The Phillies announced that they’ve claimed lefty David Rollins off waivers from the Rangers and designated infielder/outfielder Cody Asche for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Asche, formerly one of the Phillies’ top prospects, has struggled in parts of four seasons and was a non-tender candidate prior to tonight’s 8pm ET deadline.
Philadelphia was hopeful at one point that Asche, now 26, could develop into a regular option at the hot corner, but his bat has never come around at the Major League level, and Maikel Franco’s arrival pushed him out to left field. The left-handed hitter owns a career .240/.298/.385 batting line with 31 homers in 1287 Major League plate appearances — a far cry from the .297/.359/.491 slash he’s compiled in 150 games across parts of four seasons at Triple-A.
Prior to the 2013 season, Baseball America rated Asche seventh among Phillies farmhands and noted that while he doesn’t have the prototypical power or high-level defense one would expect out of a regular third baseman, he had the potential to hit enough to land a role as a Major League regular. To this point in his career, that hasn’t panned out.
Rollins, 27 next month, has gone from the Mariners to the Cubs to the Rangers to the Phillies on waivers in a matter of two months. The former 24th-round pick has a 7.60 ERA in 34 innings with the Mariners across the past two seasons and has averaged 7.1 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9 with a 41.9 percent ground-ball rate. He’s been rather unlucky, as evidenced by a .379 BABIP, but even the most optimistic ERA estimator pegs him in the mid-4.00s (4.41 SIERA). Rollins does have minor league options remaining, so the Phils could stash him in Triple-A next year if he doesn’t break camp with the club. Then again, the Phillies may try to pass Rollins through waivers themselves at some point with an eye toward keeping him in the organization but freeing up a 40-man roster spot. No team has been able to successfully do that this winter, however.
Finally, the Asche experiment is over.
Weird transaction…would like to see Asche go back LHV as a 3B.
Wild prediction–Angels sign Asche and turn him into Second baseman. He hits well enough for that position.
Very wild prediction haha… cannot see Asche coming back into the league after this. I think his chances have been depleted.
Depleted is a bold prediction. He will absolutely be given a minor league deal somewhere.
I could see the Angels. I think he still has a chance to be a four corners bench bat. I doubt he would be very good at 2B though, if that was the case, I imagine the Phillies would of used him there at some point.
About time
Asche was jacked around by the Phillies from the Minors thru his Major league Assignments , He was a 2nd Basemen in the minors who had to Learn 3rd Base job at the major league while trying to hit at that Major league level, and then had to Learn to play left field.
He will make it with some MLB team with a better hitting coach and a Steady position to play .
jacked around? he couldnt play second so he was moved to third, couldnt hit enough to stay there and they gave him a shot to play the outfield with Franco at third, and he couldnt do it.
The dizzy Angels will sign him! The trash diggers LOVE other teams garbage…..
not understanding the point of using a 40 man spot on a crappy lefty reliever.
Second
Asche will be a regular 3b somewhere play everyday and hang around MLB for awhile but not a fit with Phillies
Yea. A light hitting, below average fielder
Finally done.