The Blue Jays announced that righty David Paulino has cleared release waivers, making him a free agent. He had been designated for assignment recently.
Once a major prospect, the 25-year-old hurler has not developed as hoped. There have been quite a few hiccups along the way, most notably arm injuries and a PED suspension.
Paulino now seems likelier to end up in a big-league relief unit, but he had been functioning as a starter this year at Triple-A. In seven outings this season, he worked to a 3.45 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 over 28 2/3 innings.
Unfortunately, Paulino has missed the bulk of the campaign with an as-yet-unreported health issue. While no organization was willing to utilize a 40-man spot to add him — notably, he won’t be optionable in 2020 — it stands to reason that one will be glad to take a chance on a minors deal.