The following 40-man roster players have less than five years service time and are out of minor league options. That means they must clear waivers before being sent to the minors. I’ve included players on multiyear deals. This list was compiled through MLBTR’s sources when possible, but may be incomplete for a handful of teams. I’ll update the post as confirmed information comes in.
Angels
Austin Adams, Kirby Yates, Cam Bedrosian, JC Ramirez
Astros
Mike Fiers, Brad Peacock, Max Stassi
Athletics
Stephen Vogt, Liam Hendriks, Raul Alcantara
Blue Jays
Mike Bolsinger, Ezequiel Carrera, Ryan Goins, Bo Schultz
Braves
Kevin Chapman, Chase d’Arnaud, Ian Krol, Jose Ramirez, Chaz Roe
Brewers
Tommy Milone, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Jonathan Villar, Jesus Aguilar, Jhan Marinez, Wily Peralta, Hernan Perez, Manny Pina, Carlos Torres
Cardinals
Greg Garcia, Tyler Lyons, Miguel Socolovich
Cubs
Matt Szczur, Mike Montgomery, Hector Rondon
Diamondbacks
Randall Delgado, Chris Herrmann
Dodgers
Giants
Hunter Strickland, George Kontos, Jarrett Parker, Gorkys Hernandez, Cory Gearrin, Conor Gillaspie
Indians
Trevor Bauer, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer, Zach McAllister, Dan Otero, Danny Salazar
Mariners
Leonys Martin, Evan Scribner, Nick Vincent
Marlins
Derek Dietrich, Adeiny Hechavarria, Dan Straily, Jose Urena, Jeff Locke
Mets
Nationals
Orioles
Brad Brach, Zach Britton, Dylan Bundy, Oliver Drake
Padres
Christian Bethancourt, Paul Clemens, Jarred Cosart, Christian Friedrich, Brad Hand, Luis Sardinas
Phillies
Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez
Pirates
Alen Hanson, Wade LeBlanc, Felipe Rivero
Rangers
Rays
Chris Archer, Brad Boxberger, Xavier Cedeno, Alex Colome, Danny Farquhar, Nick Franklin, Erasmo Ramirez, Jumbo Diaz
Red Sox
Josh Rutledge, Tyler Thornburg, Sandy Leon, Steven Wright, Drew Pomeranz, Christian Vazquez, Heath Hembree, Bryce Brentz
Reds
Arismendy Alcantara, Tony Cingrani, Blake Wood
Rockies
Cristhian Adames, DJ LeMahieu, Jordan Lyles, Chris Rusin
Royals
Christian Colon, Cheslor Cuthbert
Tigers
Andrew Romine, Tyler Collins, Jose Iglesias, Dixon Machado, Steven Moya
Twins
Ehire Adrianza, Eduardo Escobar, Robbie Grossman, Jorge Polanco, Danny Santana, Michael Tonkin
White Sox
Matt Davidson, Leury Garcia, Dan Jennings, Rymer Liriano, Yolmer Sanchez, Michael Ynoa
Yankees
Dellin Betances, Tommy Layne, Aaron Hicks, Austin Romine, Gary Sanchez, Chris Carter
Special thanks to J.P. Hoornstra and Adam McCalvy for their assistance.
Jumbo Diaz is now with the Rays, not Reds.
Oops, thanks.
Jumbo Diaz’s contract was purchased in June, 2014 by the Reds. He was optioned in 2015 and 2016 and thus should still have an option year.
Tim Beckham is out of options and should be on this list for the Rays.
Jordan Lyles has over 5 years of major league service,- by default it doesn’t matter if he has options or not – the CBA says he can’t be sent down without granted permission. Shouldn’t be on this list.
Simmer down. People make mistakes
isn’t Jenrry Meija banned for life?
He still is on their 40 man I think. I’m not quite sure.
I don’t think he is, so I just took him off this list. Thanks.
Actually, Tim, Jenrry Mejia IS still on the Mets, and the Mets and Mejia just agreed to a pseudo-contract with him for 2017, for $1.9 million (which he will not receive, due to the suspension.). He also doesn’t count on the 40-man roster, while he’s suspended. According to numerous reports, the plan is for him to appeal the lifetime ban when he is eligible to, after the 2017 season. Presumably at that time the ban will be lifted, and you will likely see him pitch for the Mets in 2018. Here’s a story from January 2017, stating that “Mets and Jenrry Mejia agree to 2017 contract he will never receive”: link to nydailynews.com
There are a bunch of these stories, and you will see in some of them that Alderson said recently that he’s not willing to give up on Mejia yet and that he hopes to have him back in 2018 if possible. Cheers.
He’s technically still under the Mets’ control and can eventually apply for reinstatement. However, he’s not presently on the 40-man roster, so he’s been pulled from the list.
I think he’s technically still on the 40-man roster, he just doesn’t count against it due to the suspension. Mets and Mejia just agreed to a $1.9 million contract for 2017 which he won’t receive, so that would seem to imply that he’s on the 40-man roster.
I will be interested to see how many of these guys are available as FA to start the season. Many are having bad springs so far. That is part of what makes baseball great. You never know until the last minute who is going to make the team.
Not that he’s likely to be optioned, but doesn’t Donaldson meet the criteria for the list?
