Giants To Sign Brent Honeywell Jr. To Minor League Deal
5:00pm: The deal does not include an invite to big league spring training, per Justice delos Santos of the Mercury News.
1:05pm: The Giants are going to sign right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. to a minor league contract, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Presumably, the righty will be invited to big league camp in spring training.
Honeywell, 31 next month, didn’t pitch anywhere in 2025. He was non-tendered by the Dodgers after the 2024 season and didn’t find a landing spot after that. What he can provide after sitting out an entire season is unknown but there’s little harm for the Giants in giving him a non-roster pact and then taking a look at him in some spring appearances.
The righty’s trajectory has been a uniquely challenging one. He was a top 100 prospect about a decade ago before an awful series of injury setbacks sent him off course. He required Tommy John surgery in 2018, suffered an elbow fracture in 2019, required nerve decompression surgery in 2020 and then suffered an olecranon stress reaction in his elbow in 2022.
By the end of the 2022 season, he had just three major league appearances under his belt. He stayed healthy enough in 2023 to pitch 52 1/3 innings between the Padres and White Sox. His 4.82 earned run average was somewhat serviceable but he was passed through outright waivers in August of that year.
He settled for a minor league deal with the Pirates going into 2024. He was on their roster for a few days in July before going to the Dodgers via waivers. The Dodgers passed him through waivers again in August but selected him back to the roster a little over a week later, so he was on their roster for most of the second half.
He finished the year with a 2.63 ERA, though in fairly lucky fashion. His 7.4% walk rate was solid and his 42.2% grounder rate around average but he only struck out 12.1% of batters faced, barely half of league par. He got some help from a .252 batting average on balls in play and 80% strand rate. Measures like his 4.28 FIP and flat 5.00 SIERA feel he would have fared far worse with neutral treatment from the baseball gods. He got to make three postseason appearances for the Dodgers as their mop-up guy when losing, allowing nine earned runs in 8 2/3 innings.
Honeywell got himself a ring for that effort but was not tendered a contract for 2025 and ended up sitting out the campaign. The Giants go into 2026 with their bullpen seeming weaker than last year. They traded Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers at last year’s deadline, then lost Randy Rodríguez to Tommy John surgery.
Their approach to rebuilding the relief group has been to take low-cost fliers on reclamation projects. They signed Jason Foley, Rowan Wick and Sam Hentges but will likely start the season with all three on the injured list. Gregory Santos and Michael Fulmer were signed to minor league deals after a couple of injury-marred seasons.
Now Honeywell jumps into the mix as some extra non-roster depth. If he is able to secure a roster spot, he is out of options but has less than three years of club control, meaning he could theoretically be retained for future seasons via arbitration. He’ll have to earn a chance and make the most of it before that becomes any kind of realistic consideration.
Photo courtesy of David Frerker, Imagn Images
Giants Sign Rowan Wick
Feb. 23: Wick is guaranteed $880K in the form of a $780K salary and a $100K buyout on an $800K club option for 2027, per Jon Becker of RosterResource.
Feb. 13: The Giants have signed right-hander Rowan Wick to a one-year major league deal, the team announced. The agreement includes a club option for 2027. Wick is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is not expected to pitch this season. Jason Foley has been placed on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move, according to the MLB.com transaction log.
The 33-year-old Wick returns stateside after spending the past two seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He was excellent out of the bullpen during his time in NPB, recording a 1.75 ERA across 87 2/3 innings. Wick secured five saves last season with the BayStars. He’ll look to impact the San Francisco bullpen next year as he continues to rehab from TJ.
The majority of Wick’s big-league experience has come with the Cubs. He was traded to Chicago straight up for Jason Vosler after a brief stint with the Padres. Wick was a semi-regular in the Cubs’ bullpen from 2019 to 2021. He emerged as the team’s closer in 2022. Wick notched a career-high nine saves that season, but faltered down the stretch and lost some opportunities to trade deadline acquisition David Robertson.
