The Marlins have agreed to a minor league contract with free agent first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Mancini, who’s represented by Frontline, will be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee this spring.
Mancini is still technically playing under the two-year, $14MM deal he signed with the Cubs last offseason, so the Marlins will only owe Mancini the prorated league minimum for any time he spends on the active roster. Chicago released Mancini after the trade deadline. The Reds added him on a minor league deal later that month but didn’t call him to the Majors before cutting him loose themselves.
As one would expect for a player who was twice released the prior season, the 2023 campaign was not a good one for Mancini. The longtime Orioles slugger appeared in 79 games with the Cubs after signing that contract but scuffled at the plate throughout his Wrigley tenure, batting just .234/.299/.336 with four home runs and a career-worst 29.7% strikeout rate.
Mancini’s struggles date all the way back to the 2022 All-Star break, however. He was enjoying yet another productive season in Baltimore, hitting .285/.359/.429 through his first 351 trips to the plate, but Mancini scuffled following the Midsummer Classic and never rebounded following a trade to Houston, where he batted .176/.258/.364 in 51 games while receiving erratic playing time. Since that year’s All-Star break, Mancini has 499 plate appearances with only a .204/.280/.335 batting line to show for it.
Of course, at his best, Mancini rates anywhere from “clearly above average” to “bona fide heart-of-the-order presence.” His peak offensive performance came during 2019’s juiced ball season, when he hit .291/.364/.535 with a career-high 35 long balls. Even if that peak performance can be written off as anomalous in nature, Mancini entered the 2023 campaign as a lifetime .265/.330/.457 hitter who’d typically walk around 9% of the time against a strikeout rate that routinely sat between 21-23%. He’s not considered a strong defender in the outfield corners but can play a solid first base.
Beyond his on-field production over a long stint in Baltimore, Mancini became one of the easiest players to cheer on throughout all of MLB. Heading into the 2020 season, a then-28-year-old Mancini stunningly announced that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. He underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumor and then embarked on a six-week regimen of chemotherapy. Mancini eventually received a clean bill of health, returned in 2021 and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year after swatting 21 homers and 33 doubles while batting .255/.326/.436 in 147 games.
With the Marlins, Mancini will compete for a bench spot and perhaps for time at designated hitter. The Fish currently have Josh Bell at first base, with Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez likely ticketed for corner outfield work. Struggling veteran Avisail Garcia remains with the club due primarily to his contract status — two years, $29MM remaining — but Mancini could challenge him for a similar role as a righty-swinging option at DH and in the outfield corners. Garcia has batted just .215/.260/.316 since signing a four-year, $53MM contract prior to the 2022 season.
With catcher Christian Bethancourt and utilityman Vidal Brujan both out of minor league options, the Marlins effectively have two bench spots up for grabs. Mancini will compete with outfielder Peyton Burdick and infielders Xavier Edwards, Jordan Groshans and Jacob Amaya for one of those two spots. A third roster spot could conceivably open if the new-look Marlins front office opts to move on from Garcia this spring.
LambchoP
This guy’s still around? Didn’t he have some good years with the Orioles?
RunDMC
Yeah, he really was the O’s stud as they were playing for top picks, and now those top picks are giving them benefits and he’s watching from afar. I get it, but hope he turns it around.
Murphy NFLD
Yea funny how that works isnt it? It would be nice for him to get a minor league deal there, or come on as an assistant or special advisor so he can provide that vet leadership and get to come on during reaping of what you soe end of things. Im a jays fan and he had a nice 3 or so seasons there were he was MR.Oriole, would like to see him get a ring some how if Baltimore is able to put it all together in the next 2-6 years
towinagain
Padres passed on him, too?!
What a joke!
I swear every move that comes off the board the Padres get a little worse.
Team still needs a lf,cf, 1b, Dh, 4th and 5th starter, bench depth etc.
The Padres have done NOTHING to replace Soto and Grisham.
They barely have a rotation.
Mancini,Gallo,Renfroe are all guys that are within their self proclaimed budget.
Unless this team is going to shock the world and sign a Bellinger or Snell I have no idea why they are passing on minor league deals?!
What gives Padres?!
cmessick2080
It speaks volumes about the Padres being too lazy to sign anyone and just get rid of their best players.
Paleobros
Towinagain,
At least you’re committed to the bit
beyou02215
I think the Padres are going to be bad for a long time, hamstrung by multiple bad contracts. Both this offseason and last offseason have been very poor.
davemlaw
I thought he was 35-36. Then I checked his baseball ref page: he’s only 31.
Hope he’s been working out and taking care of himself. If so, he’s still got some game left.
I.M. Insane
Yes, but Trey suffered from Jonathan Schoop Disease. You experience bloating in home run totals due to the former dimensions of Camden Yards.
Roidville Slugger
Yes, he did. Nothing was better than the inside the park home run he hit on Mo Gaba Day during his last days with the O’s. It was caused by the sun shining in the RF’s eyes…perhaps assisted by Mo 😉
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Harry Mancini will make Trey face the music
vaderzim
I hope he figures something out and rebounds this year. I can see him having a late-career resurgence like Steve Pearce did.
