The Diamondbacks and first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini have agreed to a minor league deal, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Frontline client will be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Mancini, 33 in March, didn’t play last year. He signed a minor league deal with the Marlins in January of 2024 but he opted out of that deal at the end of camp, presumably after being told he wouldn’t make the team. He didn’t sign anywhere else. At the start of November, it was reported that Mancini was planning to make a comeback in 2025. It seems the Snakes will give him a shot, at least by giving him some looks in spring.
It wouldn’t be the first comeback for Mancini, who famously returned to baseball after missing the 2020 season battling Stage 3 colon cancer. Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, he hit .247/.323/.412 for a 105 wRC+. Most of that came with the Orioles, though that club traded him to the Astros at the 2022 deadline, which allowed Mancini to win a World Series ring with Houston a few months later. That was a bit below his 2016 to 2019 form, when he slashed .276/.335/.485 for a 116 wRC+, but it was a strong performance and an inspiring comeback nonetheless.
He parlayed that performance into a two-year deal with the Cubs, though that deal didn’t go as hoped. Mancini put up a line of .234/.299/.336 in 263 plate appearances with Chicago and was off the roster by the start of August. He then landed a minors deal with the Reds but got released from that pact. As mentioned, a minor league deal with the Marlins last offseason didn’t get him back to the majors.
Though he missed all of last year and struggled badly in 2023, he’ll be looking to get back on track with the Diamondbacks. Mancini has played some outfield in his career but he never got great marks out there and his last significant stint on the grass was in 2019. Given that he has more experience at first base and is now pushing into his mid-30s, he’s probably more likely to wind up at first or slot in as the designated hitter.
Last year, the Diamondbacks had Christian Walker as their primary first baseman, though he hit free agency and signed with the Astros. The Snakes acquired Josh Naylor from the Guardians to take over as the regular there. Joc Pederson was the primary DH, at least against right-handed pitching. He also became a free agent and signed in the AL West, in his case with the Rangers.
As of now, Pavin Smith might project as the top option for the DH spot after a solid showing in 2024. Though he was often sent to Triple-A and back, he got into 60 big league games and slashed .270/.348/.547 for a 140 wRC+. Like Pederson, Smith is a lefty hitter who struggles against southpaws, so a platoon partner would make sense.
The Diamondbacks signed righty-swinging Randal Grichuk this week. He seems likely to serve a fourth-outfielder, short-side platoon role. The Snakes have lefties Corbin Carroll, Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas in their outfield, as well as Naylor and Smith in the first base/designated hitter mix. Perhaps Mancini can work his way into that calculus as well, depending on how he looks in spring after a year away from official action.
Man, forgot he was still playing- I am so happy for him that he is healthy and I feel bad that his career isn’t/hasn’t panned out the way we thought it would, but I hope he can bounce back and have some kind of a fulfilling career.
He’s still trying, good for him. Hopefully he ends his career on his own terms, solid baseball career though.
Yeah- it’s weird to want complete strangers to be paid millions of dollars but that’s kinda the essence of being a fan of sports and he’s a player I always liked for whatever reason, thought he could’ve been one of those mid-level players who got signed to and lived up to a deal in the 5 year/$82.5M to 6 year/$105M range or whatever..
Look- he’s made over $30M, he’s set for life in the ‘normal person’ way that one would be, so it’s not like he’ll ever have to go out and get a gas station attendant job or something else ‘just to pay the bills’. But yes, it’d be nice to see him bounce back for real, play like 135 games, bat .250 w/ 20 HR’s or something, generate 1.5 or 3 WAR and then get like 2 years/$25M and retire on his terms, on a high note.
If I thought too much about the amount of money in sports it’d probably ruin them for me. But I’m happy to cheer for a guy pursuing his passion after going through so much.
ooooh i member him!
hopefully he can close games!! that’s what the snakes need.
( sarcasm guys)
Will Druw Jones ever contribute as a major leaguer?
