As part of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, MLB and the Players Association agreed to a few automatic opt-out dates for some veteran players on minor league contracts. Article XX(B) free agents — generally, players with over six years of MLB service who finished the preceding season on a big league roster — who sign minor league contracts more than ten days before Opening Day receive three uniform chances to retest free agency if they’re not promoted.
The first comes five days before the start of the season. For players who pass on that initial opt-out, they have additional windows to explore the open market on both May 1 and June 1 if they’ve yet to secure a spot on the 40-man roster. There were 31 players who initially had that option in Spring Training.
Eleven of them — Carlos Carrasco, Garrett Cooper, Chase Anderson, Tyler Duffey, Dominic Leone, Matt Barnes, Eddie Rosario, Jesse Winker, Jesse Chavez, Brad Keller and JosĂ© Ureña — are now on major league rosters. Kevin Pillar, Bryan Shaw and Joely RodrĂguez also landed MLB jobs but were subsequently designated for assignment. RodrĂguez remains in DFA limbo with the Red Sox. Shaw cleared waivers and signed a minor league deal with the Angels. Pillar elected free agency over the weekend.
Five of these players — Matt Duffy, Kolten Wong, Carl Edwards Jr., Drew Pomeranz and Curt Casali — triggered their first opt-out and have since signed new minor league contracts, either with their previous organization or a different club. They presumably secured some kind of opt-out provision in their new deals, but they no longer have an automatic May 1 out date. Five others — Elvis Andrus, Eduardo Escobar, Mike Moustakas, C.J. Cron and Jake Odorizzi — were let go and have yet to sign elsewhere.
The other seven players have the option to retest free agency tomorrow. None of the group has played well enough to likely leverage their opt-out right into an immediate MLB job, but two or three could decide to hit the market and look for a better minor league opportunity elsewhere.
Angels: OFÂ Jake Marisnick
Marisnick has spent most of his career as a glove-first outfielder off the bench. He’s a right-handed hitter with some pop against lefty pitching but subpar on-base skills. Marisnick had appeared in 46 MLB games between three teams a season ago, but he hasn’t been on the field much in 2024. He made just five appearances for the Halos’ top affiliate in Salt Lake before going on the minor league injured list on April 17.
Blue Jays: 1BÂ Joey Votto
Votto inked a minor league deal with his hometown team early in Spring Training. The former MVP indicated at the time he was prepared to open the season in Triple-A. Votto suffered an ankle injury during his first exhibition game and has spent the entire season on the minor league IL. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweeted last week that Votto was running but had yet to resume hitting live pitching. It feels safe to assume he’ll pass on this opt-out chance and continue working back to health with the Jays. Daniel Vogelbach, who is on the MLB roster as a lefty bench bat, hasn’t produced (.111/.304/.167) over his first 23 plate appearances. That could open a path for Votto to get to Rogers Centre once he’s healthy.
Cubs: OFÂ David Peralta
Peralta opened the season on the injured list with Triple-A Iowa. He was reinstated on April 10 and has appeared in 13 contests. The left-handed hitter has drawn nine walks with only seven strikeouts through his first 55 plate appearances, but he hasn’t done any kind of damage on contact. Peralta has just two extra-base hits (both doubles) and an overall .214/.364/.262 line through the season’s first month. The former Gold Glove left fielder played in 133 games for the Dodgers a year ago, hitting .259/.294/.381 over 422 plate appearances. He underwent surgery to repair a flexor tear in his throwing arm last October but has been able to play the outfield this season.
Mets: 1BÂ Jiman Choi
Choi lost a camp battle with DJ Stewart this spring. He reported to Triple-A Syracuse but hasn’t made much of an impact. The left-handed hitter is out to a .191/.333/.340 start with a near-27% strikeout rate over 60 plate appearances. The Mets probably wouldn’t add him to the MLB roster, but Choi could take the opportunity to look for another minor league deal with a team that has a clearer path to first base/DH time. Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez have those spots secured in Queens, while Stewart and Mark Vientos are above him on the depth chart as bench bats. Choi struggled with injuries in 2023 but was an above-average offensive performer with the Rays between 2019-22.
