VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Don't be surprised if you don't know his name. The Orioles got hit hard in the catching department this week, when three of their backstops left for the World Baseball Classic. And that left Eli Whiteside, a veteran of nine games in the big leagues, as the main man behind the plate for the opening barrage of exhibition games.

The 26-year-old is the dean of a catching group that includes two Class A players and one Triple-A veteran, a far cry from the team's normal trio of Ramon Hernandez, Javy Lopez and Geronimo Gil.

"It's a great opportunity for me to come out and show these guys what I can do," said Whiteside. "Coming into camp, I didn't know they would all be out, but I found out pretty early. I was just looking forward to it, and I tried to get ready for it. I'm just trying to go out and impress these guys."

You won't find Whiteside on any prospect lists, but he's well thought of within the organization. The Orioles value his defensive skills, but he hasn't been able to make much of an impact with his bat. Whiteside has hit just .231 against pitchers at the Double-A level and above, which means he's not much of a risk to break out at the big-league level.

Still, the Orioles needed someone to step up and carry the catching load, and Whiteside has proven to be up to the task. Rick Dempsey, Baltimore's bullpen coach, said he likes what he's seen out of the Minor League veteran.

"He's got a little ways to go yet, but he's in Triple-A ball and he does well handling the pitching staff," said Dempsey, who played more than 20 years as a big-league catcher. "He's got a good, strong arm. He's just got to get used to playing every day now and being consistent. No matter what happens, we're not afraid to bring him up, because we know he can catch."

Baltimore helped prepare Whiteside for this opportunity last season, when he spent two short stints with the parent club. The first was as an injury fill-in, and the second was as a September callup. Whiteside said he learned a lot from his short time in the big leagues, gauging the level of competition and what he needs to do to get there on a full-time basis.

"Obviously, I need to improve on my offensive part of the game, but I think it's coming around. I'm just trying to get more comfortable and more consistent at the plate," he said. "It was a great experience, just to get there and see what went on, see how everything went. ... It just makes you want to get there that much more. That's what you want to get back to."

Whiteside, a sixth-round pick in 2001, showed some serious progress with the bat in 2004. He hit 18 homers in 90 games at Double-A Bowie that season, which doubled his career output to that date.

He's never shown another hint of that power, but that's not really his role. If and when Whiteside makes it back to the big leagues, it will likely be as a backup catcher and occasional defensive replacement.

"He needs to learn the pitching staffs and learn how to call ballgames for certain types of pitchers. And that just comes with time," said Dempsey. "Also, he needs to work on consistency of throwing from behind the plate, but the rest is all there. ... He's always in the best shape of anyone coming into camp. We've got no problems with [work ethic] whatsoever."

Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo has been pleased with Whiteside's work behind the plate, and he said he's been able to absorb some of the team's new philosophies. When Leo Mazzone became the Orioles' new pitching coach, he brought certain philosophies that had to be implemented from both the dugout and the catcher's slot.

"It's good experience to get him in there a lot -- and some of the younger kids too," said Perlozzo. "We're trying to get across to the catchers, especially the younger kids, some of the things that Leo's trying to get across to the pitchers. It's something good for them, and they wouldn't have that opportunity, other than right now.

"At least they'll have the experience of listening to Leo and they can take it with them."

Whiteside doesn't look at this as a last chance before the veterans get back. Over time, he's confident that he'll have plenty of other opportunities with the organization. And failing that, he thinks he'll get a shot somewhere else, somewhere down the line.

"I don't think of it that way," he said when asked if he needs to make a quick impression. "There are 29 other teams out there. I can come into camp, get an opportunity to show other teams what I can do. I'm just trying to take advantage of it."