Former Cubs OF Tyler Colvin has O’s deal fall through

Jun 26, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Colorado Rockies right fielder

(21) reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Ending weeks of speculation, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is reporting that former Chicago Cubs outfielder Tyler Colvin’s physical issue according to the Baltimore Orioles’ medical staff centers around some type of back problem.

Colvin, who joined the Colorado Rockies as part of the Ian Stewart trade, took a fairly large step backwards, hitting just .160/.192/.280 in less than 100 plate appearances at the big league level in 2012. However, he showed signs of regaining his former stroke at the Triple-A level, hitting .275/.377/.480.

The 28-year-old Colvin was drafted as the 13th overall pick in the 2006 draft by the Cubs and went on to enjoy decent success in Chicago.

His best season, which came in 2010, was promising for many within the organization. He slashed .254/.316/.500 while hitting 20 home runs and 56 RBIs. His WAR was still fairly insignificant at 0.7 that season – the highest mark of his career.

Baltimore reduced its initial offer to a minor league deal, meaning that Colvin is still a free agent. Many believe he will seek a big league deal somewhere else, while relying on the minor league offer as a fallback option as the season approaches.

This is the second player to have a deal fall through with the Orioles this offseason due to an issue with their respective physical. Reliever Grant Balfour, who has since signed a two-year deal with Tampa Bay, saw his deal fall through after the team’s medical staff said there were issues with his physical last month.