Wick began the 2023 season in the minors. The Cubs would release him in July. He bounced to the Braves and then the Blue Jays, but never made it back to the majors. After posting a 6.66 ERA at Triple-A, he made the jump to NPB.
San Francisco has a history of signing injured pitchers with the intention of getting contributions once they recover. The strategy has continued even after Buster Posey took over as president of baseball operations. The club added right-hander Jason Foley in December. He’s coming back from shoulder surgery and will begin the year on the 60-day IL. San Francisco also signed Sam Hentges this offseason. The lefty hasn’t pitched since 2024 following shoulder and knee surgery, but could be ready for the start of this season.
Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images
Pirates Sign Carson Fulmer To Minor League Deal
The Pirates have signed right-hander Carson Fulmer to a minor league contract, reports Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Fulmer, a client of Icon Sports Management, receives an invite to big league spring training and has already arrived at Pirates camp.
Fulmer, 32, was the No. 8 overall pick back in 2015. He hasn’t matched that draft status or the considerable fanfare he generated during his Vanderbilt days, but he’s pitched decently in a multi-inning role for the Angels across the past three seasons, logging a combined 4.43 ERA, 20.9% strikeout rate, 10.2% walk rate and 42.3% ground-ball rate in 126 innings (44 relief appearances, nine starts).
As Alex Stumpf points out, this is somewhat incredibly the fourth stint for Fulmer in the Pirates organization — despite never actually appearing in a major league game with them. Pittsburgh claimed Fulmer off waivers from the Tigers back in August of 2020 and immediately optioned him. He was designated him for assignment a couple weeks later and lost to the Orioles via waivers. The Bucs claimed him back from the Orioles three weeks later and even recalled him to the big league roster for the final couple days of the season, but he didn’t pitch in a game. Fulmer was designated for assignment the following spring and claimed by the Reds.
The Pirates also signed Fulmer to a minor league contract and brought him to camp last spring. He didn’t make the club but did spend the first two months of the season pitching for Triple-A Indianapolis, where he logged a 4.64 ERA in 42 2/3 innings (seven relief appearances, six starts). Those numbers generally align with Fulmer’s performance in parts of what is now nine seasons at the Triple-A level.
Pittsburgh’s bullpen is largely set, but there are at least a couple spots up for grabs this spring. Dennis Santana, Gregory Soto, Isaac Mattson, Justin Lawrence and Carmen Mlodzinski all figure to be on the Opening Day roster, health permitting. Left-hander Mason Montgomery, acquired alongside Brandon Lowe in the three-team deal sending righty Mike Burrows to Houston, should have a strong chance to make the club, too. The final two spots will be a contest including Evan Sisk, Kyle Nicolas, Cam Sanders and Yohan Ramirez. Since he’s out of minor league options, Ramirez might have an advantage. Non-roster invitees joining Fulmer in big league camp include Chris Devenski, Joe La Sorsa and Beau Burrows.
Orioles Sign Thairo Estrada To Minor League Deal
The Orioles are signing infielder Thairo Estrada to a minor league deal, per a team announcement. The deal includes an invite to big league Spring Training.
The deal is something of a belated birthday gift for Estrada, who turned 30 just yesterday. The infielder was signed out of Venezuela as an amateur by the Yankees and made his big league debut with them back in 2019, but he’s best known for his work with the Giants. From 2021 to 2023, Estrada slashed .266/.320/.416 (105 wRC+) and eventually found himself upgraded from a utility role to the team’s starting second baseman. He combined that slightly above average bat with a strong glove to become a very valuable player for San Francisco for a few years.
Things began to turn the wrong direction in 2024 — a season in which a left wrist sprain limited Estrada to just 96 games. He hit a paltry .217/.247/.343 (68 wRC+) even when he was healthy enough to take the field. The Giants cut him loose, and a one-year deal with the Rockies didn’t help him right the ship. Estrada suffered an injury in his other wrist, this time suffering a fracture when he was hit by a pitch during Cactus League play. He missed about two months with that injury before additional IL stints due to a thumb sprain and hamstring strain. Overall, he hit .253/.285/.370 in just 165 plate appearances.
