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Tyler Nevin

Tigers Claim Devin Sweet, Designate Tyler Nevin

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The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve claimed right-hander Devin Sweet off waivers from the Giants and opened a spot on their 40-man roster by designating infielder Tyler Nevin for assignment.

Detroit will be Sweet’s fourth organization in as many months. The right-hander went from the Mariners to the A’s in early September, from the A’s to the Giants in December and now to the Tigers — all via waiver claims. San Francisco hadn’t previously indicated that Sweet had been designated for assignment, but last week’s agreement with Jordan Hicks and acquisition of catcher/outfielder Cooper Hummel pushed the team’s roster up to 41 players.

Sweet, 27, yielded 10 runs in 8 2/3 innings for the Mariners during this past season’s MLB debut. His minor league track record is far more impressive, however. In 44 innings between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this past season, the formerly undrafted free agent notched a pristine 2.25 ERA with a 32.6% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate. Sweet isn’t a flamethrower — he averaged 93 mph on his heater with Seattle — but has consistently missed bats and avoided walks as a professional. In five minor league seasons, he’s whiffed 29% of his opponents against a 7% walk rate. He has a pair of minor league options remaining, too, which could make him a valuable and flexible relief option for the Tigers if he can stick on their 40-man roster.

As for Nevin, he’ll lose his hold on a 40-man roster spot after a season that saw him bat just .200/.306/.316 through 111 trips to the plate. The son of former MLB All-Star and Angels skipper Phil Nevin, Tyler has appeared in three MLB seasons and thus far managed only a .203/.310/.301 batting line. The Rockies originally selected Nevin 38th overall in 2015, and he’s posted a solid .276/.355/.464 slash in 242 games at the Triple-A level. That includes a huge .326/.400/.543 slash (136 wRC+) in 385 Triple-A plate appearances this past season.

Nevin has experience at all four corner positions, with the bulk of his big league time coming at the hot corner. He’s out of minor league options, so any team that wants to bet on his pedigree and solid Triple-A performance will have to carry him on the 40-man roster or expose him to waivers before he can be sent down to the minors. The Tigers will have a week to trade Nevin or attempt to pass him through outright waivers.

Tigers Place Eduardo Rodriguez, Matt Vierling On IL

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The Tigers announced that they have placed left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list and infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling on the 10-day injured list. The former has a left index finger pulley rupture while the latter is dealing with a low back injury, with both moves retroactive to May 29. Right-hander Braden Bristo and infielder/outfielder Tyler Nevin have been recalled in corresponding moves.

The absence of Rodriguez will be an unfortunate one for the Tigers, as the lefty has been out to an excellent start this year. He has a 2.13 ERA through his first 11 outings, a figure that would easily be the best of his career, which is the 3.81 mark he posted in 2019 with the Red Sox. He’s had a bit of luck from a .253 batting average on balls in play and 83.3% strand rate but his 6.1% walk rate is on pace to be the lowest of his career and his 25.5% strikeout rate is a bit above his career 24% rate.

That excellent campaign will now be put on pause and it seems unlikely he will be able to return after the 15-day minimum. A detailed injury report from the Tigers, relayed by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, says that Rodriguez will rest for seven to days before being re-evaluated for a throwing program. That seems to suggest he’ll need at least a small ramp-up after that rest.

For however long he’s out, the club will need to find another starter to join Michael Lorenzen, Matthew Boyd, Alex Faedo and Joey Wentz in the rotation. Finding a replacement will be a bit tricky given the club’s other injuries, as staters Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Beau Brieske and Spencer Turnbull are each already on the IL themselves. Reese Olson and Garrett Hill are on the 40-man roster, though each has an ERA above 5.00 in Triple-A this season. Non-roster options include Rony García, Ashton Goudeau and Zach Logue, though they each have a Triple-A ERA of 4.97 or higher this year. The club has an off-day on Thursday but will need a solution at some point this weekend.

