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14 Players Elect Free Agency

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As the offseason nears, a number of players elect minor league free agency each week. These players are separate from six-year MLB free agents, who’ll reach the open market five days after the conclusion of the World Series. Eligible minor leaguers can begin electing free agency as soon as the regular season wraps up. These players were all outrighted off a team’s 40-man roster during the year and have the requisite service time and/or multiple career outrights necessary to reach free agency since they weren’t added back to teams’ rosters.

Electing free agency is the anticipated outcome for these players. There’ll surely be more to test the market in the coming weeks. We’ll offer periodic updates at MLBTR, including a list of 29 players last week. The next group, courtesy of the transaction tracker at MiLB.com:

Catchers

Outfielders

Pitchers

Dodgers Outright Jake Reed

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Relief pitcher Jake Reed has gone unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment by the Dodgers over the weekend, according to the transactions log at MLB.com. He’s been assigned outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, though he’d have the ability to elect free agency.

Reed made just one MLB outing with L.A. after being selected onto the 40-man roster last Friday. He was tagged for six runs while recording only two outs at the hands of the Cubs. The Dodgers DFA him the next day and quickly passed him through waivers.

While it surely wasn’t the kind of outing Reed had envisioned, it did mark a third consecutive year in which he made it to the majors. The Oregon product has had multiple stints with the Dodgers between time as a Met and Oriole. All told, he’s thrown 27 1/3 innings over 29 big league outings. Reed owns a 7.57 ERA with middling peripherals at the highest level.

The former fifth round draftee has been more effective in the upper minors. Reed has allowed exactly four earned runs per nine through 218 career Triple-A frames across seven seasons. He’s punched out more than a quarter of opposing hitters against a 9.6% walk percentage at the top minor league level.

L.A. previously sent Reed through outright waivers last offseason. Players with multiple career outrights have the ability to decline a minor league assignment in order to return to the open market. It isn’t clear whether Reed plans to test free agency or accept an assignment back to OKC.

Dodgers DFA Jake Reed, Recall Victor Gonzalez

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The Dodgers announced they’ve designated right-hander Jake Reed for assignment, and called up left-hander Victor Gonzalez.

Reed made just one ugly outing for the Dodgers this season, giving up six earned runs and making just two outs. The 30-year-old posted a 7.02 ERA in 16 2/3 innings between the Orioles, Mets and Dodgers last season.

The former fifth round pick for the Twins was more reliable in another sample of work in 2021, when he put up a 3.60 ERA in 10 innings of work between the Dodgers and Mets. While the big league numbers aren’t overly encouraging, there’s been enough interest in Reed on the waiver wire (six claims since 2021) that it’s conceivable that another team in need of some bullpen depth puts in a claim for him this time round.

As for Gonzalez, he’s set for his first appearance in the big leagues since 2021. The former international signing out of Mexico has a combined 2.75 ERA in 55 2/3 innings over two seasons of work with the Dodgers in 2020-21. That mark comes with a combined 23.8% strikeout and 8.9% walk rate, both of which are almost identical to the big league average.

Arthroscopic debridement surgery on his pitching elbow wiped out the bulk of the 2022 season for the southpaw, but he’s returned to post a 1.29 ERA in seven innings at Triple-A this season.

Dodgers Select Jake Reed, Place Michael Grove On Injured List

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The Dodgers announced Friday that they’ve placed right-hander Michael Grove on the 15-day injured list due to a groin strain and selected the contract of fellow righty Jake Reed from Triple-A Oklahoma City in his place. Los Angeles transferred righty Ryan Pepiot from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Reed. Pepiot has been out all season thus far due to an oblique strain and will now be sidelined until the end of May, at the earliest.

Grove, 26, opened the season as the Dodgers’ fifth starter — a role that had initially been won by Pepiot before he suffered that oblique strain. While Grove is sporting a grisly 8.44 ERA, that number is particularly skewed by one disastrous outing in which the D-backs ambushed him for nine runs in three innings of work. He hasn’t exactly dominated in his other three outings but has kept the club generally competitive, with a 4.26 ERA in those three outings. The new injury will derail his ability to continue whittling away at that unsightly ERA for at least the next couple weeks.

This is the second big league season for Grove, who also pitched 29 1/3 frames of 4.60 ERA ball for the Dodgers late in the 2022 campaign. While he’s never been regarded as a premier prospect, he’s consistently ranked among the organization’s 20 to 25 best prospects since being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft. His 2022 campaign in the minors was particularly solid, as Grove logged a combined 3.79 ERA with a 28% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate in 76 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.

