MLBTR Originals News & Rumors

The 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement implemented a series of uniform opt-out dates for Article XX(B) free agents who sign a minor league deal in free agency at least 10 days before the start of the regular season. That designation mostly falls on players with six-plus years of MLB service time who finished the preceding season on a major league roster or injured list. Some contracts for players coming over from a foreign professional league like Nippon Professional Baseball or the Korea Baseball Organization will also have language written into their contracts allowing them to qualify as a XX(b) free agent despite a lack of six years of service.

The three uniform opt-out dates on those contracts land five days before Opening Day, on May 1 and on June 1. With the regular season set to kick off next Wednesday, the Article XX(b) free agents who are in camp on minor league contracts will have the opportunity to opt out this weekend. (That presumably does not apply to Tommy Kahnle, who agreed to his minor league contract with the Red Sox eight days before the start of the regular season.) A player triggering one of these out clauses gives his club 48 hours to either add him to the 40-man roster or let him become a free agent.

There are other ways to secure opt-outs in contracts, of course. Many players who don’t qualify for XX(b) designation will still have opt-out opportunities negotiated into their minor league deals in free agency.

For this list, players with negotiated opt-out dates will be marked with an asterisk; all others are Article XX(b) free agents who have uniform opt-out dates on March 21, May 1 and June 1. Spring Training stats are through play on Monday, March 16.

Orlando Arcia, INF, Twins: The Twins don’t have a clear backup option for Brooks Lee at shortstop. Lee is making the move to shortstop full-time for the first time in his big league career. There are concerns both about whether he can hit well enough to handle the everyday gig and whether he can play a passable shortstop with the glove. Arcia has had a decent spring but has competition on the 40-man from slick-fielding/light-hitting utilityman Ryan Kreidler. Arcia had a nice run with the 2022-23 Braves but has hit .214/.263/.337 in 816 MLB plate appearances since.

Ryan Brasier, RHP, Rangers: Brasier’s average fastball is down more than a mile per hour this spring, per Statcast, and he’s fanned just two of his 34 opponents while yielding seven runs (six earned) in 7 1/3 frames. The 38-year-old hasn’t walked anyone yet. Brasier has missed time due to injury in each of the past two seasons, posting a combined 4.00 ERA in 54 frames between the Dodgers and Cubs. Texas had a pretty open bullpen mix earlier in the winter but has signed four free agent relievers (five, counting the since-DFA’ed Alexis Díaz) to big league deals this winter and made a Rule 5 pick. Brasier will have a hard time cracking the roster.

Walker Buehler, RHP, Padres: Buehler has had a middling spring but is one of the favorites for a spot at the back of an already thin Padres rotation that has been further whittled down by injuries and the poor performance of free agent pickup Germán Márquez. Outside of his 2024 World Series heroics, Buehler has produced below-average results since returning from his second Tommy John surgery a couple years ago. His last healthy, productive season was back in 2021. The Padres don’t have a ton of options though, so he has a good chance to crack the roster.

Andrew Chafin, LHP, Twins: Chafin is sitting in the upper 80s with his fastball this spring, but he’s held opponents to a couple runs in five innings after logging a 3.03 ERA over his past 267 1/3 MLB frames (including a 2.41 ERA in 33 2/3 innings in 2025). The Twins’ bullpen is in shambles after last July’s sell-off and an offseason neglecting the relief corps (and the roster in general). He should have a decent chance to crack the roster.

Michael Conforto, OF, Cubs: After a career-worst season at the plate with the Dodgers in 2025, Conforto took a minor league deal on a Cubs team that didn’t have a path to regular playing time. Seiya Suzuki is questionable for Opening Day after suffering a PCL sprain during the World Baseball Classic. That has cracked the door open for a depth outfielder, but the 33-year-old Conforto has logged a punchless .261/.320/.348 slash this spring. It’s a small sample of 25 plate appearances, of course, but he has competition from prospect Kevin Alcántara and fellow non-roster players Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick.

Paul DeJong, INF, Yankees: DeJong made sense as a Yankees NRI, given that shortstop Anthony Volpe will open the season on the injured list while recovering from shoulder surgery. New York needed a backup shortstop for interim starter José Caballero and didn’t have many options. They’ve since traded for Max Schuemann and given Ryan McMahon some spring shortstop reps. Manager Aaron Boone has voiced comfort with McMahon playing the position in a regular-season game if needed. DeJong could back up at multiple infield spots, but that’s also true of Amed Rosario, who’s on the 40-man roster and who hits lefties much better than DeJong. There doesn’t seem like a real chance for DeJong to make the roster, barring injuries.