Rodriguez has also been floated as a speculative trade candidate for this summer on account of his strong season. That’s complicated by a couple of factors, one is the weak American League Central division. Despite a 25-27 record, the Tigers are in second place in the division and just two games back of the Twins. If they are able to hover around that level, trading one of their better players would be a tough sell.

It’s also complicated by his contract, which allows him to opt out after this season when he will have three years and $49MM remaining on the deal. His strong season was putting him on track to trigger that opt-out, thus making him a rental. However, the three remaining years would give pause to any acquiring club, as they would have the downside of remaining on the hook for that money if Rodriguez got hurt or underperformed after a trade. Such options and opt-outs generally make trades tricky and that would have been the case for Rodriguez. This injury will only add a further layer of complication on any future trade talks.

As for Vierling, he was acquired from the Phillies this offseason and has received regular playing time from the Tigers, appearing in 46 of 52 games thus far. He’s hit .241/.297/.352 for a wRC+ of 82 while stealing four bases and bouncing to all three outfield spots as well as brief stints at second and third base. It’s unclear how long he’s expected to be out of action but it’s possible that utility players like Nevin and Zach McKinstry get some more playing time next to outfield regulars Riley Greene and Akil Baddoo.

Central Notes: Senzel, Stephenson, Nevin

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Reds outfielder Nick Senzel is starting the 2023 season on the injured list as offseason toe surgery delayed his start to Spring Training. It was expected that he would be taking over the regular center field job in Cincinnati once healthy but he might transition into more of a utility role. Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the club is preparing him to serve in such a role and he could play third base and the corner outfield positions during his rehab.

Senzel, 28 in June, has a very small amount of third base experience in the big leagues, 32 innings over the past two seasons. He has a slightly largely tally of 49 innings at second base but then over 2,000 innings in center field. Switching things up while also trying to get ready for the season will be a challenge, but it’s understandable why the club would want him to try. He’s hit just .240/.303/.360 in his career so far for a wRC+ of 74. That production isn’t great for a lineup regular but would be more palatable for a multi-positional role player.

2023 is seen by some as a make-or-break year for Senzel, as he’s now into his arbitration years and is making a $1.95MM salary. Despite his tepid production so far, he’s continued to get chances based on the fact that he was once one of the top prospects in the league. Baseball America had him in the top 10 of all MLB prospects in three straight years beginning in 2017. He could be retained via arbitration through 2025, though he’ll have to show the club he’s worth the continued investment. Taking a step forward at the plate would be great but he may also add more defensive versatility this year.

More notes from the central divisions…

  • The Pirates have informed reporters, including Justice delos Santos of MLB.com, that right-hander Robert Stephenson is beginning a rehab assignment tonight with Triple-A Indianapolis. The righty had been slowed by some arm discomfort this spring and was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday, with the club describing his ailment as elbow inflammation. Stephenson had a lopsided season in 2022, posting a 6.04 ERA with the Rockies but a 3.38 mark after the Bucs claimed him off waivers. His strikeout rate went from 18.8% with Colorado to 36% with Pittsburgh. The Pirates were bullish enough to give him a $1.75MM salary for 2023, his last arbitration year before he’s slated for free agency. IL placements on Opening Day can be backdated to March 27, meaning Stephenson could be activated April 11 if all goes well between now and then.
  • The Tigers announced that infielder Tyler Nevin is beginning a rehab assignment today. Acquired from the Orioles in an offseason trade, Nevin suffered an oblique strain three weeks ago and was placed on the injured list yesterday. He hit just .197/.299/.261 with the O’s last year but had a strong .291/.382/.479 line in Triple-A. Prior to the injury, he was in the mix for a third base job alongside Nick Maton and Ryan Kreidler, and the club also recently acquired Zach McKinstry. Nevin still has an option and could potentially stick in Triple-A Toledo when his rehab is done. With his IL placement backdated to March 27, he’ll be eligible to be reinstated on April 6.

