Athletics Select Kade Morris
June 2nd: The A’s made it official today, announced they have selected Morris. They also recalled Barnett. In corresponding moves, they optioned Lopez and right-hander Michael Kelly. To open a 40-man spot for Morris, righty Brooks Kriske has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. Kriske hit the 15-day IL on May 13th with a right shoulder impingement. His 60-day count is retroactive to that date, meaning he won’t be eligible for reinstatement until July 12th. His current status is unclear but Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported shortly after his IL placement that Kriske wouldn’t throw for three weeks.
June 1st: The Athletics are calling up pitching prospect Kade Morris, reports Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. The club will need to open active and 40-man roster spots for the right-hander, who will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.
Morris, 24 this month, was a third-round pick of the Mets in 2023. He was flipped to the A’s at the 2024 trade deadline in the deal which sent Paul Blackburn to Queens. At the time of the deal, Morris was still at the High-A level but he has since bumped up to the upper tiers of the minor leagues. He got a very brief look at Triple-A at the end of that 2024 season but started 2025 at Double-A. He got promoted to Triple-A more permanently a year ago, making his first 2025 Triple-A start on June 1st.
In that past year, he has made 30 starts for Triple-A Las Vegas. He has logged 159 innings, allowing 4.92 earned runs per nine in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His 18.5% strikeout rate is a few ticks below major league average but his 9% walk rate is around par while he has induced grounders on about half the balls in play he has allowed. His four-seamer and sinker both average around 94 miles per hour. His slider is his most-used secondary pitch.
Most prospect evaluators put Morris just outside the top ten prospects in the club’s system. That includes Baseball America, who had Morris at #13 coming into the season but now list him at #11. The BA report notes that he has good control of his arsenal but his main vulnerability is not having a good weapon for lefties since his changeup isn’t strong. Lefties have a .277/.409/.511 line against him this year and the line was .332/.395/.533 last year.
FanGraphs is a bit more bullish. In April, they gave Morris the #3 spot in the system, behind only Leo De Vries and Gage Jump. The report notes that a slight improvement to his changeup would make him a playoff-caliber starter, though he’s currently more of a back-end guy.
The A’s have taken a few rotation hits lately. Shoulder tendonitis sent Aaron Civale to the injured list a week ago. A shoulder strain put Luis Severino on the IL over the weekend. Those two injuries have led to the A’s reaching into their depth, with Gunnar Hoglund not an option since he required season-ending hip surgery. Jump got the call last week to replace Civale, joining the rotation alongside Jeffrey Springs, J.T. Ginn and Jacob Lopez.
Perhaps Morris is getting the call to take Severino’s rotation spot, or maybe to serve as a long reliever. The A’s also have Mason Barnett, Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, Luis Morales and Joey Estes on the 40-man roster, so they have some other options who could be mixed in while Civale and Severino are on the shelf. Since this is the first time Morris has been given a roster spot, he has a full slate of options and could be easily sent back to Vegas if he’s not sticking around for an extended audition.
Photo courtesy of Matt Kartozian, Imagn Images
Athletics Select Brooks Kriske
The Athletics announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Brooks Kriske. Fellow righty Tyler Ferguson was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding active roster move. A 40-man move will be necessary to open a spot for Kriske. Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported earlier that Kriske would be called up.
Kriske, 32, signed a minor league deal with the A’s in the offseason. He has been with Triple-A Las Vegas so far this year. He has faced 67 batters and struck out 25 of them, a huge 37.3% rate. He has also given out 11 walks, a 16.4% pace, and thrown two wild pitches. He has a 2.25 earned run average in 16 innings.
The lack of command has been a consistent feature in his career. He has 39 2/3 major league innings under his belt with a 9.53 ERA, with a 16.8% walk rate playing a role in that. In 167 2/3 Triple-A innings, he has a huge 36% strikeout rate and a nice 3.70 ERA but a 12.4% walk rate. He spent 2022 and 2023 in Japan, where he had a 2.31 ERA and 26.9% strikeout rate but also walked 15.1% of batters faced.
The A’s will be latest club to try to take a chance on the stuff. His four-seamer averages about 93 miles per hour but isn’t his primary pitch. He throws his splitter about half the time, with the four-seamer and the cutter roughly splitting the remaining half. The combo clearly allows Kriske to miss bats but also the zone. If it doesn’t work out for the A’s and they want to bump him off the roster later, Kriske is out of options.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images
A’s, Nick Hernandez Agree To Minor League Deal
The A’s are in agreement with reliever Nick Hernandez on a minor league contract, reports Ari Alexander of Boston 7 News. The righty celebrates his 31st birthday with a new landing spot after electing free agency at the beginning of the offseason. The A’s also added Brooks Kriske on a minor league deal earlier this month, according to the MLB.com transaction log.
