3:15pm: It’s a minor-league contract, tweets Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
2:38pm: The Diamondbacks have agreed to a deal with free-agent outfielder Oswaldo Arcia, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Terms — including whether it’s of the major or minor-league variety — remain unreported.
Arcia, 25, ended up spending time with four organizations — reaching the bigs will all of them — during the 2016 season. Over 222 plate appearances split between the Twins, Rays, Marlins, and Padres, he slashed just .203/.270/.366 with eight home runs. While the constant movement probably didn’t help, that represented a continued decline for the still-youthful Venezuelan.
Never regarded as a good defender, Arcia blasted his way through the minors and posted just-above-average batting numbers during his first two years in the majors with Minnesota. But his on-base abilities have lagged his power at the game’s highest level. Even as he posted a strong .220 ISO over 410 plate appearances in 2014, Arcia went down on strikes in 31.0% of his trips to the dish while walking 7.6% of the time.
Still, there’s reason to hope that Arcia can turn the corner. He carried much more palatable K/BB numbers before his initial promotion, though he struggled at Triple-A in 2015 after a demotion, and he could perhaps have some development left given the rapidity with which he initially ascended the ladder. (Arcia played in only 107 games in the upper minors before his first call-up.) He does carry pronounced platoon splits, limiting his appeal, though his career 110 wRC+ against righties could make him a useful platoon/bench piece.
Earning playing time in the majors with the D-Backs likely won’t be straightforward, though it certainly seems there’s a path to opportunity in Arizona. Other left-handed corner options include David Peralta, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Socrates Brito, Zach Borenstein, and minor-league signees Reymond Fuentes and Jason Pridie.
A nice depth piece with a little offensive upside. Not a bad move
Literally everyone on the above list of lefty corner options on the Dbacks is a better baseball player. Not sure if he makes it to Opening Day barring injury.
if you combined Oswaldo and Orlando arcia together that would be really good Orlando has everything but Power and Oswaldo has nothing but power
Lol so true
Not true. Oswaldo has a mohawk and power.
Got to be a minors deal
I wonder how many players have played for 4 major league clubs and made at least one appearance in a year before. It can’t be many.
Dave Kingman 1977 – link to baseball-reference.com
Jose Bautista
John McDonald did it a few years ago. Kingman and Bautista are the other 2 I can think of off hand.
Reminds me of Kyle Blanks… tones of power, never given the opportunity to totally develop in the majors as a ball player (although for Blanks it was because of injuries). Hope he gets a chance with the DBacks.
The next Bautista
Was excited when Padres picked him up last year but that excitement didn’t last long. Terrible defensive outfielder that seemed to have limited athletic ability. I couldn’t figure out how this was the guy that prospect books raved about a few years ago.
Was the exact same thing here in Tampa. Was excited when we brought him in, but after watching him play… woof
D-Backs fans (or Reno Aces fans I guess) – expect about 1-2 plays a game where you just sit there and think “what is this guy doing”
He’d be Babe Ruth if everyone had to throw 88 down the middle.
He’s actually pretty damn good if you have watched him, he hits bullets every at bat an wasn’t a starter which is why his average is like that he could hit 30 plus homers in telling you now
Arcia was never given a real chance to develop as a Twin because Molitor did not like him. He had two good seasons under Gardenhire and with Gardenhire joining the Diamond Backs as bench coach, Arcia will have a supporter and hopefully get back his confidence. He hits the ball a ton and is a great teammate. Hope to see him back in the majors where he belongs.