Rangers:Â Shane Greene
Greene has made three MLB appearances in each of the last two seasons. The right-hander was excellent in a limited look in Triple-A with the Cubs last year but has had a terrible start to 2024. Greene has walked 14 of the first 49 batters he’s faced for Round Rock, allowing 15 runs in eight innings. The Express placed him on the IL last week. Texas certainly can’t give him a spot in the MLB bullpen at this point. There’s a good chance Greene elects to stay in Round Rock as he tries to get healthy and find his command.
Red Sox: Michael Fulmer, Roberto Pérez
Neither Fulmer nor PĂ©rez has played this season. Fulmer will miss the entire year after undergoing elbow surgery last fall. His contract is a two-year deal; he almost certainly won’t be exercising any of his three opt-out chances.
PĂ©rez missed most of 2023 after undergoing a rotator cuff repair on his right shoulder. He played in seven games this spring but has spent the regular season on the minor league IL with an undisclosed injury. The Sox have gotten excellent play from their catching tandem of Connor Wong and Reese McGuire in the season’s first month. Perhaps PĂ©rez feels there’s a better path to playing time if he signs a minor league deal with another team, but it seems likelier he’ll stick in the organization.
Fraham_
“7 bums with opt-outs”
MetsSchmets
Joey Votto has hundreds of MLB home runs. How many do you have?
Blue Baron
No player who plays in MLB, even for a day, or gets reasonably close is a bum.
Lloyd Emerson
Mad Bum disagrees.
Blue Baron
So you say.
Cincyfan85
I’d give my left family jewel to have Votto back on the Reds.
PaulSkenesDaddie
Obviously your left family jewel has been resting comfortably in your left hand as Joey unfortunately is done..
Hotdog 2
Would you let him sleep with your significant other?
Cincyfan85
Hell to the naw.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Of course the Red sock dude is out for the year. Guess it beats a crop of chicken and beer free agent signees
solaris602
Is anyone even remotely surprised that Vogelbach has been a bust so far? Is TOR just gonna keep him until Votto is ready?
LongTimeFan1
Typical for Vogey – very slow start but his value is rather limited even when heats up. Other than good eye for BB’s and occasional pop, he provides very limited value including none defensively and on the basepaths.
JackStrawb
Vogelbach’s that rare player who fits the picture of a guy who clogs the bases should he get on.
Still, children giggle when he ‘runs.’ That’s worth something.
LongTimeFan1
Hey MLB Trade Rumors – Do your homework – JD Martinez has played a grand total of zero games at first base in the majors, and two in the minors in 2009. Please do your research before proclaiming that Martinez has first base locked up with Alonso, blocking Choi from any opportunity there. And BTW, Vientos is #1 on first base depth chart if Alonso goes on IL.
drasco036
The article didn’t say Martinez was a first baseman. It said, Choi could look for a team with a clearer path to 1st base/dh as for Alonzo and Martinez have those TWO spots locked down.
Maybe you should learn to read or at least work on your reading comprehension.
JackStrawb
@drasco36 In fact that sentence is stuporously confused, directly implying that Alonso and Martinez occupy the top slots at either position, in other words can occupy either position in case the other is hurt—which is obviously untrue if we know anything about Martinez’s history.
Backup Catcher to the Backup Catcher
The Pirates need some quick fix medicine for their woes at 1B and DH. They should trade Bednar and Bae to the Mets for Vientos. and Gilbert. Vientos slots immediately at 1B/DH and Gilbert becomes their leadoff hitter and everyday CF by the all-star break.
JMHO, but I don’t like the Mets relief corps after Edwin Diaz. Bednar becomes their 8th inning guy and Bae is a useful reserve INF/OF and pinch runner.
Win, win for both teams I believe.
Bill M
How the Mets bullpen ranks in MLB through April:
1st – 30.7 K%
1st – .183 AVG
1st – 109 Stuff+
2nd – 1.9 fWAR
2nd – 2.95 FIP
3rd – 0.57 HR/9
5th – 1.11 WHIP
6th – 2.85 ERA
Lfgm85
Meanwhile lucchesi is making mlb money in Syracuse with a sub 3 era while sterns triples down on houser.