Baltimore Orioles legend and part-owner Cal Ripken Jr. is taking a more hands-on role in the team's player development.

It marks the first time Ripken, who retired as a player in 2001, has been this directly involved within the organization. His expanded role follows last November's hiring of former big-league manager Mike Shildt as the Orioles' coordinator of instruction in the minor leagues, a newly created position focused on fundamentals.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias has increasingly leaned on Ripken's baseball knowledge, according to those briefed on the matter. Ripken and Shildt share a relationship dating back to 1980 and both emphasize cutoffs, relays and bunt plays as fundamentals the organization wants to rebuild.

The push for sharper fundamentals extends to the major-league roster under first-year manager Craig Albernaz, who recently sat rookie catcher Samuel Basallo for three straight games to stress the importance of playing through minor ailments.

"The issues we're trying to address are the small, stupid little mistakes that younger teams make," said pitcher Chris Bassitt. "We're a team that tends to give away outs. We're a team that tends to give the other team extra outs with errors or mental mistakes. We need to clean up the way we're playing the game."

Baltimore entered Thursday at 35-40, sitting 11.5 games back in the AL East and two games out of a wild-card spot. The Orioles ranked among the worst teams in MLB in defensive efficiency this season, despite the additions of veterans Pete Alonso, Bassitt, Ryan Helsley and Taylor Ward over the offseason.

Elias, Albernaz and Ripken all declined comment for The Athletic's report.