The Orioles made a pair of intriguing waiver claims, adding outfielder Will Robertson from the Pirates and catcher Drew Romo from the Rockies. While neither move made headlines when it happened, the implications are worth a closer look-especially for a Baltimore club that’s been aggressive in building depth across the roster.

Let’s start with Robertson, who turns 28 this month. He’s not a household name, but he’s quietly become one of those late-blooming bats that teams like to take a flier on. This marks the fourth time he’s changed organizations in just the past six months, which tells you two things: teams see something they like, and they’re also unsure if it’s sustainable.

Originally a fourth-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2019, Robertson never really cracked the top-prospect conversations. He showed flashes of power in the minors, but his high strikeout rate-hovering around 30%-kept his offensive ceiling in check. Defensively, he’s dabbled in center field but has mostly been limited to the corners, which means the bat has to carry the profile.

And in 2025, the bat finally started to show up.

Robertson opened the year in Triple-A, where he put together some of the best numbers of his career. The Blue Jays gave him a call-up in June, but his stint in the big leagues was brief and underwhelming.

Across 75 plate appearances split between Toronto and the White Sox-who acquired him in a cash deal after he was DFA’d-he slashed just .129/.173/.143. That’s not going to turn heads, but the sample size was small.

What’s more interesting is what he did in Triple-A. Over 354 plate appearances, Robertson cut his strikeout rate to 24.9%-still high, but a meaningful improvement for him.

He also walked at a 13.6% clip and mashed 20 home runs, finishing with a .289/.387/.571 line. That’s good for a 148 wRC+, meaning he was 48% better than league average at that level.

That kind of production, especially from a player with some power and plate discipline, is what gets you noticed-even if you’re not a top prospect.

Still, Robertson’s age and lack of pedigree make him a bit of a roster bubble guy. The White Sox tried to sneak him through waivers in October.

The Pirates picked him up, held him for a couple of months, and then tried the same move. Now it’s the Orioles’ turn to see if there’s more to unlock.

Baltimore’s outfield is already crowded. Taylor Ward, Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Jeremiah Jackson, Leody Taveras, Heston Kjerstad, Reed Trimble-there’s no shortage of options. That means Robertson is likely headed to Triple-A Norfolk as depth, especially since he still has minor league options remaining.

But here’s the thing: the Orioles have a habit of claiming players like Robertson, stashing them, and then trying to pass them through waivers later. If they manage to do that successfully, they get to keep him in the system without using a 40-man roster spot. It’s a savvy way to build organizational depth without overcommitting.

As for Drew Romo, the catcher comes over from Colorado in a similar situation-quietly placed on waivers as the Rockies looked to clear a 40-man spot. Baltimore had one open slot but will need to make a move to accommodate both claims.

In the big picture, these are low-risk, potentially high-reward moves. Robertson may not be an everyday big leaguer, but with the improvements he showed in 2025, he’s earned another look. And for a team like the Orioles, who are pushing to maximize every inch of their roster, that’s exactly the kind of player worth betting on.