 Upon returning from the surgery, he became a relief pitcher.He pitched fifteen innings as a reliever in the short-season Class A New York–Penn League for the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2005 and started in the South Atlantic League with the Delmarva Shorebirds.He became Delmarva's closer at the start of the season; from there, he started a rapid ascent through the Orioles' minor-league system, receiving call-ups to the high-Class A Frederick Keys and the Class AA Bowie Baysox before the end of the minor-league season.