With the Orioles, Estrada will vie for a spot in an infield that looks quite a bit less crowded than it did just a few weeks ago. Second baseman Jackson Holliday and third baseman Jordan Westburg will both open the season on the injured list — the former due to a hamate fracture that required surgery and the latter due to a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, which he’ll first try to rehab without surgery.
The injuries to Holliday and Westburg have likely thrust former top prospect Coby Mayo (third base) and trade acquisition Blaze Alexander (second base) into starting roles. Utilityman Jeremiah Jackson could also see an increased role, and the O’s picked up out of options third baseman Bryan Ramos off waivers following the Westburg injury, giving them another option around the infield.
Estrada immediately becomes the most experienced member of the competition for a backup infield role on Baltimore’s bench. In 508 big league games, he’s tallied 1870 plate appearances with a .251/.299/.392 batting line (91 wRC+). He’s primarily been a middle infielder but has experience at third base and in all three outfield spots (primarily left field). Second base is his best position, but if he makes the club he can back up at a variety of positions while the rest of the Oriole infield is on the mend.
Guardians To Sign Rhys Hoskins To Minor League Deal
First baseman Rhys Hoskins and the Guardians are finalizing a minor league deal, according to Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Hoskins, a Boras Corporation client, will receive a $1.5MM salary if he makes Cleveland’s MLB roster. The news of Hoskins’ deal with the Guardians comes after reports (including one from Meisel) earlier in the day indicated the veteran’s presence in the team’s Arizona clubhouse.
Hoskins, 33 next month, spent six seasons in Philadelphia as one of the more reliably above-average corner bats in the game. He managed to make up for low batting averages by consistently flashing 30-homer pop and keeping his walk rate above 10%. After a 2022 campaign where he slashed .246/.332/.462 with 30 homers in 156 games, Hoskins figured to be a key figure in the Phillies’ lineup headed into 2023 when those plans were abruptly scuttled by an ACL tear that wiped out his entire season.
That lost season led Hoskins to reach free agency as something of an unknown quantity, but he ultimately found a two-year deal with the Brewers that afforded him the opportunity to opt out after the 2024 season. The veteran appeared in 131 games for Milwaukee during that first season but didn’t hit at his typical levels, with a slash line of just .214/.303/.419 and a wRC+ of 101. While he was still good for 26 home runs, a career-high 28.8% strikeout rate sapped much of the value Hoskins had offered during his days in Philadelphia.
That down season was enough to convince Hoskins to remain in Milwaukee for 2025, but he was limited to just 90 games this past season due to a sprained thumb. The good news is that when he was on the field, his production ticked back up to be more substantially above league average. In 328 trips to the plate last year, Hoskins slashed .237/.332/.416 with a wRC+ of 109. While Hoskins’s power numbers were the weakest of his career, his strikeout rate ticked down to 27.7% while his walk rate crept up to 11.6%, his highest level since 2020.
A second injury-plagued season in the past three years was bad news for Hoskins’s market value, however, and he’s scarcely been discussed in the rumor mill since returning to free agency back in November. With Spring Training now underway, Hoskins opted to catch on with the Guardians on a minor league pact. The veteran is a strong fit for Cleveland’s needs, and signing with them should give him every opportunity to crack the club’s Opening Day roster.
Both first baseman Kyle Manzardo and expected designated hitter C.J. Kayfus are left-handed hitters, so a right-handed first base/DH option like Hoskins is a strong on-paper fit. While Hoskins actually had reverse splits last year, he’s a career 137 wRC+ hitter against southpaws, and even last year’s 102 wRC+ would be a substantial improvement over the numbers Mazardo (83) and Kayfus (67) posted against lefties last year.
While Hoskins currently looks likely to be ticketed for a platoon role on paper, it’s not at all difficult to imagine him working his way into earning everyday reps. Kayfus is a rookie who posted a wRC+ of just 96 in 44 games last year, after all, and Hoskins is a capable hitter against righties looking at both last season (111 wRC+) and his career (115). With Cleveland, the veteran should have a strong opportunity to put together a rebound season after his struggles to stay on the field and produce consistently over a full season that have cropped up over the past few years. If he can rediscover some of the form that made him a middle-of-the-order bat for the Phillies a few years ago, it’s not too difficult to imagine Hoskins becoming an instrumental part of the Guardians’ lineup alongside stars Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan.
