A pair of players recently designated for assignment by the Cubs have gone unclaimed on waivers. The team informed reporters (including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune) that first baseman Alfonso Rivas and catcher P.J. Higgins each cleared.
Rivas had been placed on unconditional release waivers. He’s now officially a free agent. Designated for assignment on December 23 when the Cubs claimed Anthony Kay off waivers, Rivas will now head out in search of new opportunities. He spent three years with Chicago after being acquired from the A’s for Tony Kemp heading into the 2020 campaign. The left-handed hitter split the past two seasons between Chicago and Triple-A Iowa. He spent the majority of the 2021 season in Iowa, hitting .284/.405/.411 through 237 trips to the plate.
That earned the University of Arizona product an 18-game MLB look later that season. Rivas hit well in that brief audition but only managed .235/.322/.307 line with three home runs over 287 plate appearances last season. He walked at a robust 10.1% clip but didn’t hit for much power and struck out in more than 30% of his trips to the plate. Defensive Runs Saved credited Rivas with plus glovework at first base, but he doesn’t offer much defensive flexibility.
Higgins was placed on outright waivers and has initially been assigned to Iowa. It’s the second outright of his career, though, giving him the right to refuse the assignment and test minor league free agency. The Cubs haven’t announced whether he’ll do so.
A product of Old Dominion, Higgins has appeared in the majors in each of the last two seasons. He only logged brief time in 2021 before suffering an injury that required Tommy John surgery. Higgins returned to the organization last year and appeared in almost half the team’s games. He hit .229/.310/.383 in 229 trips to the plate, decent production for a catcher. The 29-year-old didn’t rate well behind the plate in the eyes of public metrics, though. Those defensive concerns squeezed him off the roster when the Cubs signed Tucker Barnhart to share time with Yan Gomes and apparently dissuaded the remainder of the league from putting in a waiver claim.
Rivas might be a good minor depth signing for the Jays. A left handed bat that can play first and outfield.
Bring him back A’s! With what we have right now at 1B along with the possibility of trading Brown, they need some depth at 1B.
Just using my eyes, I thought Rivas would eventually stick with the Cubs. I’d take a chance on him.
Given that they were able to get Hosmer at the same minimum price, not much of a chance at that point. They did Rivas a favor though by not outrighting him an letting him find another organization in plenty of time for spring training.
Dude can’t hit his way out of a paper bag or even hit close to average even as a singles hitter. Why would you want him playing 1st base where you want to get some power out of that bat? And I say all of this as someone who liked him on my team and was supportive of his being there…
I imagine people felt the same way about a 26 year old JD Martinez.
Some*
@Newman- Well yeah and JD is much more the exception than the rule. To compare some more differences between the two, JD compiled a slugging % of .542 and OPS of .931 in his 1512 PAs over an 8 yr minor league career against Rivas’ .411 slug and .802 OPS in his 1143 PAs over 4 minor league seasons. In fact, JD got MLB opportunities at ages 23, 24, and 25 and managed to hit 24 HRs in the big leagues. Beyond the extra 130 points to JD’s minor league slg%, let’s throw in the fact that JD also averaged a BA that was 40 points higher than Rivas? One of these is not like the other…
Surprised Higgins accepted the AAA assignment. Anyway another decent depth piece for this year at least. Unless he asks to be released later. Probably pushes Amaya back to AA.
@unclemike- did you read the article?
“Higgins was placed on outright waivers and has initially been assigned to Iowa. It’s the second outright of his career, though, giving him the right to refuse the assignment and test minor league free agency. The Cubs haven’t announced whether he’ll do so.”
It’s possible he can choose free agency, although I hope he doesn’t. Doesn’t hurt to have a backup who’s familiar with the team along with the 3rd string father they just brought into the organization.
I heard he accepted and Rivas asked to be released. Read it online.
Hope you are right!
msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/p-j-higgins-has-cleared-w…
It says he was assigned to Iowa which can’t happen without his consent. I guess the article is kinda vague now that I read it again. Anyway nobody else claimed him so why wouldn’t he come back? He’s as wanted here as anywhere else. Not like he would of cost somebody millions.
@Unclemike-Well he’s not great but I think we’re better off with him sticking around than going somewhere else. Perfect that we don’t need him on the 40-man, and if he is needed in this next season, he’s also gonna be expendable after he’s not needed anymore.
One thing that makes him valuable is that he already knows all the Cubs pitchers. That’s a point in his favor over Nunez.
100% agree. It’s exactly why I hoped we’d retain him in the organization.
Ms. Kimberly, are you there reading about this low-budget possibility ? …Alfonso Rivas could be a real good asset (left-hand bat and first baseman) for your team.
Calling her Ms. Kimberly is insulting and Garrett Cooper is a much better hitter. Ahead of Rivas would be signing Belt even if Belt is frequently injured.
Cooper is definitely better, but is (very) often injured. It wouldn’t be a bad platoon/insurance. Rivas can also play LF.
I’m shocked that no one would want Rivas (or even the Cubs simply as a NRI).
Rivas was only good against the us.
Rivas really wasn’t good against anybody.
He was good in AAA… Which is likely where he ends up. He’s a nice depth piece or possible platoon player.
Nah, there will be 1B and DH at bats in Iowa. Enough for both of them to coexist along with the new guy who is replacing Hicks.
The guy who might get squeezed is Castillo but he seems destined to become a coach somewhere in the organization.
I have a feeling with 36 year old Gomes and Barnhart who has had some problems staying healthy, That Iowa is going to be a revolving door for C’s , If they can keep passing these guys through waivers each time. Could get interesting. I wonder if they decide to take Higgins North as a 3B,C, 1B backup so they don’t have to. Just spitballing here. Ross likes 3 C’s and Higgins-Hosmer can play 1st until Mervis knocks Hosmer back to the curb where he belongs.
I’d bet we start the season with just Gomes and Barnhart. If and when one gets injured, the decision between Nuñez and Higgins might come down to what’s happening between 1st and 3rd base. I’m guessing Hosmer might be our only 1st basemen to start the season with Wisdom as the backup. Once Mervis is promoted though, as long as he’s hitting, I’d think Nuñez would have the advantage to get promoted for his defense if we need another catcher, but if we need positional flexibility it will be Higgins. But yeah good call on Ross liking 3 catchers. Also, you know Jed likes to start the season with the bigger bullpen, but later on that 3rd catcher will come in handy. The big thing for us is hopefully Amaya can stay healthy and develop into a backup by the end of the season. He’s not gonna hit, but his defense could be valuable. That would make one of Higgins or Nuñez expendable by August.
I’m fairly sure Higgins has not cleared waivers yet.
Sorry, but I got that wrong. He cleared waivers but doesn’t have to accept the assignment to Iowa. Hopefully they can work that out.
Aloha folks, surprised Higgins accepted the assignment to Iowa. Nice to have him as a backup again. Best of luck to Rivas. Mahalo
“Cubs release gas.”
I liked Rivas but he just wasn’t gonna cut it. It is crazy last season he hit the only home run (grand slam) when the cubs beat the Pirates 21-0 Wrigley.
I believe that grand salami was off a position player?
That I don’t remember