Josh Donaldson should most definitely be on this list, he is out of options.
How is Gary Sanchez out of options already? Pretty crazy
Because he was protected from the Rule 5 draft after the 2013 season.
Chase d’Arnaud has one option remaining. He used one in 2012 & one in 2013 with the Pirates. He wasn’t optioned in 2011 or 2014 with PIT – DL in 2011, DFA’d & outrighted in 2014. He wasn’t optioned in 2015 with PHI either (minor league deal, called up in September). Nor was he optioned in 2016 with ATL (minor league deal, added to 40-man on 5/2/16, never optioned after that).
2014 counts as an option year for d’Arnaud. If a player with minor league options remaining is sent outright to the minors and then is added back to the club’s MLB Reserve List during the MLB regular season after spending at least 20 days of the MLB regular season assigned outright to a minor league club or clubs, an option year is spent, even though the player was not optioned to the minors. He was outrighted in ST of 2014 and then repurchased later in the year.
I have never heard of this. Can you point me to this rule in the CBA or other ruling documentation?
Thanks,
link to registration.mlbpa.org
Major League Rule 11(j)(3)
Thanks! I’m being told this rule has been eliminated in the new CBA.
It wasn’t.
How many options does a player get?
Simple answer – 3.
More complicated answer – still 3 but with a lot of rules & nuances that are better explained here link to fangraphs.com
Most players get only three minor league options, but a player who has accrued less than five “full seasons” of minor league play he is eligible for a 4th minor league option.
For the purpose of determining eligibility for a 4th minor league option, a player accrues a “full season” when he spends at least 90 days on the Active List of an MLB and/or minor league club or clubs in a given season, or (in seasons prior to 2012) spends at least 60 days but less than 90 days on the Active List of an MLB and/or minor league club or clubs followed by a Disabled List assignment where the combined time spent on the Active List and Disabled List equals at least 90 days or (beginning with the 2012 season) spends at least 30 days but less than 90 days on the Active List of an MLB and/or minor league club or clubs followed by a Disabled List assignment where the combined time spent on the Active List and Disabled List equals at least 90 days.
It would be nice/useful to include a list of optional players for each franchise alongside the out of options guys, and going further you could include the amount of service time for each player, though that might make sense as a separate list (which doesn’t seem to be available on the internet and really should be…)
Baseball prospectus is one of the places you can find service time. Just type in your favorite teams name and cots, for me Dodgers cots, into google.
go to your favorite teams’ salary page on baseball reference or cots for service time. Every player on an active 40 man roster or DL who has 5+ years of service and those listed above are “out of options”.
What about Carter Capps? By my count he was optioned in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Is there something I’m missing?
Capps has less than 5 “full seasons” and qualifies for a 4th option year. Only 2012, ’13, ’14, and ’15 qualify as “full seasons” in his case.
If a guy gets brought up for only one day for a spot start and then sent right back down, does that burn an option? I recall the Indians doing this several times each of the last few seasons – bringing a guy up from Columbus, having him start and sending him right back down after the game.
Seems crazy to burn an option just for that.
They’re option years. So you could theoretically option a guy 13 times for 13 spot starts and it’d still burn just one option year. MLB teams are given three option years.
If a player spends 20 or more days of an MLB regular season on Optional Assignment to the minors, an option year is expended and the player does not accrue MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment. If a player spends 19 or fewer days of an MLB regular season on Optional Assignment, an option year is NOT expended and the player does accrue MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment.
I think Tommy Pham of the cardinals is also out of options
Used options in 2015 & 2016 so he still has one more.
I’m pretty sure that the Nationals, Sammy Solis is out of options as well.
Solis should qualify for 4 option years since he burned all 3 prior to having 5 “full years” of professional service (i.e. minor/major).
Rutledge was a rule 5 pick, so he has to remain on the Red Sox roster or be returned to Colorado.
Do any of these players get a 4th option year? By my calculation, Josh Edgin should get a 4th option, which obtains when a player has 5 or fewer full professional seasons, and has used 3 options. Years where a player spent 30 or fewer days on active roster due to injury, or seasons where players were in SS ball and/or spent less than 90 days on an active roster also don’t count (any SS year is by definition less than 90 days; that’s what makes it a SS.)
2010: drafted, short season ball, doesn’t count
2011: Y1
2012: Y2
2013: Y3
2014: Y4
2015: Injured, doesn’t count
2016: Y5
So shouldn’t Edgin get a 4th option? Anyone else?
4th options are only available to players who have played less than 5 “full seasons” not 5 or less. Edgin has played in 5 (2011, ’12, ’13, ’14, and ’16). His only 3 options were burned in 2013, ’14, and ’16.
Should Jayson Aquino be added to the Orioles list? Thanks!
Aquino qualifies for a 4th option year since he has less than 5 “full seasons” as a professional (only 2013, ’14, ’15, and ’16 count for him).
Dustin McGowan should be on the list he is out of options
Only players with less than 5 years of major league service are put on this list. Anyone with more than that, on an active 40 man roster, can’t be optioned – no matter if they did or didn’t use up all of their option years prior to reaching that service time threshold.
wondering if Hansen makes the roster, does it effect frazier….but no jung ho..that plays a factor…