Tigers Designate Edwin Uceta For Assignment

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The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve designated right-hander Edwin Uceta for assignment. That move, coupled with yesterday’s outright of Rony Garcia, will open the two roster spots necessary to select the contracts of lefty Chasen Shreve and righty Trey Wingenter. Both relievers are now formally on Detroit’s Opening Day roster.

Additionally, the Tigers optioned lefty Tyler Holton to Triple-A Toledo and placed three players on the injured list. Infielder Tyler Nevin is headed to the 10-day IL with an oblique strain, while righties Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort) and Michael Lorenzen (left groin strain) have been placed on the 15-day IL.

The 25-year-old Uceta was a waiver claim out of the Diamondbacks organization back in January. He’s seen big league work in each of the past two seasons, first throwing 20 1/3 frames with the Dodgers in 20221 before logging 17 frames with the D-backs in 2022. Uceta’s results have been poor, as he’s served up a 6.27 ERA with a 23% strikeout rate and an elevated 11.5% walk rate. He’s struggled to limit the damage with men on base, but Uceta has solid spin and velocity on his four-seamer and a 30% strikeout rate in Triple-A.

Uceta appeared in eight spring games with the Tigers. He yielded six earned runs on 13 hits and four walks through 11 frames (4.91 ERA) but also fanned 14 of his 48 opponents (29.2%). The Tigers will have a week to trade him or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. Uceta does have a minor league option remaining, which could add to his appeal.

Injury Notes: Nevin, Severino, Houser, Suarez, Suzuki

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As expected, the Tigers will place Tyler Nevin on the 10-day injured list to begin the season.  Nevin suffered a Grade 1 oblique strain a little less than three weeks ago, making it doubtful that the 25-year-old would be fully recovered in time for Opening Day.  However, it is possible Nevin won’t miss much time, as Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) that Nevin is on pace to start a rehab assignment this week.

Even a brief IL stint isn’t an ideal way for Nevin to begin his tenure with his new team, as he was only acquired by the Tigers in a swap with the Orioles back in December.  Nevin’s ability to play both corner infield and outfield positions makes him an interesting commodity on Detroit’s roster, as this versatility and Nevin’s right-handed bat made him a natural platoon partner or complement to such left-handed batters as Austin Meadows, Akil Baddoo, Nick Maton, or Kerry Carpenter.

More on other injury situations around baseball…

  • Luis Severino is another player headed for a season-opening IL stint, as the Yankees right-hander has suffered a lat strain.  This particular injury is a concern given that Severino missed over two months of the 2022 season with another lat strain, but the pitcher told reporters (including Greg Joyce of the New York Post) that this strain in lower in his back than last year’s problem and doesn’t seem as serious.  Severino suggested that he could miss “three or four starts,” but a more specific timeline isn’t known, since “I’m going to be a little bit cautious, but I think the Yankees are going to be more cautious than me.”  Last summer, Severino expressed both surprise and public displeasure with the Yankees’ decision to shift him from the 15-day to the 60-day IL, as he expecting a quicker return to action.
  • Brewers right-hander Adrian Houser left his spring outing yesterday due to groin tightness, and the club will further examine his status today.  The same injury bothered Houser both earlier in Spring Training and at the end of last season, resulting in an IL stint.  Considering the recurring nature of the groin problem and the close proximity to Opening Day, it certainly seems possible the Milwaukee could start Houser on the IL once more.  As the odd man out of a deep Brewers rotation, Houser had been tabbed for a relief role to begin the season, with the understanding that he is also the team’s unofficial sixth starter in the event of an injury.
  • Ranger Suarez played catch on Friday and Saturday, telling Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that his left arm still had some tightness but no pain.  In general, Suarez felt “nothing too bad” and his forearm was doing “better.”  Despite this fairly positive update, it still seems unlikely that Suarez will be able to avoid an IL trip given how the Phillies will probably be cautious with a case of elbow inflammation.  The left-hander was projected to be either the third or fourth starter in Philadelphia’s rotation this season, but with his likely absence for part of April, Bailey Falter will step into that vacancy in the starting five.  Matt Strahm or Michael Plassmeyer could take the fifth starter job, as top prospect Andrew Painter, Cristopher Sanchez, and Nick Nelson are also battling injuries.
  • The Cubs haven’t yet decided how they’ll replace Seiya Suzuki on their season-opening roster, as Suzuki will need a 10-day IL stint after missing the last month of Spring Training due to an oblique strain.  Suzuki is making such steady development in his rehab work that even though he’ll miss some time during the regular season, it may not be all that much time. “Whether you are trying to put somebody on the [40-man] roster that’s not on it or trying to fill a gap for 10 days is a big deal,” Cubs manager David Ross told Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters.  “And it’s a big decision.  We have so much talent and a lot of depth here.  We would like to keep as much as we possibly can because of the long journey we’re about to start.”

