Baltimore Orioles add multiple UDFAs

Written by: Nick Stevens

While the 2026 MLB Draft wrapped up on Sunday night, it’s not time to close the book on the 2026 class. The Baltimore Orioles have since signed a group of undrafted free agents to add to the mix.

Typically, it’s an opportunity to bring more arms into the organization. RHP Trey Gibson was signed as a UDFA out of Liberty after the 2023 draft. RHP Joe Glassey (Illinois/2024) and RHP Todd Kniebbe (Florida Atlantic/2025) were recent UDFAs who have since risen to the ranks of intriguing relief prospects down on the farm. And there are a few others who we’re still waiting to get better looks at who may eventually crack our top relief prospects ranking in the near future.

As of Tuesday morning, July 14th, here’s the confirmed list of four UDFA signings by the Orioles (to be updated if more signings are announced this week):

The Orioles drafted RHP Braden Smith out of UCF in the 15th round on Sunday and have now added his teammate on a UDFA deal. Wicker is listed at 6’7”/190 pounds and is coming off his first season as a full-time starter after pitching in a mixed role with UCF last year and with Wofford back in 2024.

Wicker topped out at 96 mph this season (sits low-90s), while also throwing a curve, slider, cutter, and changeup. Per D1Baseball, Wicker’s changeup produced a 40% whiff rate this season, while his cutter produced a 39% whiff rate. After UCF’s rotation was hit with injuries, Wicker stepped up for the Knights and turned in a Second Team All-Big 12 performance that helped lead UCF to the NCAA Regionals.

He struck out 19.3% of hitters he faced and saw the walk rate tick up from 8.9% last year to 9.9% this year, but with two high-whiff offerings already in the tank and given his size, curious if any added velo and improved control could unlock a bit more.

The 6’5”/215 pound righty spent his first two seasons at Notre Dame where he pitched sparingly with control issues. It started to click for him after transferring to Michigan for his final two seasons. In his first season at Michigan, Lally went 76 innings with a 16% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate and followed it up with an improved 2026 season that saw him strike out 21.3% of hitters and drop his walk rate to below 10%.

Lally has spent the summer in the MLB Draft League, showing off his four-pitch mix that includes a 90-94 mph fastball (T96 mph) and an elite-spin curveball. While he’s showing strong swing and miss stuff this summer, he’s continued to struggle with the control, walking 12 and hitting three batters in 20 innings of work. He showed real improvement with the control in his two years at Michigan and there’s no denying the raw stuff is enticing. He will be an interesting follow.

The addition of Hall gives the Orioles three former Fighting Illini down on the farm, joining RHP Jack Crowder (10th round/2024) and the previously mentioned Glassey.

A 6’1” lefty, Hall has started for the last two years at Illinois, coming off a season in which he struck out 21% of hitters across 77 IP, a notable improvement over his 12.5% strikeout rate last year. His 5.3% walk rate gave him a second-straight season with a sub-6% walk rate. He’s also posted back-to-back seasons with a groundball rate north of 50%.

Early on in his career, Hall was mainly a low-90s fastball/slider pitcher, but like most pitchers on the Illinois roster this year, saw his stuff take a jump going into the 2026 season, which resulted in more whiffs and better success.

After investing heavily in JUCO arms in last year’s draft, SS Jimmy Anderson was the only JUCO player picked by the Orioles in this year’s draft, and Sampson is the first JUCO arm added.

Listed at 6’2”/195, the 20-year-old lefty has been in the Cape Cod League this summer, striking out five and walking one across 8.1 IP (3.24 ERA). His 93 strikeouts across 80 innings for Seminole State this year made him one of the top strikeout arms in the JUCO ranks. Per Jacob Rudner at Baseball America, Sampson sits 89-91 mph and has touched 93 mph, with a slider, changeup and big extension down the mound.

A 5’11”/195 pound lefty, Chapman spent all three years of his college career at UNC-Greensboro, striking out 26% of hitters and walking just 5% as a sophomore, before those numbers took a step back in 2026. As a junior, Chapman struck out 22% of hitters and walked 9% across a career-high 80 innings.

Chapman entered the year as one of the top draft-eligible prospects in the SOCON, with a low-90s fastball that has touched 95 mph, a high-spin slider, and a changeup.

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