Baltimore Orioles infielder Luis Vázquez has elected free agency, according to the MiLB transaction log.
This move ends Vázquez’s tenure in the Orioles organization, where he had spent the past two seasons primarily as depth.
Vázquez, a 27-year-old right-handed hitter from Orocovis, Puerto Rico, was originally a 14th-round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2017 out of Alberto Melendez Torres High School.
He made his MLB debut with the Cubs in May 2024, appearing in 11 games. The Orioles acquired him in a cash transaction in late January 2025.
He spent most of that year at Triple-A Norfolk, where he posted solid numbers, before seeing action in 32–36 MLB games for Baltimore.
In those appearances, he hit .160 with one home run and three RBIs, also logging time at multiple infield spots and even pitching 4⅓ scoreless innings in mop-up duty.
His 2026 season was limited by injury and roster churn. He broke his right thumb in spring training, began the year in the minors, and posted roughly a .225–.238 average with six home runs across levels.
The Orioles selected his contract in late August when Tyler O’Neill went on the injured list. Vázquez appeared in one game as a pinch-runner, scoring the go-ahead run.
He was quickly optioned, then designated for assignment on August 31 to clear a 40-man roster spot for waiver claim Luis Robert Jr.
He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Norfolk on September 3, remaining in the system as infield depth through the end of the regular season. Earlier reporting had noted he would be eligible for minor-league free agency at season’s end.
Across parts of three MLB seasons with the Cubs and Orioles, Vázquez owns a .145/.194/.210 slash line in 67 plate appearances.
His value has always been framed around defensive versatility—he has logged time at shortstop, second base, third base, and first base—rather than offensive production. At Triple-A he has generally been closer to league-average.
With the election of free agency, Vázquez is now free to sign with any club.
Given his limited major-league track record and age, he projects as a depth or organizational option rather than a lock for a big-league roster.
For the Orioles, the move simply closes the book on a low-cost utility piece who never locked down a consistent role.