Injury Notes: Song, Nevin, Rosenthal, Sadler

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Phillies Rule 5 pick Noah Song has been shut down due to back tightness, per Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s had an MRI and will be reevaluated next week, but it appears he won’t be ready to start the season.

Song, 25, is an interesting case, given he’s spent the past three years in the navy after being drafted by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. He’s also not been fully discharged, only placed in active reserve, which means he’ll be able to play baseball. It does mean he’ll still have navy commitments though, with an earlier report stating he’s effectively on part-time duty, which still requires one weekend per month and two full weeks each year. It’s not clear how that would’ve played out over the season.

In any case, Song was looking to get back up to speed quickly after three years out. As a Rule 5 draftee, the Phillies would have to keep him on the active roster for the entire season, or place him on waivers and send him back to the Red Sox if he clears. The injury does change things somewhat, as should Song open the season on the injured list the Phillies can still send him on a rehab stint to the minors for up to 30 days. He still can’t be optioned to the minors, but the Phillies would just need to ensure he spends at minimum 90 days on the active roster this season.

Here’s some other injury notes from around the game:

  • Evan Woodbery of MLive relays that Tyler Nevin’s MRI on his oblique showed a Grade 1 strain. The Tigers said yesterday that Nevin’s strain was “mild”, but offered no other details on when he might be available. As Woodbery says, MLB’s Health and Injury Tracking System says hitters typically take 27 days to recover from a Grade 1 strain. That’s not a concrete number, but it would appear to put Nevin in doubt for Opening Day. Nevin, acquired from the Orioles this winter, was competing for a bench spot on the Tigers roster this year. The 25-year-old hit .197/.299/.261 with two home runs across 184 plate appearances for Baltimore last year.
  • Sticking with the Tigers, and right-hander Trevor Rosenthal threw a bullpen yesterday and felt great, Woodbery reports. He’ll throw a live bullpen on Tuesday, with the hope being that he’ll be ready to step into a live game after that. Rosenthal, signed to a minor league deal by the Tigers this winter, hasn’t appeared in the big leagues for the past two seasons due to a range of injuries, including thoracic outlet syndrome, hip labrum surgery and a recurring hamstring injury. While it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Rosenthal need a little longer than Opening Day to be ready, the former All Star looks a good chance to get some opportunities in Detroit’s bullpen this year.
  • The Mariners won’t have right-hander Casey Sadler up to speed by Opening Day, but he is making progress in his return from rotator cuff and labrum surgery, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports. Sadler missed the entire 2022 season, but faced hitters for the first time yesterday in a live batting practice session at Seattle’s spring training complex. Sadler, who was designated for assignment this winter but re-signed with the team on a minor league deal, put in easily his best season in 2021, working to a 0.67 ERA over 40 1/3 innings. It’s unclear what’s next for the former 25th round pick, but he’ll continue to work his way back with a view to regaining his spot in Seattle’s bullpen sometime this season.

Tigers Notes: Nevin, Ibáñez, Rosenthal

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TODAY: Nevin has been diagnosed with a “mild” left oblique strain, the Tigers told Evan Petzold and other reporters, with no other details given about when Nevin might return to the field.