Four4fore
As a cancer survivor I root for Mancini.
For Love of the Game
You have to wonder if cancer is responsible for the decline in his performance because he was two different players statistically pre- and post-cancer. But you have to root for a guy who went through all that. F%@& cancer!
WillieS
I’ve been battling cancer for nearly three years and absolutely yes; it affects people differently! I root for Trey to find his eye/swing like he had in Baltimore. He obviously still loves the game and that’s always helpful
Four4fore
Hang in there it can be beaten. Cancer free since 2002.
Clofreesz
I hope Trey can get a comeback season this year.
gorav114
Good luck Boom Boom, I’ll always be a fan
Big whiffa
Marlins w their late off season dumpster divin ! Gotta admit, ima fan
Ubaldo Jimenez
Calling a cancer survivor “dumpster diving” is insensitive at best, brutish and cruel at worst. Mancini is only a year removed from being a productive big leaguer.
stymeedone
Yet it only took a minor league deal. Regardless of whether he had Cancer, it puts him in the dumpster diving category. I’m sure he wouldn’t want special treatment because of his illness, especially since he is now cancer free.
Tigers3232
@Whiffa I really hope you were unaware of what this young man has been through. Just the fact that he is trying to continue you his career I’d say makes him a success. And any team taking flyer on him is making a wise choice. He has been a consumate professional throughout his career and he’s shown he is a fighter that can persevere.
Big whiffa
I’m aware and a fan. How is “dumpster diving” a slight at his character ? He’s coming off his worst season, the marlins are buying low, and like I said – ima fan of the move soz….
theathlete
When Mancini could turn on and drive the inside pitch, he was at his best. I hope he can regain his form.
Old York
Always nice when another club pays for the services of a player on your team. All the best to Mancini returning to the MLB.
acoss13
Nice guy, hopefully he does well for the Marlins. He was a bad signing by Hoyer, luckily it’s not an egregious amount of still owed to him.
Tom the ray fan
Nice buy low option, easy guy to root for as well being a cancer survivor.
ckc12537
I really hope he figures it out again. All-around good dude, thankful for that stellar play in made during the 2022 World Series. He also hit 3 homers in his first 3 AB’s with the Astros.
Best of luck to Trey.
Astros_fan_in_Aus
As an Astros fan I sincerely hope he makes a success of it. He is a very nice guy.
stretch123
He’s still relatively young. Hopefully he can rebound
Chemo850
About time this freaking team did SOMETHING. Now release Garcia already. Nobody wants to watch that dude piss away at bats for another season.
Reynaldo
He can’t do much worst than Gurriel; and not being a racist is a pretty low bar to jump over as well. Welcome aboard!
Rsox
At the prorated league minimum unless he has an absolutely abysmal spring he’ll be on the opening day roster
stymeedone
It surprises me that one bad year leads to Mancini having to take a minor league deal, but Gallo has several disturbingly poor seasons, and he gets a $5MM guarantee.
Rsox
The minor league deal is a byproduct of still being under a guaranteed deal with the Cubs
The Brokenheart Kid
That’s a solid low-risk signing.
C Yards Jeff
Three former Orioles position player vets I’ve been curious about this off season.
Florida kid Mancini to the Fish. Nice op for a comeback try Trey. Good luck.
I’m a fan of Adam Frazier and Aaron Hicks too. Can’t see either in black and orange in 24. Where will they land?
Unclemike1526
He’s a free player. The Cubs are already paying him 7 million this year for him NOT to play for them. Just the kind of player the Marlins want. Free. But sorry, He’s still bad.
C Yards Jeff
Yep, he’s tailed off for sure but to “bad” level? Hmm. Maybe. Hope not for his sake. And vets getting paid from elsewhere can be of help. My Os definitely got production from Hicks and McCann in 23.
King Floch
Good luck, Trey! We’re still rooting for ya in Baltimore!
Astros_fan_in_Aus
And in Houston.
MacGromit
Best to Boom Boom. Quality person it seems from the coverage of his relationship with Mo. Marlins need some bats and how much more value can you get than another team paying him everything by league minimum? Former All Star and HR Derby runner up.
Hope the O’s and Marlins can get together for a blockbuster Luzardo deal and fill the many holes in the left side of their infield. Ortiz/Stowers/Maverick Handley/Ramon Urias would put 3 starters on the team and a future catcher.
C Yards Jeff
Loved “… of his relationship with Mo”.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
If joe mauer could get into the Hall of Fame, then Try Mancini should be inducted as well.
Troutahni
Dumbest comment ever. Mauer is a stud.
Wagner>Cobb
Total sophistry. Mauer is a top 5/top 7 catcher of all time.
JackStrawb
“Even if that peak performance can be written off as anomalous in nature, Mancini entered the 2023 campaign as a lifetime .265/.330/.457 hitter…”
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Way to call something “anomalous” then calculate it right back into his career numbers before 2023.
Oh, MLBTR. Have you no editors?
Kruk it
Hopefully everything clicks in Miami