The 30-year-old Reed has spent time with the Dodgers in each of the past two seasons, though he’s pitched just ten innings for them at the big league level. He’s allowed just three runs on 11 hits and three walks with seven punchouts during his time as a Dodger, but Reed has a 5.74 ERA in 26 1/3 innings as a big leaguer overall.

A fifth-round pick of the Twins back in 2014, Reed was once a promising bullpen prospect in Minnesota’s system but has yet to consistently produce in limited big league opportunities. Over the past three seasons, he’s bounced between the Dodgers, Rays, Mets, Orioles and Red Sox via waivers, with multiple stops in L.A. along that circuitous journey.

With Grove joining Pepiot and Tony Gonsolin on the injured list, the Dodgers are down to four healthy starters: Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Dustin May and Noah Syndergaard. That said, the team has a scheduled off-day next Monday, which will allow them to skip the fifth spot in the rotation. As such, they won’t need a fifth starter until April 30, at the earliest.

The Dodgers could opt for a bullpen game that day, as they don’t have any ready-made options on the 40-man roster outside of long reliever Andre Jackson. Alternatively, if the team wants to open some space on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers have top prospects Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone in Triple-A, as well as non-roster veterans Robbie Erlin, Dylan Covey and Matt Andriese. Grove will be eligible to return in early May, and the Dodgers are also expecting to get Gonsolin back sometime in the middle of next month.

Outrights: William Woods, Ali Sanchez, Taylor Widener, Jake Reed

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William Woods, Ali Sanchez, Taylor Widener and Jake Reed have all cleared waivers and been outrighted off the 40-man roster of their respective teams, according to the MILB transaction page. All four had been designated for assignment.

The Mets had claimed Woods, 24, off waivers from the Braves in November, but needed the 40-man roster spot to announce the signing of Adam Ottavino last month. Woods pitched two scoreless innings for Atlanta last year, his only taste of big league action. He owns a fastball that has reached triple-digits, but struggled in the minor leagues last year, working to a 6.04 ERA over 25 1/3 innings at various levels. While he hasn’t found a ton of success in recent times, the Braves did see enough in him to add him to their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, so the Mets will now get to keep hold of an intriguing young relief arm at Triple-A Syracuse.

Widener, 28, was designated for assignment after the Diamondbacks acquired Diego Castillo from the Pirates. Over the past three years in Arizona, he’s made 13 starts and 36 relief appearances. As a starter he owns a 4.28 ERA over 61 innings, while he’s worked to a 4.24 ERA over 46 2/3 innings of relief work. That has come with a 22.3% strikeout rate and an 11% walk rate. Given his solid big league numbers and two option years remaining it certainly won’t hurt Arizona to stash an arm like that at Triple-A Reno as a depth piece this season.

The Dodgers DFA’d Reed, 30, to make room on the 40-man roster for new signing J.D. Martinez. Reed is no stranger to DFA limbo, and this was the fifth time he’d been exposed to waivers in 2022 alone. Reed, a right-handed reliever, made appearances for the Dodgers, Orioles and Mets in 2022, working to a combined 7.36 ERA over 11 innings. At Triple-A, he worked to a much more encouraging 3.09 ERA over 23 1/3 relief innings. After being claimed four times in 2022, he’s passed through waivers this time and the Dodgers have now outrighted him to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Diamondbacks claimed Sanchez, 25, off waivers from the Pirates last month, but DFA’d him a few weeks later to make room on the 40-man roster after the trade for Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Sanchez didn’t make it to the big leagues in 2022, instead appearing at Triple-A for the Tigers and Cardinals. The right-handed hitting catcher tallied 291 plate appearances over 74 games, posting a .262/.354/.389 line with six home runs. He did get a brief cup of coffee in the majors over 2020-21, appearing in seven games for the Mets and Cardinals and picking up three hits. He’s now been outrighted to Triple-A Reno where he’ll provide some catching depth in the upper minors for the Diamondbacks.

Dodgers Designate Jake Reed For Assignment

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The Dodgers have designated reliever Jake Reed for assignment. The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for designated hitter J.D. Martinez, who has officially signed his one-year, $10MM contract.

It’s another trip to DFA limbo for Reed, something with which he’s become unfortunately familiar. The right-hander has bounced around the league quite a bit in recent months, continuing to attract interest from various clubs at the back of the 40-man roster. Since July, Reed has gone from the Mets to the Dodgers to the Orioles to the Red Sox and back to L.A. via waivers. It’s possible he now changes uniforms again, as he’ll be traded or waived within the next week.