Hernandez is a Houston-area native who played his college ball with the Cougars. He was drafted by his hometown club in the eighth round in 2016 and pitched parts of seven seasons with the organization. He topped out at Triple-A and qualified for minor league free agency over the 2022-23 offseason. Hernandez signed a minor league deal with the Padres and cracked the majors at the end of the ’23 campaign. San Diego traded him back to the Astros the following year.
Over the past two seasons, Hernandez got into 15 MLB games. He was tagged for 13 runs across 18 2/3 innings. He posted consecutive sub-3.00 ERA showings in Triple-A. That included a 2.12 mark behind an excellent 33.7% strikeout rate over 46 2/3 minor league innings this year. The Astros never gave him much of a look at the big league level, though, largely because of his middling velocity.
Hernandez averages around 91 MPH on his fastball. He also features a low-80s slider and splitter. Hernandez has missed a lot of bats in the minors but doesn’t have the pinpoint control generally needed to succeed with below-average velocity. He walked nearly 12% of Triple-A opponents for the second straight year. Hernandez has given up eight home runs in 21 2/3 career MLB innings, magnifying the damage of giving away too many free passes. Houston designated him for assignment in the final weekend of the season and cut him loose after he went unclaimed on waivers.
Kriske, 32 in February, divided the 2025 season between the Cubs and Twins. He combined for 18 innings of 7.50 ERA ball. Kriske walked 15 of the 88 hitters he faced and has issued free passes at a near-17% clip over 39 2/3 career innings. Like Hernandez, he missed bats at a huge rate in Triple-A. Kriske fanned more than 34% of opponents while leaning mostly on a 93-94 MPH fastball and a low-80s splitter. He was around the strike zone in Triple-A this year but has had well below-average command throughout his career, as issue that again cropped up in his MLB work. He was outrighted by Minnesota in September and qualified for minor league free agency at year’s end.
The A’s entered the offseason with almost no experienced arms in their bullpen. They’ve added Mark Leiter Jr. on a cheap big league contract while stockpiling non-roster depth with minor league deals for Joel Kuhnel, Nick Anderson, Wander Suero, Matt Krook, Geoff Hartlieb and Ben Bowden. Kriske and Hernandez join the mix and figure to get invitations to big league camp. Sutter Health Park is a difficult venue in which to pitch but the lack of established relievers on the roster makes the A’s a solid landing spot for depth arms trying to impress in Spring Training.
22 Players Elect Free Agency
Now that the season is over, we’ll start seeing several players choose to become minor league free agents. Major League free agents (i.e. players with six-plus years of big league service time) will hit the open market five days after the end of the World Series, but eligible minor leaguers can already start electing free agency.
To qualify, these players must have been all outrighted off their team’s 40-man rosters during the 2025 season without being added back. These players also must have multiple career outrights on their resume, and/or at least three years of Major League service time.
We’ll offer periodic updates over the coming weeks about many other players hitting the market in this fashion. These free agent decisions are all listed on the official MLB.com or MILB.com transactions pages, for further reference.
Catchers
- Matt Thaiss (Rays)
Infielders
- Sergio Alcantara (Diamondbacks)
- Keston Hiura (Rockies)
- Vimael Machin (Orioles)
Outfielders
- Jordyn Adams (Orioles)
- Connor Joe (Reds)
- Jose Siri (Mets)
Utility Players
- Scott Kingery (Angels)
- Terrin Vavra (Orioles)
Pitchers
- Scott Blewett (Orioles)
- Noah Davis (Twins)
- Kevin Herget (Mets)
- Nick Hernandez (Astros)
- Brooks Kriske (Twins)
- Richard Lovelady (Mets)
- Corbin Martin (Orioles)
- Darren McCaughan (Twins)
- Triston McKenzie (Guardians)
- Cionel Perez (Orioles)
- Jose Ruiz (Rangers)
- Jordan Weems (Astros)
- Bryse Wilson (White Sox)
Twins Outright Brooks Kriske
Right-hander Brooks Kriske has been sent outright to Triple-A St. Paul, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier this week. Since he has a previous career outright, he has the right to elect free agency, though the log doesn’t indicate he will exercise that right.
Kriske, 31, was claimed off waivers from the Cubs in early August. The Twins had just traded away Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart and Danny Coulombe at the deadline and needed some extra arms.
Between that claim and being designated for assignment, Kriske threw 12 innings for the Twins, allowing 15 earned runs. He has a 7.50 earned run average on the year, between his time with the Cubs and Twins. That makes it fairly unsurprising that no one claimed him this time.
Though he made his major league debut back in 2020, his big league track record is still fairly small, with a 9.53 ERA in 39 2/3 innings. He had some decent results in Japan in 2022 and 2023, tossing 35 innings with a 2.31 ERA. He has also generally had decent results in Triple-A, with a 3.81 ERA, 36.3% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate in 148 2/3 innings dating back to 2021.