MARCH 8: The Tigers have a couple of injury situations to monitor, as relayed by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Infielder Tyler Nevin removed himself from batting practice yesterday and reported feeling soreness in his oblique. Meanwhile, fellow infielder Andy Ibáñez sprained the fourth finger on his left hand while preparing for the World Baseball Classic.

In Nevin’s case, the severity of the issue isn’t yet known, but oblique issues are notoriously tricky to deal with. As Petzold points out, even a mild oblique strain can potentially lead to a month-long absence. Manager A.J. Hinch says that Nevin is headed for an MRI, which will determine the next steps. In the case of Ibáñez, the issue seems less concerning. Though his finger is swollen, it’s not broken. Ibáñez plans to sit out of WBC action for a few days and seems confident he’ll be recovered after that.

These two injuries could potentially have implications for the club’s plans, as both players are part of a competition for the open third base job. The club non-tendered Jeimer Candelario in the winter and has various players jockeying for the role of his replacement. At this point, it seems the most likely scenario involves the left-handed hitting Nick Maton taking the strong side of a platoon. Maton actually has reverse splits in his career so far, but in a small sample of 216 plate appearances.

Both Nevin and Ibáñez hit from the right side and could potentially take the small side of a platoon with Maton, though the injuries could delay that plan. If those two players have to miss any time, it perhaps increases the chances of Andre Lipcius, Ryan Kreidler, Zack Short or César Hernández seizing some playing time. Hernández is a switch-hitter with the other three all hitting right-handed.

“I like the way he swings the bat, and he’s increasing his versatility, which is the point of camp for him,” Hinch said about Lipcius. “He’s doing what he’s always done.” Lipcius has primarily played third base in the minors, but has also seen some decent time at second and a very brief stint at first. He hit .277/.391/.435 between Double-A and Triple-A last year for a wRC+ of 128. He’s yet to make his major league debut but was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Elsewhere in Tigers’ camp, Trevor Rosenthal will be attempting to get back to the big leagues after signing a minor league deal with the club. He wasn’t able to appear in either of the past two seasons due to various setbacks, including thoracic outlet surgery, hip labrum surgery and a recurring hamstring injury. Though Rosenthal will be hoping for better health this year, it seems there’s still some work to do and his return isn’t imminent.

“There’s no need to have a sense for a timeline,” Hinch tells Petzold. “It does not matter when he’s ready as long as he’s healthy. We’re not going to push it. There is no artificial date. Opening Day is not something that’s feasible. We’re going to be very strict and diligent with our work with him.”

Rosenthal says the injuries are behind him now, but he’s on board with the plan the club has laid out for him. “I want to be intentional about taking the right steps and making sure I am ready, and really utilizing the time that’s left in camp,” Rosenthal says. “I think, in these three weeks, I’ll be able to get to where I want to be, but if not, I think they’re going to do a good job of taking care of me in that regard.”

He hasn’t been healthy much in the past few years, but he was very good earlier in his career and dominant for a brief spell in 2020. He made 23 appearances that year with a 1.90 ERA and struck out an incredible 41.8% of batters faced. However, the two years on either side of that season were were essentially lost due to the aforementioned injuries.

Tigers Acquire Tyler Nevin, Designate Zach Logue

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The Tigers have acquired infielder Tyler Nevin from the Orioles, in a deal announced by both teams.  Baltimore will receive cash considerations for Nevin, who was designated for assignment earlier this week.  In a corresponding move to create roster space, the Tigers have designated left-hander Zach Logue for assignment.

Nevin made his MLB debut with a six-game cup of coffee in 2021, and then hit .197/.299/.261 over 184 plate appearances and 58 games with the Orioles last season.  Most of Nevin’s playing time came at third base, though he also saw action at first base and both corner outfield slots.  Defensively, Nevin isn’t considered a standout in the field, and his limited work at third base (-5 Outs Above Average, -4 Defensive Runs Saved, -1.5 UZR/150 over 327 1/3 innings) was graded poorly by public defensive metrics.  Nonetheless, Nevin might factor in as at least a part-time option for the Tigers at the hot corner, given how Detroit non-tendered Jeimer Candelario earlier this winter.