A low-slot righty, Reed has pitched in the majors in each of the last two years. He’s split that time with the Dodgers, Mets and Orioles, working to a cumulative 5.74 ERA through 26 2/3 innings. He has a below-average 19.2% strikeout percentage and 39.8% grounder rate with a roughly average 8.3% walk percentage in that time.

The University of Oregon product has had a better go in the minor leagues. He’s logged time at the Triple-A level in six different years, putting up a 3.84 ERA through 215 2/3 frames with a solid 25.6% strikeout rate at the top minor league level. It was a similar story this past season, with Reed posting a 3.09 ERA and a 26:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 20 Triple-A appearances between three organizations.

That capable track record at the upper levels has continued to catch the attention of clubs with room at the back of the roster. The 30-year-old still has a minor league option year remaining, so any team that keeps him on the 40-man  could bounce him between the majors and Triple-A for another season.

Dodgers Claim Jake Reed

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The Dodgers have claimed right-hander Jake Reed off waivers from the Red Sox, per announcements from both teams. Boston designated Reed for assignment earlier in the week, and he’ll now head back to L.A. for a third stint as a Dodger. With the addition of Reed, the Dodgers’ 40-man roster is now at 38 players (though one of the two vacancies will go to Clayton Kershaw, once his reported deal is finalized).

Reed, 30, has been with six different teams since June 2021, when he was released by the Angels. Upon being cut loose, he signed with the Dodgers and has since bounced to the Rays, to the Mets, back to the Dodgers, to the Orioles, to the Red Sox and now back to Los Angeles via a series of waiver claims.

It’s a dizzying sequence of transactions for Reed, who along the way has pitched just 26 2/3 innings at the MLB level. He’s been tagged for a 5.74 ERA in that time and posted a 19.2% strikeout rate, an 8.3% walk rate and  a 39.8% ground-ball rate.

Even with those pedestrian numbers, Reed continues to intrigue clubs thanks to an atypical delivery and arm slot that’s helped him to confound right-handed batters. He also had a strong showing in Triple-A this past season and carries a solid 3.84 ERA and 25.6% strikeout rate at that level. Reed still has one more minor league option year remaining, so if he survives the offseason on the Dodgers’ 40-man, he can give them some flexible depth in the bullpen next season.

Red Sox DFA Jake Reed, Caleb Hamilton, Add Five To Roster

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The Red Sox have selected the contracts of prospects Ceddanne Rafaela, Brandon Walter, Chris Murphy, David Hamilton and Wilyer Abreu ahead of the Rule 5 draft deadline, according to Christopher Smith of Masslive.com. They’ve also designated Jake Reed and Caleb Hamilton for assignment per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

Of the prospects called up, Rafaela is the most notable. He ranks as Boston’s third best prospect per MLB.com’s ratings. An infielder early on, Boston played him regularly in center field this season, where he hit .278/.324/500 with 12 home runs at Double-A. The promotion came after he torched High-A pitching earlier in the season to the tune of a .330/.368/.594 line. Rafaela doesn’t walk much, but there’s plenty of power there and if his development continues he could be knocking on the door in Boston late next season.

Walter also features on MLB.com’s top ten Boston prospects after a strong 2022. In nine starts at Double-A, he had a 2.88 ERA, walking just three batters in 50 innings while striking out 68. He had two unsuccessful starts at Triple-A, but should start there in 2023 with a view to staking a claim for a major league debut. Murphy is the other pitcher added by the Red Sox. He struggled in 15 starts at Triple-A in 2022 (5.50 ERA), but was strong in Double-A to begin the season (2.58 ERA in 13 starts).

Abreu came across in the Christian Vazquez trade from Houston. The outfielder hit .247/.399/.435 across both team’s Double-A affiliates with 19 home runs. Hamilton also spent the entire year at Double-A, slashing .251/.338/.402 with 12 home runs in 119 games while splitting time between second base and shortstop. Neither player has made it to the Triple-A level yet.

Reed was plucked off waivers by the Red Sox in October, so never actually pitched for them. He appeared in ten games for the Mets, Dodgers and Orioles in 2022, throwing 11 innings of 7.36 ERA ball. Hamilton was taken off waivers just a couple of days prior, so also never suited up for the Red Sox. He appeared in 22 games for the Twins, picking up just one hit in 23 plate appearances. He went better at Triple-A, where had a .233/.367/.442 line with 11 home runs in 62 games.

