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Royals Release Jorge Bonifacio

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Nov. 27: Bonifacio has cleared waivers and is now a free agent. Additionally, the team announced that catcher Nick Dini and right-handers Conner Greene and Arnaldo Hernandez, who were designated for assignment at the same time as Bonifacio, have cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Omaha.

Nov. 25: The Royals announced that they’ve requested unconditional release waivers on outfielder Jorge Bonifacio. He was designated for assignment last week.

Bonifacio, 26, was the team’s primary right fielder in 2017 and gave fans some cause for optimism, hitting .255/.320/.432 with 17 homers, 15 doubles and a triple in that rookie campaign. He’s since been tagged with an 80-game PED suspension, however, and has generally struggled to produce at the plate. Over his past 291 plate appearances in the Majors, Bonifacio hit .234/.317/.371.

Were he a proficient defender in the outfield, perhaps the Royals would’ve been more inclined to keep Bonifacio in the fold. However, he’s limited to the corners and has posted -6 Defensive Runs Saved and -7 Outs Above Average in his big league career to this point. He’s also out of minor league options, meaning he’d need to break camp with the team in Spring Training or else be designated for assignment then. The Royals opted not to wait to make that move, thus giving themselves more 40-man roster flexibility this winter.

If Bonifacio goes unclaimed, he’ll become a free agent in 48 hours.

Royals Designate Jorge Bonifacio, Three Others For Assignment

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The Royals announced that they’ve designated outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, catcher Nick Dini and right-handers Conner Greene and Arnaldo Hernandez for assignment in advance of tonight’s deadline to set 40-man rosters prior to December’s Rule 5 Draft. Those four roster spots will go to left-hander Foster Griffin, right-hander Carlos Hernandez, shortstop Jeison Guzman and outfielder Nick Heath, each of whom has had his contract formally selected, per the team. Kansas City’s 40-man roster is full.

Bonifacio, 26, was the team’s primary right fielder in 2017 and gave fans some cause for optimism, hitting .255/.320/.432 with 17 homers, 15 doubles and a triple in that rookie campaign. He’s since been tagged with an 80-game PED suspension, however, and has generally struggled to produce at the plate. Over his past 291 plate appearances in the Majors, Bonifacio hit .234/.317/.371. For a defensively limited corner outfielder who is out of minor league options, that lack of output was no longer sufficient enough to keep his place on the roster.

Greene, also 26, was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals late last November — nearly a year ago to the day. The once-well-regarded prospect struggled to a 5.13 ERA in 112 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, though, averaging 4.3 walks per nine innings pitched along the way. His control issues expanded beyond walks, as he plunked nine batters and threw a whopping 21 wild pitches.

Dini made his MLB debut at the age of 26 this past season but hit just .196/.270/.357 in 64 plate appearances with Kansas City. He’s a lifetime .288/.347/.437 in five minor league seasons who hit .296/.370/.565 in last year’s supercharged Triple-A environment.

Arnaldo Hernandez, 23, tossed 23 sharp innings in Double-A but was hammered for a 6.39 ERA with a dismal 65-41 K/BB ratio and 24 homers allowed in just 105 1/3 Triple-A innings.

Griffin, 24, was a first-round pick in 2014 and has gone unselected in prior Rule 5 Drafts. He didn’t post particularly appealing Triple-A numbers in ’19 (5.23 ERA, 7.6 K/9, 4.4 BB/9) but notch a 49.2 percent grounder rate. He’s also impressed in the Dominican Winter League this offseason, tossing 23 1/3 innings of 2.31 ERA ball with a hearty 31-to-6 K/BB ratio.

Hernandez, 22, posted a 3.50 ERA with a 43-to-9 K/BB ratio in 35 innings with the Royals’ Class-A affiliate. Guzman didn’t hit much in A-ball and isn’t considered among the organization’s top prospects, but the Royals are bullish enough to protect him from being selected. Heath didn’t have much power, but he’s a prototypical Royals player, as evidenced by his 60 steals between Double-A and Triple-A in 2019.

Players Added To The 40-Man Roster

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Tonight marks the deadline for players to be added to their respective organizations’ 40-man rosters. Over the nine hours, there’ll be a flurry of moves, ranging from minor trades (like the one the Indians and Rays made yesterday), waiver claims and players being designated for assignment or outrighted. Each will be made to clear room for players who need protection from this year’s Rule 5 Draft. As a reminder, players who signed at 18 years of age or younger and have five professional seasons are eligible, as are players who signed at 19 or older and have four professional seasons under their belts.

Here’s a rundown of players who’ve been added to their respective 40-man rosters (which will be updated throughout the day)…

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Quick Hits: Stottlemyre, Rockies, Wieters, Rangers, Suspensions

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Longtime Yankees right-hander and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre was “fighting for his life” earlier Saturday, but the 75-year-old is now “doing much better,” his wife, Jean, told John Harper of the New York Daily News. “We saw a big turnaround with Mel over the last 24 hours. He’s not in a life-threatening situation right now,” she continued. “It’s not the cancer. It was that he got sick from the chemo medicine. He was given anti-biotics to fight infection and he’s responded well.” Stottlemyre was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1999, which he fought off before it returned in 2011. We at MLBTR will continue to hope for the best for the five-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion.

More from around the majors:

  • It’s unknown whether the Rockies are interested in free agent catcher Matt Wieters, but Jim Bowden of ESPN (Insider required) argues that signing him could push the team into the playoffs. Meanwhile, for Wieters, taking a one-year deal with Colorado and playing half his games at hitter-friendly Coors Field would perhaps enable him to rebound offensively and score a richer contract next offseason, posits Bowden. Long a competent offensive catcher, Wieters batted just .243/.302/.409 in 464 plate appearances last season. The Rockies have far less proven catchers in Tony Wolters and Tom Murphy, though the former thrived as a pitch framer in 2016 (unlike Wieters) and the latter raked at the Triple-A level.
  • If the Rangers’ quiet approach to free agency this winter continues, it could benefit center fielder Delino DeShields, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. After an encouraging rookie year in 2015, DeShields was a colossal disappointment last season (.209/.275/.313 in 203 PAs) and spent significant time at Triple-A Round Rock as a result. While Carlos Gomez is slated to start in center field for the Rangers next year, a strong spring showing from DeShields could change that, suggests Sullivan. If DeShields reclaims center, Gomez and Nomar Mazara would occupy the corners, and Shin-Soo Choo would become the team’s full-time designated hitter. “My offseason program last year was a little different than this year. This year I’m more focused on being more explosive and getting my mobility back,” DeShields revealed.
  • The commissioner’s office announced drug-related suspensions for five minor leaguers earlier this week, according to Vince Lara-Cinisomo of Baseball America: Red Sox catcher Jake Romanski (amphetamine), Astros right-hander Brendan McCurry (methamphetamine), Indians righty Dakody Clemmer (drug of abuse), Royals righty Arnaldo Hernandez (methamphetamine) and free agent righty Mario Alcantara each received 50-game bans. Clemmer, a 19th-round selection last June, is the most recent draft pick of the group. Romanski (14th round, 2013) and McCurry (22nd round, 2014) were also major league picks. McCurry has reached the most advanced level of the quintet, as he threw 42 1/3 innings at Triple-A last season. The 24-year-old recorded a 3.83 ERA, 9.35 K/9 and 2.76 BB/9 during that stretch.
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