It has been a relatively quiet offseason thus far in the Motor City, as new president of baseball operations Scott Harris has been seemingly been taking his time in assessing a roster that almost entirely underachieved during a disastrous 2022 season.  The Tigers’ moves have been mostly focused around pitching (trading Joe Jimenez to the Braves and signing Michael Lorenzen and Matthew Boyd), though several position players have also been on the team’s radar.  Like most of those names, Nevin is also a multi-positional player, and can provide bench depth at multiple areas around the diamond.

The 25-year-old Nevin was selected by the Rockies as the 38th overall pick of the 2015 draft, and he has posted some solid numbers in the minors.  With the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate in 2022, Nevin hit .291/.382/.479 with seven home runs over 191 plate appearances, which helped earn him multiple looks at the big league level.  Today’s trade also continues the Nevin family’s history in Detroit, as Tyler’s father Phil (now the Angels’ manager) played with the Tigers from 1995-97.

Logue’s tenure with the Tigers lasted just over a week, as Detroit claimed the southpaw off waivers from the Athletics just on December 23.  One of the four players sent by the Blue Jays to the A’s as part of the Matt Chapman trade last March, Logue made his MLB debut in 2022 and posted a 6.79 ERA over 57 innings (starting 10 of 14 games) for Oakland.  Those struggles extended to the minors with an 8.12 ERA in 78 2/3 innings with Triple-A Las Vegas, and thus Logue became an expendable piece for the A’s when the team finalized their deal with righty Drew Rucinski last week.

Orioles Acquire James McCann From Mets

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The Mets and Orioles swung a trade late Wednesday night, with Baltimore acquiring James McCann and cash considerations for a player to be named later. New York is reportedly covering $19MM of the $24MM still remaining on McCann’s contract over the next two years. To create a spot on the 40-man roster, Baltimore designated infielder Tyler Nevin for assignment.

It looked like only a matter of time before McCann changed teams. New York agreed to terms with Omar Narváez on a two-year contract last Thursday. As soon as news of that agreement broke, it became clear the Mets were going to deal one of their incumbent backstops, with McCann the likeliest candidate. Neither McCann nor Tomás Nido could be sent to the minor leagues, and carrying three catchers on the 26-man roster would’ve been challenging. That’s before considering top prospect Francisco Álvarez, who figures to get an extended MLB look at some point soon after debuting late in the 2022 season.

McCann will secure his roster spot in Baltimore. The O’s entered the day with just one catcher on their 40-man roster, making it an inevitability they’d bring in some help from outside the organization. Of course, that backstop is AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Adley Rutschman. McCann will have to move into a backup role with the O’s.

The past couple seasons have been rough for McCann, who first joined the Mets over the 2020-21 offseason. New York placed a sizable bet on the veteran backstop’s previous couple seasons with the White Sox. The University of Arkansas product had hit .276/.334/.474 through 587 plate appearances for Chicago between 2019-20. That handily dwarfed the .240/.288/.366 mark he’d posted over the preceding four-plus seasons with the Tigers, and the Mets clearly felt he’d turned a corner offensively. They inked him to a four-year, $40.6MM free agent contract that beat most expectations.

New York gave McCann extended run in his first season, starting him at catcher for 97 of their 162 games in 2021. His production more closely resembled that of his Detroit days, however. He hit .232/.294/.349 over 412 plate appearances, connecting on just 10 home runs after hitting 18 longballs in his only full season with the White Sox. Nevertheless, McCann was back in the Opening Day lineup for the second season of the deal as the Mets hoped for a bounceback campaign.