Padres Outright Tirso Ornelas
TODAY: Ornelas cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A after being outrighted off San Diego’s 40-man roster, according to the Padres’ official transaction page.
FEBRUARY 17: The Padres announced that outfield Tirso Ornelas has been designated for assignment. That’s the corresponding 40-man roster move for right-hander Griffin Canning, whose signing is now official.
Ornelas, 26 next month, has been on San Diego’s roster since July of 2024. He got to make a brief major league debut in 2025, putting up a .071/.188/.071 batting line in 16 plate appearances over seven games.
He has generally been a pretty good hitter in his minor league career. Over the past three years, he has stepped to the plate 1,471 times on the farm, mostly at the Triple-A level. His 11.3% walk rate and 17% strikeout rate in that span are both good numbers, with 48 home runs to boot. However, since that production came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, his .285/.371/.452 line isn’t as impressive as it initially appears. That translates to a 108 wRC+, indicating he was 8% better than average for that league.
That’s still solid hitting but Ornelas really needs to crush to provide value. He has some center field experience but is mostly a corner guy who isn’t considered a strong defender, nor is he a burner on the basepaths. The Friars have Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ramón Laureano in their outfield corners with Jackson Merrill up the middle. The roster also features other guys who could factor into the outfield mix, such as Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos, Miguel Andujar, Sung Mun Song and Bryce Johnson.
The overall picture has pushed Ornelas off the roster and into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Friars could take five days to field trade interest. He still has one minor league option remaining, so he could appeal to a club looking for some extra outfield depth, especially one that needs another lefty bat. Despite his flaws, Baseball America recently ranked him the #28 prospect in the system.
If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he would not have the right to elect free agency since he has less than three years of big league service time and does not have a previous career outright.
Photo courtesy of Chadd Cady, Imagn Images
Dodgers Claim Jack Suwinski
3:23PM: Suwinski’s claim has been officially announced by the Dodgers, and Enrique Hernandez was placed on the 60-day injured list in the corresponding roster move. Hernandez underwent surgery in November to repair a torn muscle in his non-throwing arm, and it was already known that the utilityman would be missing at least the first couple of months of the 2026 season.
1:24PM: The Dodgers are claiming outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Pirates designated Suwinski for assignment earlier this week to open up a 40-man roster spot for Marcell Ozuna.
The 27-year-old Suwinski has struggled mightily over the past two years, following a breakout 2023 campaign. The outfielder began last season on the big-league roster, but didn’t make it through April. He ended up tallying 59 games with the Pirates and 56 games at Triple-A. Suwinski mashed in the minors to the tune of a 150 wRC+. He managed just a 55 wRC+ in 178 MLB plate appearances.
With the Pirates adding outfielders Jhostynxon Garcia and Jake Mangum in separate trades this offseason, plus free agent signing Ryan O’Hearn potentially spending time on the grass, Suwinski was a long shot to contribute with the Pirates. The Ozuna addition locked up the DH spot, further limiting the chance for Suwinski to make the club. He’ll head to the Dodgers and look to rebuild his value in a different organization.
As good as Suwinski was in 2023, his swing-and-miss tendencies suggested the production was unsustainable. He hit 26 home runs and chipped in 13 steals in his first full season in the big leagues, but it came with a 32% strikeout rate. That was after a rookie year that saw him swat 19 home runs in 372 plate appearances while striking out at a 30.6% clip. Suwinski has walked at a strong 12.3% rate as a big leaguer, so he’s got the three true outcomes covered. He just hasn’t done enough of the home run part of the equation in recent seasons.