Red Sox Claim Jake Reed, Designate Eduard Bazardo

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The Red Sox have claimed right-hander Jake Reed off waivers from the Orioles, according to the transactions tracker at MLB.com. Fellow righty Eduard Bazardo was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Reed, 30, began the year with the Mets before waiver claims took him to the Dodgers, the Orioles and now the Red Sox, making this his fourth organization of 2022. Between last year and this year, he has a 5.74 ERA in his career, though in a fairly small sample of just 26 2/3 innings. That includes a 19.2% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate and 39.8% ground ball rate.

He’s generally fared better in the minor leagues and that was the case this year. In 23 1/3 innings on various farms, he put up a 3.09 ERA while striking out 25.5% of batters faced and walking just 7.8% of them. He still has one option year in tact, meaning the Sox can shuffle him between the majors and minors for all of next year as long as Reed continues to hang onto a 40-man roster spot.

For Bazardo, 27, this is the second time this year that the Sox have designated him for assignment. After the first instance in April, he cleared waivers and was outrighted, eventually getting selected back to the roster in September. Between last year and this year, he has 19 1/3 innings of MLB experience with a 2.76 ERA, 18.2% strikeout rate, 7.8% walk rate and 40% ground ball rate. In 57 1/3 innings at Triple-A this year, he put up a 3.45 ERA, striking out 23.5% of batters faced, walking 7.5% of them and getting grounders on 42% of balls in play. He has less than a year of MLB service time and a couple of options left, meaning any team that puts in a claim could keep him around as a depth option for the foreseeable future.

Orioles Claim Jake Cave, Designate Jake Reed

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The Orioles have claimed outfielder Jake Cave off waivers from the Twins, according to the MLB.com transactions tracker. Baltimore is designating reliever Jake Reed for assignment in a corresponding move. Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com confirms the news (Twitter link).

Cave has played parts of five big league seasons, all of them with Minnesota. He was initially drafted by the Yankees but dealt to the Twins before making his major league debut in 2018. The former sixth-round pick played well in part-time action during his first two seasons, hitting 21 home runs over 163 games. He’s had a tougher go over the last three seasons, largely due to increasing issues making contact. Dating back to the start of the 2020 campaign, Cave owns a .206/.262/.351 line in 478 trips to the plate.

The Twins ran Cave through outright waivers last offseason, but he made it back to the majors in early August. He posted a .213/.260/.384 showing with five homers in 54 games, swinging through 17% of pitches he saw. It wasn’t a great big league showing, but the 29-year-old had been very impressive during a longer run with Triple-A St. Paul. Cave popped 14 homers in 373 plate appearances with the Saints, posting an overall .273/.370/.509 line. His 24.9% strikeout rate was still a bit higher than average, but he showed solid power and walked at a strong 11.5% rate.

Cave adds some left-handed hitting outfield depth to Baltimore’s ranks, at least for the moment. He has a fair bit of experience at all three spots on the grass, although public metrics haven’t been fond of his work in center field. He’s a career .243/.314/.430 hitter against right-handed pitching, and he’s been essentially unplayable (.210/.240/.352) in 230 plate appearances against southpaws.

With between three and four years of major league service time, Cave is eligible for arbitration through 2024. He’s projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $1.2MM salary if tendered a contract. It’s possible Baltimore still elects to non-tender him next month (perhaps with hopes of re-signing him to a cheaper or minor league deal), but they’ll add him to the 40-man roster for the time being. Cave still has one minor league option year remaining, so the O’s could keep him at Triple-A Norfolk next year if he holds his spot on the 40-man.

Reed is a recent waiver claim himself, having been added from the Dodgers five weeks ago. The low-slot righty made eight appearances with the O’s, allowing six runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings. He suited up with three different teams overall in 2022, also pitching for the Mets and Dodgers. Between the trio of clubs, the 30-year-old posted a 7.02 ERA with a modest 16.9% strikeout rate in 16 2/3 frames.

Despite his lack of major league success, Reed has been a fairly frequent target for teams once he’s hit the waiver wire. That’s in large part thanks to his solid Triple-A track record, as he owns a 3.84 ERA through parts of six seasons at that level. Reed has fanned an above-average 25.6% of batters faced there while walking 9.5% of opponents.

Reed will hit the waiver wire again in the coming days. Like Cave, he still has an option year remaining and could serve as a depth player if another team were to put in a claim. If he passes through the wire unclaimed, he’d have the right to refuse an outright assignment and elect free agency based on his minor league service time.

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