That wasn’t to be, as he struggled with both underperformance and injury this year. The veteran fractured the hamate bone in his left hand/wrist in mid-May. He required surgery and lost six weeks to rehab. A few weeks after his return, he suffered a strain in his left oblique and went back on the injured list for a little less than a month. In between the health setbacks, he managed just a .195/.257/.282 line in 61 games. By the time the postseason rolled around, Nido was starting behind the dish. McCann was relegated to a depth role, while Álvarez was with the big league club in a catcher/DH hybrid capacity.

The past two seasons certainly aren’t what the Mets had envisioned when they signed McCann. As a result, they’re left to pay down a notable chunk of the remaining money on his contract. His deal was backloaded, with a $600K signing bonus followed by successive $8MM salaries in the first two seasons. He’s due $12MM in each of the next two years, the bulk of which will remain on the Mets’ ledger.

While New York only sheds $5MM in actual salary, the savings from the trade are a bit more than that for owner Steve Cohen and his front office. New York is going to shatter all four thresholds of the competitive balance tax, meaning they’re paying a 90% tax for every additional dollar they spend next season.

Tim Healey of Newsday tweets that New York’s CBT hit on McCann will recalculate to encompass the two years and $19MM they’re still paying — a $9.5MM average annual value. His contract had previously counted for $10.6MM against the team’s tax ledger (reflecting the AAV of his four-year deal), so they’ll shave roughly $1.1MM off their CBT number. That translates to $990K in tax savings this year. If they surpass all four CBT thresholds again next year, they’d be taxed at 110% on every dollar spent beyond the fourth threshold. Shaving $1.1MM off their CBT mark would pick up around $1.21MM in tax savings that season.

Paying down the deal makes it a reasonable proposition for the Orioles. A $5MM commitment spread over two years is minimal for a veteran catcher. Players like Mike Zunino and Austin Hedges have signed one-year deals in the $5-6MM range recently as free agents. Those players will take on a larger role in their new destinations than McCann will with the Orioles, but he’d have fit in that group were he available on the open market. The O’s are nowhere near the luxury tax threshold, so the money New York saves in that regard is of little consequence to the O’s.

There’s no question it’s Rutschman’s job, but McCann offers a respected and experienced voice behind him on the depth chart. After a few seasons of subpar pitch framing numbers, he has rated as a slightly above-average framer in two of the past three years. McCann doesn’t have a great arm, but he’ll bring competent receiving when called upon in Rutschman’s stead. A situational role could allow manager Brandon Hyde to work him in against left-handed pitching, against which he has a career .258/.325/.458 mark. They’ll presumably look to shield him from righties, who have limited him to a meager .237/.284/.351 line.

It’s a minimal financial hit for Baltimore, and the acquisition cost will be minor. It’s not likely the player to be named later will be a prospect of much renown, with the Mets not negotiating from a position of strength. For the most part, the swap is about the Mets clearing the roster spot and some money. Baltimore will plug the #2 catcher spot they’d been seeking to address.

Doing so means they risk losing Nevin, who was bumped from the 40-man roster. The son of Angels skipper Phil Nevin, Tyler briefly debuted in the majors in 2021, but the bulk of his MLB experience came this past season. He hit just .197/.299/.261 with a pair of home runs across his first 184 trips to the plate. Nevin appeared at all four corner positions but rated poorly in the eyes of public metrics for his work at third base.

Prospect evaluators have long considered Nevin more of a bat-first player, so his defensive struggles at the hot corner aren’t too surprising. Baltimore has stockpiled plenty of upper level talent in the infield that had surpassed or was likely to soon leapfrog Nevin on the depth chart. They’ll now have a week to trade him or place him on waivers.

While Nevin doesn’t have much MLB experience, he’s only 25 and has a more respectable Triple-A track record. The righty is a .246/.328/.417 hitter through 644 plate appearances at the top minor league level. Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun tweets the O’s were granted a fourth minor league option year, meaning  any team that acquired Nevin could bounce him between the majors and Triple-A for another season.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the Orioles were acquiring McCann. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported the Mets were receiving a player to be named later and that the O’s were covering $5MM in salary.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Orioles Promote Gunnar Henderson

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The Orioles have officially selected the contract of top prospect Gunnar Henderson.  In corresponding moves, infielder Tyler Nevin was optioned to Triple-A and right-hander Denyi Reyes was designated for assignment.