If he accepts the assignment, he can make a few more Triple-A appearances before the winter and then could elect free agency at season’s end. Though he could also exercise his right to elect free agency now and start the offseason early if he so chooses.
Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images
Twins Place Ryan Jeffers On 7-Day IL, Designate Brooks Kriske
The Twins announced that catcher Ryan Jeffers has been placed (retroactive to September 5) on the seven-day injured list for concussion-related injuries. Right-hander Brooks Kriske was designated for assignment in another move, and the two open roster spots will be filled by Triple-A call-ups Pierson Ohl and Carson McCusker.
Jeffers hasn’t played since he left Thursday’s game after taking a foul ball off his mask. The move to the seven-day IL will allow him at least a full week to recover from any lingering symptoms, and gives the Twins a bit of roster flexibility so they aren’t short-handed behind the plate. Jhonny Pereda was already called up from Triple-A on Friday, and Pereda and Mickey Gasper will assume catching duties while Jeffers is sidelined.
One of the few experienced Twins players that wasn’t dealt at the trade deadline, Jeffers has hit .262/.353/.394 with nine home runs over 442 plate appearances this season. This translates to a 111 wRC+, which ranks Jeffers sixth of the 10 catchers who have played enough in 2025 to count as qualified hitters. Jeffers’ power has dropped rather sharply over the last two seasons, yet the 2025 campaign has seen the backstop post career bests in both strikeout and walk rates.
It was just over a month ago that Kriske was claimed off the Cubs’ waiver wire, as Minnesota was looking to add some arms to a bullpen depleted by the team’s many deadline moves. Unfortunately, Kriske’s brief time in the Twin Cities didn’t yield many positive results, as he was pounded to the tune of an 11.25 ERA over 12 innings, with almost as many walks (14) as strikeouts (15). The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman notes that Kriske posted the second-highest ERA of any Twins pitcher in franchise history with at least 10 innings pitched.
Kriske probably won’t get a chance to improve on his standing, if he is released after clearing waivers. Because teams are always in need of pitching depth, there’s a chance he could be claimed off waivers again, though Kriske’s recent results may not drum up much interest. He also has a 9.56 ERA over 37 2/3 career innings in the majors, but the right-hander posted far better numbers during his minor league career and during a two-season stint in Japan in 2022-23. Since Kriske has been outrighted before, he has the right to reject another outright assignment if he clears waivers, and instead opt for free agency.
Twins Claim Brooks Kriske, Designate Darren McCaughan For Assignment
The Twins announced that they have claimed right-hander Brooks Kriske off waivers from the Cubs. They also announced their claim of Thomas Hatch from the Royals and their reinstatement of Luke Keaschall from the 60-day injured list, moves which were previously reported. To open spots for those three, they optioned outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and righty Noah Davis to Triple-A St. Paul while righty Darren McCaughan has been designated for assignment.
Kriske, 31, has 27 2/3 innings of major league experience with an 8.78 earned run average. That ERA was even higher not too long ago, as Kriske has lowered it by throwing six scoreless innings for the Cubs this year. While putting up zeroes is nice, he worked around five walks while striking out four in that time.
It’s a small sample of work but Kriske has been really good in Triple-A this year. In 31 2/3 innings for Iowa, he has a 3.13 ERA, 39.4% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate. Those strikeouts aren’t really new for him but he’s usually paired them with more walks. From 2021 to 2024, he struck out 35.5% of minor league opponents but also gave out free passes at a 13.3% clip. He also spent some time pitching in Japan with a 26.9% strikeout rate and 15.2% walk rate.
The Twins are looking for warm bodies for their bullpen. Ahead of the deadline, they traded Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart and Danny Coulombe. They have since called up various minor leaguers to fill the void and have also now grabbed Kriske and Hatch. They are both out of options, which led to them ending up on waivers, so the Twins may bump them back off the roster later in the year. But for now, they provide the club with some fresh arms and add some extra depth.
McCaughan, 29, was also one of those fresh arms. The Twins selected him to the big league roster just yesterday. He didn’t pitch in yesterday’s game but the club apparently liked Kriske and/or Hatch better. Since McCaughan is also out of options, he has been bumped off the 40-man spot that he just got a bit more than 24 hours ago.
He now heads into DFA limbo. Since the trade deadline has passed, the Twins will have to put him on waivers. He has 61 1/3 major league innings on his track record with a 6.02 ERA, 16.2% strikeout rate, 8.1% walk rate and 37.7% ground ball rate. He has thrown 72 1/3 Triple-A innings this year with a 5.35 ERA, 20.1% strikeout rate, 7.6% walk rate and 34.1% ground ball rate.
