The Rockies have designated right-hander Eddie Butler for assignment, the team announced. The move creates roster space for Greg Holland, whose signing became official today.
Butler, 25, was drafted 46th overall by the Rockies in 2012 and he continued to display that pedigree as a minor leaguer, ranking on top-100 prospect lists from Baseball America, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus prior to both the 2014 and 2015 seasons. (BA ranked Butler as the 24th-best prospect in baseball in their 2014 list.) While Butler pitched well in the lower levels, however, it’s worth noting that he struggled even at the Triple-A level, posting a 5.03 ERA over 157 1/3 innings in the very hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Pitching in parts of the last three seasons for Colorado, Butler posted a 6.50 ERA, 1.34 K/BB rate and 5.3 K/9 over 159 1/3 innings for the Rockies, starting 28 of his 36 career big league games. Despite a solid 48.6% career grounder rate, home runs have been Butler’s largest issue, with a whopping 18.1% of his fly balls leaving the yard. While Coors Field has played a role in Butler’s problems (a 7.92 ERA in 69 1/3 IP in Denver), the righty has also posted a 5.40 ERA in 90 road innings over his brief career.
Since we’re less than two years removed from Butler holding blue-chip prospect status, it wouldn’t be surprising if Butler draws interest from multiple teams wondering if he could get on track in a more pitcher-friendly environment. Check out the MLB Trade Rumors DFA Tracker to monitor the status of Butler and other players around the bigs who are awaiting their next assignment.
maybe yankees can jump on this one.
Wow, Interesting. This dude was a fantastic prospect not too long ago. Change of scenery? Or maybe he’s broken. Out of options so would have to be a rebuliding team.
He was, but his numbers above A ball havent been all that spectacular.
Not exactly out of options. He’s got half an option left, due to injury time.
White Sox need to pick this guy up. Flames out no big deal. See what Coop can do with him.
Lol ! Coop!!!!
He cant fix Shields or Turner to name a couple plus he ruined Samardzija
Why are Sox fans so convinced this guy is a great pitching coach?
It’s all they have to hold on to
You’ve forgotten Matt Latos
What’s coop going to do?? Teach him the don cooper cutter??
Agreed. Good pick up for a team like the White Sox. Some of their best pitching prospects are a year or so away. Butlers got to put up now at the major league level so sign him and if he works out you got a trade chip at worst and if he doesn’t work out your rebuilding anyway so you move on.
Was a Top 40 prospect in 2014. He just puts the ball in play way too much….even in the minors. That won’t play well at Coors for sure.
Woah
Pirates here you go
Can the Pirates nurse a young pitcher who has fallen back to his full potential? They’ve done it with vets, maybe they should take a flier on this guy, he’s got the ability if he can get it straightened out
Padres. Bring him in and let him compete for a spot against the two other former top 100 RHP prospects they have claimed this offseason in Tyrell Jenkins and Zach Lee.
Padres have had luck with former Rockies top prospects before (Christian Friedrich). Probably what happens.
Don’t forget about Pomeranz as well. Got him from Oakland but spent time in Colorado.
Phillies bullpen
He’d be a nice addition to the bullpen in Arizona, in theory. But I don’t think Chase Field will be any better of an environment for him than Coors
Padres make sense, but I wouldn’t expect much from him. His strike out and walk numbers were pretty weak, even in AA and AAA.
Padres, Mariners, Rays, Orioles all make sense to me
Is there any way to publicly see the priority of waiver claims for teams?
It simply starts with the team with the worst record in the league the player plays in (in Butler’s case the NL). If no NL team bites then the same process happens with AL teams. He has to get through the NL teams first, however.
Getting a guy like this has Pirates written all over it. Perhaps now that they’ve lost the War for Brady Dragmire, they can get into another DFA war over Eddie Butler.
What’s his velocity like?
92-96 mph
Marlins should DFA Despaigne and pick up Butler
Dayton Moore, jump on this!