There had been widespread speculation that Henderson would receive his first MLB promotion when the rosters expanded on September 1, though in calling Henderson up to the big leagues today, the Orioles have now made the infielder eligible for inclusion on a postseason roster should Baltimore continue its surprising season with a playoff berth.

A second-round pick for Baltimore in the 2019 draft, Henderson played in only 29 Rookie League games that season and then naturally didn’t play at all in 2020 due to the canceled minor league campaign.  His first proper pro season saw Henderson play well enough to jump from A-ball to Double-A in 2021, and it put him on the top-100 prospect radar heading into the 2022 season.

Fast-forward to August, and the 21-year-old is now the top prospect in the sport in the eyes of Baseball America, with MLB Pipeline ranking Henderson second and Fangraphs ranking him fifth.  Over 503 combined plate appearances at the Double-A and Triple-A levels in 2022, Henderson has hit .297/.416/.531 with 19 homers, as well as 22 steals in 25 chances.

To go along with his power, speed, and hit tools, Henderson is also an accomplished fielder with a plus throwing arm.  Drafted as a shortstop, Henderson has looked good at the position, but he has also seen a lot of time as a third baseman this season and also played a handful of games at first and second base.  The Orioles have so many other promising young infielders (i.e. Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday) in the pipeline that the team is trying to be flexible in determining the ideal future position for any of these prospects, and Henderson’s usage might also hint at how the O’s will use him during the stretch run of the 2022 season.

The left-handed hitting Henderson could spell any of Ramon Urias, Jorge Mateo, or Ryan Mountcastle (all righty bats) at third, short, or first base, and Henderson could also take playing time away from Rougned Odor at second base.  Henderson certainly isn’t being called up to sit on the bench, and he could quickly become a fixture if he performs well in his first look at Major League pitching.

Of course, it isn’t a given that Henderson will have such a quick start, as countless top prospects have taken some time to get accustomed to the majors.  In Henderson’s case, his high strikeout rate in the minors is something of a red flag, though he has cut back on his swing-and-miss in 2022 in comparison to 2021.  He had also posted huge BABIP numbers in the minors, yet Henderson’s speed (and ability to beat out grounders) is certainly a factor in those BABIP totals beyond just batted-ball fortune.

These are heady times for the Orioles, who have emerged from years of rebuilding doldrums to post a 67-61 record and get into contention for a wild-card berth.  Adley Rutschman — an exception to that “top prospects usually need time to adjust” credo — has already become one of baseball’s best catchers, and other rookies like Felix Bautista, Dean Kremer, and Kyle Bradish have played outsized roles in the team’s success.  Kyle Stowers and Terrin Vavra are two more rookies who made their MLB debuts in 2022, and Henderson is just one of several other top prospects waiting to emerge from Baltimore’s loaded farm system.

As recently noted by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Henderson will also still retain his rookie status for 2023 if he receives less than 13o at-bats, and thus the Orioles can still benefit from the Prospect Promotion Initiative included in the new collective bargaining agreement.  This would put the O’s in line for a bonus draft pick if Henderson remains on the active roster for the entire 2023 season.

Reyes made his Major League debut this season, posting a 2.35 ERA in 7 2/3 innings over three appearances.  A starter for much of his seven-year pro career in the Red Sox and Orioles farm systems, Reyes hasn’t had much consistency at either the Double-A or Triple-A levels, and he has a 7.50 ERA over 42 innings with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate this season.

Reyes has allowed 10 homers in those 42 frames, continuing a problem with the long ball that has now emerged over the last two seasons.  Surrendering more homers has erased gains Reyes has made with his strikeout rate, and he has shown excellent control throughout his entire career, with a tiny 1.4 BB/9 during his 584 1/3 minor league innings.

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