Photo courtesy of Lily Smith, Imagn Images
Cubs Designate Brooks Kriske For Assignment
The Cubs have designated right-hander Brooks Kriske for assignment to make room for recent trade acquisition Michael Soroka on the roster. This marks the second time the Cubs have DFA’d Kriske this year. The righty signed a minor league deal with Chicago over the offseason and was first selected onto the roster in May. He was DFA’d and outrighted back to Triple-A Iowa shortly thereafter, but earned another selection and promotion the weekend before the All-Star break. All in all, he has thrown six scoreless innings for the Cubs this year across four appearances, with four strikeouts and five walks.
Kriske, now 31, began his professional career in the Yankees organization and made his MLB debut for the club in 2020. In parts of two seasons with the Yankees and Orioles from 2020-21, he pitched 15 big league innings over 16 games, giving up 19 runs (18 runs) and seven long balls. Following the 2021 campaign, the Orioles granted him his release, and he inked a deal with NPB’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars not long after.
Kriske briefly returned to affiliated ball in 2023, signing a minor league contract with the Royals in the offseason and eventually appearing in four games with Kansas City before he was optioned and later released to return to Japan. This time, he joined the Seibu Lions, with whom he finished out the 2023 campaign. He then returned stateside in 2024, although he failed to pitch in the majors, spending the year with the Reds’ and Orioles’ Triple-A affiliates.
Thus, Kriske’s 2025 season has been a success story, despite his limited big league playing time and multiple DFAs. He made it back to an MLB mound for the first time since 2023, and dating back to that last appearance for the Royals in June 2023, he has now made five consecutive scoreless appearances at the big league level. Never before had he made more than two. Kriske also pitched to a 3.13 ERA and 2.98 FIP in 31 2/3 innings for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, striking out an incredible 39.4% of hitters. Even more impressive is his 7.6% walk rate, considering his career-long struggles with control. Perhaps that will convince a team to claim him off waivers. If not, he will have the right to reject an outright assignment and return to free agency.
Cubs Select Brooks Kriske
The Cubs announced that right-hander Brooks Kriske‘s contract has been selected from Triple-A Iowa. Left-hander Jordan Wicks was optioned to Triple-A to create 26-man roster space, and that was the only corresponding move necessary since Chicago already had an open spot on its 40-man roster.
Kriske was signed to a minor league deal during the offseason, and this marks his second stint on the Cubs’ MLB roster this season. The righty ended up appearing in one game when his contract was previously selected back in May, and the Cubs designated him for assignment a few days later, and then outrighted Kriske off the 40-man roster once he cleared waivers.
That two-inning outing on May 24 marked Kriske’s first big league game since he appeared in four games for the 2023 Royals. Kriske’s Major League resume consists of 21 games and 23 2/3 innings over parts of four seasons with the Yankees, Orioles, Royals, and Cubs, and he has been hit hard for a 10.27 ERA during his brief time in the Show.
This could very well end up being another cup of coffee in the majors for Kriske, as the Cubs might just need a fresh arm for the weekend in the wake of yesterday’s 11-0 loss to the Yankees. Wicks allowed six runs over three innings of work in a relief outing and surely wouldn’t have been available for either of the two games remaining before the All-Star break.
The situation lines Kriske up for a possible appearance against his former team, and the club that initially selected him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. After spending parts of his first five pro seasons with the Yankees, Kriske has bounced around to a few other teams and also spent parts of the 2022-23 seasons pitching in Japan.
Cubs Designate Brooks Kriske For Assignment
The Cubs announced that they have signed left-hander Génesis Cabrera, a move that had been previously reported. In a corresponding move, right-hander Brooks Kriske has been designated for assignment.
Kriske, 31, was only just added to the roster less than a week ago. He made one appearance, tossing two scoreless innings against the Reds on Saturday. Unfortunately, the club decided to take a chance on Cabrera, which got Kriske bumped off the roster. He’ll head into DFA limbo for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Cubs could potentially take five days to gauge trade interest.
The righty signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in the offseason. Before getting called up, he tossed 18 2/3 innings over 13 Triple-A appearances, allowing 3.38 earned runs per nine. His 10.3% walk rate was a bit high but he had a huge strikeout rate of 35.9%.
That’s generally been his style in the minors. Dating back to the start of 2021, he has thrown 135 2/3 Triple-A innings with a 3.91 ERA, 35.6% strikeout rate and 12.9% walk rate. Despite those big strikeout numbers on the farm, he hasn’t been given a lot of major league opportunities. Adding in this year’s appearance, he now has 23 2/3 major league innings under his belt with a 10.27 ERA. That’s a small sample size and most of the earned runs were allowed back in 2020 and 2021. He spent 2022 and part of 2023 in Japan, where he had a 2.31 ERA in 35 innings.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images