Elias Díaz, C, Royals: Díaz is anywhere from third to fifth on the Royals catching depth chart. Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen will split duties to begin the season and aren’t in any danger of being displaced. Prospect Blake Mitchell and fellow veteran Jorge Alfaro were also brought to camp as non-roster invitees (though Alfaro has been playing with Colombia in the World Baseball Classic). Kansas City also signed Luke Maile (another XX(b) free agent) on a non-roster deal, but he left the club to deal with a personal issue before camp began. Bottom line: there’s a lot of competition for Díaz and no clear path to a spot.

Kyle Farmer, INF, Braves: Ha-Seong Kim was slated to play shortstop for Atlanta until he tore a tendon in his hand back in January. He’ll be back at some point — likely in May — but Kim’s injury prompted the Braves to sign Jorge Mateo to a big league deal and bring Farmer in on a non-roster deal. Utilityman Mauricio Dubón will start at short to begin the season. Mateo has the leg up on a bench spot, given that he’s on the 40-man roster, but Farmer has handily outperformed him this spring. Farmer can play all over the infield but does most of his damage against lefties. Mateo is one of the game’s fastest players and can play center field as well. Infielder/outfielder Brett Wisely, out of minor league options, is another bench candidate. He’s having a big spring as well. Farmer doesn’t have a great path to make the club.

Ty France, 1B, Padres: Back with the organization that drafted him, France is putting the ball in play and piling up singles in Padres camp. That’s what he’s done for the past three years, more or less. France had an under-the-radar run as a much stronger, middle-of-the-order bat from 2020-22 (.285/.355/.443), but he’s a righty-swinging platoon first baseman who lacks pop. That might still land him a bench job to platoon with Gavin Sheets early in the year, but he’ll need to fend off fellow non-roster righty first baseman Jose Miranda, who’s younger and having a better showing.

Adam Frazier, INF/OF, Angels: After Christian Moore was optioned to Triple-A, Frazier seems like the favorite to open the season as the Angels’ second baseman. He’s having a nice spring but hasn’t had an above-average season at the plate since 2021. From 2022-25, Frazier slashed .241/.302/.343. Former Yankees prospect Oswald Peraza is having a big spring and could push Frazier for second base reps, but the Angels have a thin enough roster that it’d be pretty easy to accommodate both.

Mitch Garver, C/DH, Mariners: It’s been a rough spring for Garver, who was always a long shot to break the roster with Cal Raleigh aboard and journeyman Andrew Knizner signing on a one-year, major league contract. Garver was a potent offensive force from 2018-23 between the Twins and Rangers (.254/.343/.488), but he had consecutive poor seasons with the Mariners in 2024-25 and is just 2-for-16 with nine strikeouts in 20 plate appearances this spring.

Randal Grichuk, OF, Yankees: The previously mentioned McMahon shortstop experiment could very well pave the way for Grichuk to make the roster. The Yankees’ bench will include catcher J.C. Escarra, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and aforementioned infielder Amed Rosario. There’s one spot up for grabs, and Grichuk’s track record as righty swinging outfielder who can handle all three spots and pummel left-handed pitching makes him a nice fit for a Yankees club needing a platoon partner for Trent Grisham.

Liam Hendriks, RHP, Twins: One of the best relievers in the game from 2019-22, the Aussie-born Hendriks has barely pitched in the three seasons since. That’s due both to Tommy John surgery and a frightening brush with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which he thankfully beat. Hendriks announced that he was cancer-free in Aug. 2023. He’s back with his original organization and trying to win a spot in a bullpen the Twins gutted at last year’s deadline when they traded five relievers. Hendriks struggled in Boston last year and has three walks (plus a hit batter) this spring against just two strikeouts. He’s 37, so he may not have much left in the tank, but the Twins have arguably the worst projected bullpen in the American League, so he could still have a chance.

Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Guardians: Hoskins has popped a couple spring homers with the Guards while punching out at a sky-high rate. The 33-year-old (as of today — happy birthday, Rhys!) was Cleveland’s only offensive addition of any real note this winter. He’s coming off a pair of disappointing seasons in Milwaukee after losing the 2023 campaign to a spring ACL tear. It’s not clear Hoskins can return to his previous heights as a 30-homer threat, but the Guardians’ anemic offense can certainly afford to find out.

Craig Kimbrel, RHP, Mets: Like Hendriks, Kimbrel is 37 years old and had a run as one of the sport’s top bullpen arms. The likely Hall of Famer was released by the Orioles in 2024 and only pitched a dozen MLB frames last year. He’s only allowed one run in four spring innings but has four walks and a pair of plunked hitters versus just two strikeouts. The Mets’ pitching staff already looks full. They have six starting pitchers, five relievers who can’t be optioned and two more with options but who’ve already been more or less declared to have made the team (Huascar Brazobán, Tobias Myers). It’s tough to see Kimbrel winning a spot, particularly when his fastball is sitting 92.6 mph, which would be a career-low by a wide margin.

Peter Lambert, RHP, Astros*: Lambert isn’t an XX(b) free agent, but Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported recently that his contract contains an opt-out clause. He’s allowed only one run in nine spring innings and has reportedly caught the eye of Houston brass with his performance and the quality of his stuff thus far. Houston’s roster is similar to that of the Mets: six starters and four set relievers who can’t be optioned (five once Josh Hader returns). Hader’s season-opening IL placement could create some room in the short-term, however.

Derek Law, RHP, Diamondbacks: Law had season-ending flexor surgery last July and is expected to be sidelined into April or May. He’s not going to take this opt-out and will spend the early portion of the season rehabbing with the D-backs, who signed him in free agency just six weeks ago.

Jonathan Loaísiga, RHP, Diamondbacks: The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro recently wrote that Loaísiga has the inside track for one of Arizona’s bullpen vacancies, and it’s easy to see why. From 2019-23, he posted a 3.30 ERA with an average strikeout rate, good command and a plus ground-ball rate. Injuries wiped out most of his 2024-25 campaigns, but he’s in camp with the Snakes this year and has held opponents to two runs in six innings with rate stats that look similar to his pre-injury levels. There’s a very good chance he makes the club.

Tim Mayza, LHP, Phillies: Mayza has generally been effective when healthy, but injuries limited him to 16 2/3 innings last year. He’s allowed five earned runs in 6 1/3 spring frames, albeit with a 6-to-1 K/BB ratio and a quality ground-ball rate. The Phillies have José Alvarado, Tanner Banks and trade pickup Kyle Backhus (five shutout innings, three hits, 6-to-1 K/BB this spring) penciled into the ‘pen. Mayza has a tough road barring a late injury.

Andrew McCutchen, OF/DH, Rangers: After a three-year run back where it all started in Pittsburgh, McCutchen voiced some frustration with the Pirates’ lack of communication before they ultimately signed Marcell Ozuna. Cutch signed a minor league deal with Texas and has hit the ground running (7-for-12, three doubles, five walks, three strikeouts). He’d make a right-handed complement for DH Joc Pederson and could see some time in the outfield, too. It’s likelier than not that he’ll make the team.

John Means, LHP, Royals: Means is still recovering from an Achilles rupture he suffered during his offseason workouts. He signed a two-year minor league deal with Kansas City. He’s not taking this opt-out. He’ll spend the year rehabbing with the Royals and try to win a spot on the 2027 staff.

Rafael Montero, RHP, Yankees: Montero’s arrival in Yankees camp has been slowed by visa issues. He’s not going to make the Opening Day roster at this point, but he could head to Triple-A once he sorts through the visa troubles.

Dylan Moore, INF/OF, Phillies: The versatile Moore has followed up a poor 2025 season (.201/.267/.374) with a rough showing in Phillies camp (.185/.281/.222 in 32 plate appearances). The suspension for outfielder Johan Rojas may still have opened a door for Moore to make the club as a right-handed bench bat.

Martín Pérez, LHP, Braves: Injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz have clearly opened the door for Pérez to potentially win the fifth starter’s spot in Atlanta. He’s had a nice spring, allowing four runs in nine innings with a 9-to-2 K/BB ratio and huge 58% grounder rate. Pérez was having a nice year with the White Sox in 2025 before a forearm strain wiped out most of his season. He has a 4.01 ERA over his past 705 MLB frames, dating back to 2020. Pérez, 35 in April, is a fourth/fifth starter but has a decent track record. The main thing working against him is that his primary rotation competitor, Bryce Elder, is out of minor league options. Atlanta could keep Elder in a swingman role, but doing so would mean jettisoning lefty José Suárez, who’s also out of minor league options. That seems like a plausible route, and Pérez should have a decent chance to make the club.

