The Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball have signed first baseman Tyler Austin, according to multiple reports out of Japan. ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link) that Austin’s deal is a one-year contract with a club option for 2021. Austin elected to become a free agent earlier this month rather than accepting an outright assignment to the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.
Austin had a bit of top-100 prospect attention early in his minor league career when coming up through the Yankees’ farm system. Over 209 MLB games and 583 plate appearances from 2016-19, Austin displayed some solid power (33 homers, .451 slugging percentage) but not a well-rounded offensive attack overall, with just a .219 career average and .292 on-base percentage. The right-handed hitting Austin posted some severe career splits (.884 OPS against lefties, .638 OPS against righties) and 215 of his 583 PA ended in a strikeout.
After the Yankees dealt Austin to the Twins as part of a July 2018 deadline deal for Lance Lynn, he bounced from Minnesota to San Francisco to Milwaukee in 2019, with a combined .188/.296/.409 slash line over 179 PA with the three teams. He’ll now head overseas to NPB in an attempt to find more regular playing time and revive his stock. Austin is only 28, so a return to the big leagues in the relatively near future isn’t out of the question depending on how he fares in Japan.
Despite his obvious flaws, I always liked the guy.
word up, I just wish this guy could figure it out because when he’s going well he’s fun to watch
Definitely struck out too much, but Austin was a pretty clutch hitter, especially late in games.
Played against him in high school, he flat out raked, hate he couldn’t do it consistently in the MLB
Good luck, loved having him on the Giants. Wish they started him over belt.
hope he comes back stronger like thames.
Top 100 prospect when he was coming up with the Yankees. I’m willing to bet he wouldnt have if he hadn’t been in the Yankee system.
He was ranked #75 by MLB, #77 by BA before 2013. At the time, he was a 20-year old who had hit a combined .332/.405/.565 with 53 doubles, 23 homers, 116 RBI and 41 steals to boot in 157 games from Rookie ball to AA the previous two seasons. So yeah, he looked like a legit prospect, Yankee or no.
His star faded a bit after that, but even as recently as 2015-16 he hit .291/.381/.536 across 159 AA and AAA games, with comparable doubles and homers. Though the steals were gone by then, his patience had improved a bit.
He might prove to be another Roberto Petagine or Alex Cabrera. Or, better yet, he could pull an Eric Thames, prove himself overseas for a couple of years, and then return with some team willing to take a flyer on a guy who hit 30+ HR in Japan a couple of times. Not holding my breath on that one, but it has happened.
@pdxbrewcrew
“I’m willing to bet he wouldnt have if he hadn’t been in the Yankee system.”
Pffft!
You goofball has nothing to do with what farm team he is on.
Feel like in 3 or so years, he is going to make an Eric Thames-like comeback.
Unless the league is full of lefties for him to hit he’s probably still screwed.
Still wish there was a spot on the Braves for him. Love home town kids on the team.
He’s a poor on base guy and doesn’t make much contact, but when he does make contact, there’s a good chance that he goes deep.
I’ll never forget the time he and Aaron Judge hit back to back home runs in their first MLB at bats.