Left-hander Zach Logue has elected free agency, per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (X link). The lefty had been designated for assignment by the Braves earlier this week and seems to have passed through waivers unclaimed. Since he had been previously outrighted in his career, he had the right to elect free agency and has exercised that right.
Logue, 28, signed a minor league deal with Atlanta in the offseason. He was selected to that club’s roster in July but was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett the next day without being put into a game. He was recalled in August but again was optioned without being used at the major league level.
He has been serving in a swing role in the minors this year, logging 94 1/3 innings over 24 appearances, including 12 starts. He has a 2.58 earned run average in that time, as well as a 23.7% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate. He probably got some help from a .265 batting average on balls in play and 82% strand rate but his 3.91 FIP suggests he could post decent results even with some regression in the luck department.
The southpaw was once a notable prospect in the Blue Jays’ system, highlighted by a strong 2021 season. That year, he made 25 minor league appearances and logged 125 innings with a 3.67 ERA, 28.2% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate. That got him a spot on Toronto’s 40-man roster and then he was one of four players sent to the Athletics in the March 2022 trade that brought Matt Chapman to the Jays.
The next two years were a struggle for Logue. He posted a 6.79 ERA for the A’s in 2022 and an even-worse 8.12 ERA for their Triple-A club. He was put on waivers after that season and was claimed by the Tigers. In 2023, he had a 7.36 ERA in the majors and a 6.58 mark in Triple-A. That left him to sign a minor league deal with Atlanta but he has had better results here in 2024.
He’ll now head to the open market and assess his opportunities. Perhaps some clubs are interested by his return to form this year, though the fact that he cleared waivers means that he will be limited to minor league deals. He will be out of options next year but can theoretically still provide a club with years of cheap control since he has less than a year of service time.
Zach Logue’s 2024 numbers look solid on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper, there are some red flags. His 82% strand rate and a .265 BABIP suggest he’s gotten a bit lucky, and his 3.91 FIP hints that his 2.58 ERA might not hold up over time. Basically, he’s been good, but there’s a chance his numbers take a hit if some of that luck fades. Any team signing him will have to hope he can keep things together even if those underlying stats start to catch up with him.
Back to the Blue Jays!
Still waiting for the Luke Jackson unconditional release announcement.
It’s time to stop the bleeding
So long and thanks for all the fish. Goodbye to Jackson Stephons Jr.