The Phillies announced that infielder Donovan Walton has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He had been designated for assignment a couple of days ago when fellow infielder Edmundo Sosa was reinstated from the injured list.
Walton, 31, was added to the Philly roster a few weeks ago when both Trea Turner and Alec Bohm hit the IL. He was hitting .339/.413/.424 for the IronPigs at the time. He lasted a little over two weeks on the big league roster but got into just two games. He went one for eight with a single and a sacrifice bunt in nine plate appearances.
Combined with his time as a Mariner and a Giant, he has now appeared in 72 big league games with a .172/.223/.298 slash line in 214 plate appearances. He has performed far better on the farm, with a .282/.369/.432 line and 111 wRC+ dating back to the start of 2021. He provides defensive versatility, with experience at all four infield spots and left field. But the lack of major league success and his out-of-options status make it hard for him to keep a roster spot for long.
Walton has previously been outrighted in his career. That means he has the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency. It’s possible he accepts since he would remain postseason eligible with the Phillies. Lehigh Valley’s season is done, so he wouldn’t need to actually report to that club. If a few injuries pop up for the Phillies, he could return to the big league roster. If he stays in the system and doesn’t get added back to the roster, he would be eligible for free agency at season’s end anyway.
Photo courtesy of Bill Streicher, Imagn Images