Drug Jones just turned 21 and had his first full season in A ball last year. He is still a high quality prospect, but he probably needs two more seasons in the minors before he’s ready for the show. A debut at age 23 would be great; 24 would be fine as well so long as he keeps improving in the minors. He needs to add about 20lbs of muscle too. 6’4”, 180 lbs is a slight build, but he has the frame to carry the excess mass without slowing him down too much. Just look at Jaren Duran as an example.
Big year for the kid. Hoping to see last year’s improvement get improved upon.
Best of luck, Trey. hope you’re the next former Oriole to man 1B for the Diamondbacks.
This is the “Oh Yeah, That Guy” portion of the off season.
“That guy”..That’s very cynical actually. I’ll probably have more to say; right after I quit laughing.
I’m shocked. This is the kind of deep dumpster dive we Pirates fans are accustomed to
Didn’t see the Snakes rummaging around
There’s a huge difference in the diamondbacks signing players like this to minor league deals and the pirates signing Tim mayza and Adam Frazier to big league deals.
The only difference will be in development
The Pirates sign these types of players and they remain end-of-career types for a dead end team. Yes, the D’Backs signed Mancini. Congrats. In recent history, the Pirates have signed similar players in Santana, Choo and Tellez. There are many others I could list. And they’ve added little to nothing to the fortunes of this pathetic franchise
This year it’s Frazier and Pham
and myriad minor league signings.
Yes. Big difference. Sheesh
Go get ’em Trey!!
This is the second article this week that Darragh has failed to mention Gueriel as part of the Dbacks OF mix. Is it an oversight? Other than Grichuk, is he only referring to LHH OFs? Seems like Gueriel’s name could have popped up in one of the articles, right?
@Angels – I noticed the same thing too. At $14M per year, you would think that Gurriel would be somewhere in the Diamondbacks starting OF lineup. Maybe Darragh thinks Gurriel will be their primary DH this season? That’s the only explanation that makes sense to me other than he forgot that Gurriel signed a 3 year extension last year.
Even then he mentioned paving smith as the likely DH in Arizona, guess they just forgot about Gurriel.
The writer also failed to mention Grichuk was just re-signed this week to be the RH DH, a position has was outstanding last season.
You let Walker walk and I can respect it, but the Santana move is was and will be questionable. Grichuck resigns and now Mancini on a minor league deal.
I like the sign here. But it’s very unnecessary.
I know he’s taken a long time to come around but my god the disrespect for pavin smith this offseason is infuriating.
I get the depth play but why not see what you’ve got extended when it’s already on your mlb roster.
It’s just a minors deal. And good for the kids on the farm to play alongside a vet. Dude prolly won’t even crack the bigs again. But if he does, bonus….
I like the signing I do it’s great depth, but it’s like the dbacks refuse to give pavin smith an extended look.
Diamondbacks making all the smart budget moves
The Great Mancini
He’s a RHB Detroit cudda looked at in ST
Was fan favorite in Bmore. Lota quality charity work for pediatric cancer. Seems like genuinely good guy. His bat got slow fast, looked overwhelmed vs good heater n has struggled since. Good luck.
Gurriel is the left fielder with likely McCarthy in center and Carroll in right.. Smith and Grichuk will likely share DH.
Mancini is depth in the minors and probably Thomas as well. Lots of depth.
I’m looking forward to the teams decision on Lawlar when he’s ready. Do they move Seanez to DH or trade him?
Is there a comp for a hitter that’s 2 and half years from being useful who bounces back at age 32? I hope he’s a feel good story, but I think this is more of a last stand. He’s much liked in Baltimore.
Despite his short stay there, he was much liked in Houston too. I hope this works out well for him.
Angels, Dorothy and Braves
Nobody forgot about Gurriel. He was just talking about the LHH in the Dback’s outfield
I thought he’d get a look in the NL West but with Colorado.
Might not be a bad idea if things don’t work out in Arizona.
Mancini, Mastrobuoni, Madrigal (3 Ms). Which one has the best post Cub career?