Elected Free Agency: Gee, Thayer, Gillaspie, Pestano
Several players with significant big league service time have elected free agency since the conclusion of the regular season. Per baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, players with more than three years of Major League service time that have been outrighted off a 40-man roster have the right to elect free agency at season’s end.
This list — not to be confused with our full list of 2015-16 free agents (which has been updated to include these names) — represents some of the players that would’ve been arbitration eligible following the season and were regular or fairly regular contributors recently but now find themselves on the open market after being outrighted…
- Dillon Gee: The right-hander opened the season in the Mets’ rotation, and the possibility of trading him loomed large in Spring Training and early in the regular season. Instead, Gee was designated for assignment after eight appearances (seven starts) and a 5.90 ERA this season. Of course, Gee’s FIP and xFIP marks were mostly in line with his career numbers, and he was plagued by factors like a .355 BABIP and a fluky 63 percent strand rate. Gee would eventually clear waivers and be outrighted, due in large part to his $5.3MM salary. His struggles continued, to some extent, in Triple-A, where he logged a 4.58 ERA in 88 1/3 innings, though that performance comes with the caveat that the Pacific Coast League is an incredibly hitter-friendly environment. Gee has less than five years of Major League service, so any team signing him this winter could control him for two seasons. He’s a nice bounceback candidate for a team in need of help at the back of its rotation.
- Dale Thayer: The elder statesman of the players listed here, the 34-year-old Thayer was designated and outrighted earlier this season when the Padres signed Bud Norris. Thayer worked to a reasonable 4.06 ERA in 37 2/3 innings this season, but his 6.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 rates were significant departures from his previous seasons, perhaps a portent for less desirable results. However, Thayer was an effective member of the San Diego ‘pen from 2012-14, notching a 3.02 ERA, 8.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 with eight saves — he briefly served as closer whilst Huston Street was injured in 2012 — across 188 innings. Thayer, too, has four-plus years of service and would be controllable for two seasons upon signing.
- Conor Gillaspie: The White Sox’ regular third baseman from 2013 through the first half of 2015, Gillaspie looked the part of at least a serviceable platoon option at the hot corner until a dismal start to the most recent season. Designated for assignment by the Sox then acquired by the Angels, Gillaspie would again be designated in Anaheim and eventually outrighted. He hit just .228/.269/.359 this season between the two clubs, but he managed a solid, if unspectacular .265/.322/.404 line from 2013-14 in Chicago. Those numbers are almost identical to his lifetime .266/.325/.410 line versus right-handed pitching, suggesting that the 28-year-old can help a big league roster in a platoon capacity. At 28 years old, he has three-plus years of service and would be controllable for three seasons.
- Vinnie Pestano: The Angels designated and outrighted the former Cleveland setup ace struggled through 11 2/3 innings in the Majors this year. Pestano, who lost his grip on regular setup work in 2014, posted a 5.40 ERA with 13 strikeouts but eight walks (two intentional) in the Majors this season. However, he was a dominant setup man in Cleveland from 2011-12 and has posted serviceable big league numbers and strong Triple-A marks since. With a lifetime 1.97 ERA, 11.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in his Triple-A career, a reasonable amount of big league success and two years of team control remaining, Pestano could be a nice buy-low candidate for teams seeking low-cost bullpen help
- Hector Noesi: Last season, Noesi stepped into the White Sox rotation and soaked up 166 innings with a 4.39 ERA. The 2015 campaign didn’t go as smoothly, however, as his 6.89 ERA in 32 2/3 innings ultimately served as reason for a DFA and an outright assignment. Noesi will turn 29 in January and has three years of team control remaining for any team that feels it can get him back to the fourth/fifth starter he looked like for much of the 2014 season.
Full lists of players that have declared free agency following a 2015 outright assignment can be seen on the transactions pages for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and International League.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/25/15
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- Shortstop Pedro Florimon cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Indianapolis, the Pirates announced today (on Twitter). Florimon was designated for assignment last week to clear room on the roster for right-hander Josh Wall (who has since been designated himself). The 28-year-old offers little at the plate but has speed and, more importantly, an excellent glove at shortstop. He’s played sparingly in the Majors since serving as the Twins’ primary shortstop in 2013.
- Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets that third baseman Conor Gillaspie cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Angels and has been outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake City. Gillaspie has spent the past three seasons as the White Sox’ primary option at the hot corner, but he struggled in 2015 and was designated for assignment by Chicago. The Halos claimed him, but he didn’t fare much better in Anaheim before being designated a second time. He’s slashed a combined .228/.269/.359 between the two clubs this season — a far cry from the .265/.322/.404 line he compiled in 2013-14.
Angels Designate Conor Gillaspie For Assignment
The Angels have designated third baseman Conor Gillaspie for assignment in order to clear space on the 40-man and 25-man roster for Kaleb Cowart, according to an announcement from team director of communications Eric Kay (on Twitter).
Acquired from the White Sox last month in exchange for cash considerations, Gillaspie appeared in 17 games for the Halos but saw his already diminished offensive production decline even further. The 27-year-old batted just .203/.250/.344 in 68 plate appearances with the Angels, who had hoped that his acquisition would lessen the blow of losing David Freese to a fractured finger.
Gillaspie was a solid bat for the White Sox from 2013-14, hitting .265/.322/.404 with 20 homers over the course of 264 games and serving largely in a platoon capacity due to his struggles versus left-handed pitching. If he lands with another club, Gillaspie will be arbitration eligible this winter and controllable through the 2018 season via that process.
The 23-year-old Cowart was the 18th pick of the 2010 draft and ranked among the game’s Top 100 prospects as recently as 2013, but his stock faded with poor production that year and again in 2014. The third baseman has restored some of the previous shine that came with his name in 2015, however, slashing .323/.395/.491 with six homers across 253 plate appearances in his first experience at the Triple-A level.
Angels Acquire Conor Gillaspie, Designate Adam Wilk
12:23pm: Los Angeles has designated pitcher Adam Wilk for assignment to clear 40-man space, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter.
The 27-year-old has made just one appearance at the big league level this year and nine in his career. He owns a 5.52 ERA over 102 2/3 Triple-A frames, with 6.4 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9.
12:04pm: The Angels announced that they’ve acquired third baseman Conor Gillaspie from the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations. Gillaspie had been designated for assignment by Chicago.
Gillaspie, 28, has struggled to a .237/.276/.364 slash line in 185 big league plate appearances this year. Mix in unfavorable defensive ratings, and he’s been worth a full win below replacement level (by measure of Fangraphs).
To be sure, the still-youthful infielder has shown more in the past. Though his defense has never drawn rave reviews, he managed a sturdy .282/.336/.416 batting line over 506 plate appearances last year. His walks are down while his strikeouts and grounder rate are up in 2015, none of which bode well, but a .275 BABIP isn’t doing him any favors either.
Regardless, the Angels won’t expect more than a fill-in performance from Gillaspie. The Halos have at least a short-term need at third base with David Freese on the disabled list due to a fractured index finger. Adding (at no real cost) an experienced player with a left-handed bat makes sense in the interim, while the club monitors Freese and continues to explore more promising players.
White Sox Designate Conor Gillaspie For Assignment
The White Sox have designated Conor Gillaspie for assignment, according to Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. The move will make room for Matt Albers, who was reinstated off the disabled list.
Gillaspie began the year as the White Sox’s starting third baseman, but rookie Tyler Saladino has since taken over at the hot corner. The 28-year-old has not been producing at the plate in 2015. So far this year, he owns a .237/.276/.364 slash line in 185 plate appearances. Last season, Gillaspie hit .282/.336/.416 in 130 games. For his career, Gillaspie owns a .258 .312 .393 slash line in parts of six MLB seasons. Although he has seen the bulk of his major league time with the White Sox, he did make varsity squad cameos with the Giants in 2008, 2011, and 2012.
As MLBTR’s DFA Tracker shows, Gillaspie is currently the only player in DFA limbo.