangers to having players with a troubled past in their clubhouse (see Nelson Cruz, Delmon Young), so it's not as if Cabrera's situation will be entirely new to the team and management. Should Cabrera not behave, the team surely wouldn't hesitate to let him go.

But if Cabrera can keep himself in check and return to the form that made him an All-Star in 2013, the O's could have themselves a new top-of-the-order hitter and stolen base threat.

Cabrera has played shortstop throughout his career, but the O's plan to try him out at second base as well as the outfield, making him into more of a utility guy. And he does have an option remaining, so he can be sent to the minor leagues and called upon later.

It's a low-risk, high-reward situation, and a classic move by Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette.

J.P. Arencibia, Catcher

Ben Margot/Associated Press

The signing of catcher J.P. Arencibia to a minor league deal could be considered one of the most overlooked signings the O's made this winter.

Once a highly touted prospect, Arencibia possesses some serious raw power. He hit 23 homers in 443 at-bats in 2011, 18 homers in 347 at-bats in 2012 and 21 homers in 474 at-bats in 2013. His 162-game average for long balls is 27.

However, Arencibia has had a problem with hitting for average, as his career high is .233 over a five-year period, and his career mark is just a measly .207.

The right-handed hitter turned 29 in January, so there's still some time for him to put it together at the plate. And who knows, a new hitting coach could be just what he needs.

His defense has always been considered below average, making his chances of breaking camp with the O's even lower as Showalter values strong defensive ability above anything. But Arencibia was brought into the organization on a minor league deal, so he could start the season at Triple-A Norfolk and, if he performs well enough there, be called upon later should the team not be satisfied with its backup catcher at the time or if the O's  need help at DH due to injury or ineffectiveness.

Arencibia has plenty of flaws, but he also has plenty of potential. He's an interesting guy to keep an eye on. It'd be nice to see him earn a shot with the parent club some time this season.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.