Brendan Rodgers, INF, Red Sox: Rodgers was competing for an infield job with the Red Sox but suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Austin Slater, OF, Tigers: Slater and journeyman Jahmai Jones are effectively competing for the same role: righty-swinging backup outfielder who can platoon with Kerry Carpenter and/or Parker Meadows. Slater has a long track record of solid offense versus lefties (.267/.357/.430) and is having a far better spring than Jones (.250/.382/.464 to Jones’ .143/.294/.214). Jones is younger and already on the 40-man roster, however, and he also mashed at a .287/.387/.550 clip with seven homers in 150 plate appearances in this role for Detroit last year.

Dominic Smith, 1B, Braves: Jurickson Profar‘s 162-game PED ban has opened the door for Smith to potentially make the roster as the team’s top DH option against right-handed pitching. He gave the Giants 225 plate appearances of above-average offense last summer (.284/.333/.417) and has had a solid showing this spring.

Drew Smith, RHP, Nationals: The Nats have one of the worst on-paper bullpens in baseball, if not the worst. Smith has been sharp in a small sample of 3 1/3 innings this spring after missing the 2025 campaign due to UCL surgery. The former Mets setup man logged a 3.35 ERA, 26.2 K% and 10.2 BB% in 161 1/3 innings from 2021-24. His 93.2 mph average heater is way down from the 95.2 mph he averaged in 2021-24, but Washington’s bullpen is so bleak that Smith’s track record alone should earn him a spot as long as he’s healthy.

Hunter Strickland, RHP, Angels: Back with the Halos on a minor league deal, this would be Strickland’s third straight season as an Angel if he makes the club. He’s pitched to a 3.30 ERA in 95 1/3 frames in Anaheim since 2024 and has fired four shutout frames in camp. The Angels’ bullpen is rife with uncertainty, and the organization knows Strickland well (although he’d be working with a revamped coaching staff in 2026).

Mike Tauchman, OF, Mets*: Tauchman isn’t an XX(b) free agent but has a March 25 opt-out opportunity negotiated into his deal. The 35-year-old left-handed hitter is coming off a three-year run in which he’s slashed .255/.359/.381 with a huge 13% walk rate. Tauchman is competing with top prospect Carson Benge for a roster spot. The Mets have minimal bench flexibility (Luis Torrens, Mark Vientos and Tyrone Taylor can’t be optioned), so for Tauchman to make the club he’ll probably need to beat Benge for the right field job. Failing that, he should draw interest from clubs seeking outfield help. The Astros, in particular, are looking for a left-handed hitter on the grass.

Chris Taylor, INF/OF, Angels: Taylor has had a nice spring (.235/.395/.441, nine walks, seven strikeouts in 43 plate appearances) and can play all over the diamond. Is that enough to outweigh the grisly .196/.284/.301 slash he’s posted in his past 371 major league plate appearances? It seems somewhat doubtful.

Lou Trivino, RHP, Phillies: Trivino returned from a two-year injury layoff to pitch 47 2/3 MLB frames with a 3.97 ERA last season. His strikeout and walk rates weren’t close to peak levels, however, and his velocity was down more than a mile per hour. It’s more of the same this spring. Trivino has given up six runs, walked five batters and tossed two wild pitches in seven innings. The Phillies only have two bullpen spots up for grabs (assuming Rule 5 pick Zach McCambley is returned to Miami). Trivino would fill one of those two with a veteran reliever who can’t be optioned. It seems rather unlikely.

Christian Vázquez, C, Astros: Houston GM Dana Brown has said at multiple points in camp that he hopes to add another backup catcher option. César Salazar is the only catcher on the 40-man roster other than starter Yainer Diaz. Vázquez and the ‘Stros reunited on a minor league deal earlier this month. He’s been playing for his native Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic but will get a chance to win the job now that he’s back with his former teammates, with whom he won a 2022 World Series. Vázquez hasn’t hit at all over the past four seasons but remains a plus defender.