March 31: Moya went unclaimed on waivers, reports Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), meaning he can now be sent outright to Triple-A and remain in the organization without occupying a spot on the 40-man roster. Indeed, the Tigers have announced that’s just what they’ve done.
March 29, 2:29pm: Moya is actually on outright waivers, not release waivers, Stark clarifies on Twitter. Regardless, he’s departing the 40-man roster and can be taken by another organization. If he does clear waivers, though, Detroit would be able to retain control.
2:20pm: The Tigers have placed outfielder Steven Moya on release waivers, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark (via Twitter). The move provides some clarity to the organization’s outfield situation and also clears a 40-man spot.
Moya, who’s still just 25, entered the season without any options remaining, so it was a make-or-break spring. The former organizational top prospect failed to impress, however, hitting just .192/.208/.288.
Long considered a risky prospect, showing big power but a suspect on-base approach as he climbed the ladder, Moya has seen his star fade of late. He has failed to show much at all in his brief time in the majors, slashing .250/.293/.452 with fifty strikeouts and just eight walks in 133 total plate appearances.
Moya did post a .500 slugging percentage in his 100 trips to the MLB plate last year, so there’s plenty of reason to believe the power will play at the game’s highest level. And he lowered his strikeout rate to 22.5% in his 426 Triple-A plate appearances in 2016, though he also walked just 3.5% of the time and managed only a .310 OBP.
So much potential that was never utilized
Lol!!!
lmao this guy couldn’t take a walk if his life depended on it – I got 5 on Aaron Judge having the same fate.
Aaron Judge has a better chance IMO, he plays on a much smaller field and they are going through a rebuild (sort of), not necessarily trying to win it all now so he will have a longer leash than Moya had.
Judge is just so tall. He’s one of the ten tallest position players in major-league history and of the other 9, only Richie Sexson and Frank Howard had any sort of career. And neither of them struck out in half their at-bats.
Biiiiig strike zone, already had holes that P’s exploited at lower levels.
This is from Retrosheet: KC @ Detroit July 15, 2016.
ROYALS 6TH: Hosmer walked; Morales singled to center [Hosmer to
second]; Perez doubled to right [Hosmer scored, Morales scored
(error by Kinsler) (unearned)]; Gordon struck out; Cuthbert
popped to second; Eibner popped to first; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E,
1 LOB. Royals 2, Tigers 1.
What really happened: with runners of first and second and none out, Sal Perez hit a high fly to the right field warning track. It landed short of the fence. Steven Moya let it land untouched. He shied away from it. He wasn’t even charged with an error.
Instead of one out, two on, Tigers ahead 1-0, it was none out, men on second and third, Royals ahead 2-1.
The pitcher was Verlander. No one else could have done what he did. He didn’t show up Moya. He blew away the next three hitters stranding both runners. The Tigers came back and won 4-2. Cy Young pitching.
The Tigers sent Moya to the minors “to work on his defense” away from the bright lights of MLB. Bottom line, he isn’t safe to use.
Amen, well written.
Yes, that was not his shining moment in the sun. but it was just one play. Get over it. Moya has a strong throwing arm and covers a lot of ground with his long stride in the OF. He’s not a gold glover. None of the Tigers outfielders are. His minor league performance does not show the above mentioned play to be the norm either.
He without sin ( or error on routine play ) cast the 1st stone…
He looked uncomfortable every single time a ball was hit towards him. I used to be a big proponent of him but he simply can’t play defense. I hope no one claims him and he can continue to work at Toledo
you said it perfectly…and it looks like he made it through waviers
Unnecessary wear on Verlander’s arm.
Atlanta already claimed Adam Brett Walker. Why not claim a LH version? Bench is currently TERRIBLE.
How does Moyà make their bench better?
Literally everyone released has someone saying “Braves should sign him.”
Or how such player is a great guy in the clubhouse.
high upside can haz prospect for him @ teh deadline!
One thing that wasn’t really mentioned was his fielding. I’ve never seen him play, but are the statistics indicative of his play? Is he a DH prospect?
Fielding statistics can be an exercise in frustration, but no team can afford to let the opposition rain extra base hits all over its outfield.
Yes, the AL has the DH. Moya isn’t David Ortiz, Victor Martinez or Kyle Schwarber. Not even close.
If another team signs him I would be very surprised.
He is a decent fielder with a strong throwing arm. He is not a DH only prospect.
If he continues his horrendous fielding, I think he is a DH only. Tigers don’t have room for a DH right now unless VMart gets injured, and not in the future either with Miggy likely becoming a DH by 2019
He is awful defensively
The Tigers are hurting for good outfielders, could they make a trade with the Yankees for either Elllsbury for Zimmerman, or Gardner for Dunning. Tigers are going for it one more time and Yanks are rebuilding and need pitching.
Dude they can have Gardner for a sixer and bag of peanuts!
Until Zimmerman shows he is healthy, no one would be interested in trading for him. He also took less money to sign with Detroit because its near his home and he has a full no-trade clause. I would love to see Gardner on the Tigers. His defense is better than what they have, and he gets on base. His contract, however, is too expensive for the Tigers.
“I hope the Marlins pick him up.” – Me, every time I see a place DFA’d/released.
“Failed to show much at all” is a bit harsh when in the next breath you say he slugged .500. He showed SOMETHING.
I was sure someone would claim him. I would think the White Sox would try to get him.
that’s what I was thinking too.
Tiger fans were hoping White Sox would claim him…..no such luck. Word gets around.