The Dodgers are set in the outfield with Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, and Kyle Tucker locked into everyday roles. The right-handed Pages has been much better against lefties (.831 OPS) than righties (.722 OPS) in his career, so perhaps there’s a platoon opportunity there, but his glove is tough to take out of the lineup. Suwinski has put up -16 Defensive Runs Saved in his career as a center fielder, so he’s unlikely to be a fit in that role. Pushing Alex Call for the fourth outfielder gig is his best hope to make the roster.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
Cardinals Designate Zak Kent For Assignment
The Cardinals have designated right-hander Zak Kent for assignment, the team announced. The move opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for Ramon Urias, who agreed to a one-year deal. St. Louis claimed Kent off waivers from the Rangers earlier this week.
It’s been a whirlwind offseason for Kent, with the Cardinals at the center of it. The club picked him up off waivers from the Guardians back in December. After about a month in the organization, he lost his spot when St. Louis landed left-hander Justin Bruihl. The Rangers claimed Kent, but bumped him off the roster when they signed left-hander Jordan Montgomery. Kent’s most recent stint with the Cardinals lasted just five days.
The 27-year-old had an unremarkable debut with Cleveland this past season. He pitched to a 4.58 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. Kent showed a three-pitch arsenal in his 12 appearances, throwing each of his four-seamer, slider, and curveball at least 25% of the time. The righty used the slider on nearly 40% of his offerings. It held opponents to a .138 batting average. The slider was also his best whiff pitch.
It’s likely the Triple-A numbers that have teams intrigued by Kent. He has a career 3.74 ERA in 122 2/3 innings at the level. Kent posted back-to-back seasons with a K/9 above 11 at Columbus. He had a sub-3.00 ERA with a 31.4% strikeout rate in 34 appearances with the Clippers in 2025.
Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images
Cardinals Sign Ramón Urías
The Cardinals announced the signing of infielder Ramón Urías to a one-year contract. The Wasserman client is reportedly guaranteed $2MM. He’ll receive a $1.5MM salary and is guaranteed a $500K buyout on a 2027 mutual option valued at $4MM.
The infielder can earn an additional $2MM in performances bonuses: $125K apiece for 350 and 375 plate appearances; $200K each at 400 and 425 PAs; $250K at 450, 475 and 500 PAs; and $300K apiece at 525 and 550 plate appearances. St. Louis designated Zak Kent for assignment to create roster space.
Urías, 32 in June, has been a solid multi-positional player for the past six big league seasons. Most of that time was spent with the Orioles, though he was traded to the Astros at last year’s deadline. He has stepped to the plate 1,856 times in the majors, roughly three full seasons’ worth, and hit 50 home runs in that time. His .257/.321/.403 batting line translates to a 104 wRC+, indicating he’s been 4% above average on the whole.
His defense is even stronger than his offense. He has mostly played third base but has also spent some time at the other infield positions. He’s probably stretched as a shortstop but he has received strong reviews for his work at the hot corner. He won the American League Gold Glove at that position in 2022, getting credited with 14 Defensive Runs Saved and eight Outs Above Average. For what it’s worth, in the years since, DRS still views him as a positive defender but OAA has him below par. His work at the keystone is well regarded, with 11 DRS and 2 OAA. He has fewer than 100 innings at first base.
He is coming off a down year at the plate. Between the O’s and the ‘Stros, he slashed .241/.292/.384 for an 87 wRC+. Houston could have retained him via arbitration for 2026, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a $4.4MM salary, but they decided to non-tender him instead.
For St. Louis, Urías should backfill some of their missing infield depth. The Cards are rebuilding and traded away Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras this winter. Those moves both saved money and also freed up playing time for some younger players the organization would like to get a look at.
On the dirt, they project to have Masyn Winn at short and Alec Burleson at first, with the other two positions a bit more open. Nolan Gorman seems likely to take over the third base job but also has lots of experience at second. JJ Wetherholt could get the second base gig but he hasn’t yet cracked the major leagues.
Behind those leading candidates, the Cards also have José Fermín, Thomas Saggese, Bryan Torres and César Prieto on the 40-man roster. No one in that group has more than 100 big league games played. All of them except for Fermín have options, so perhaps the club would prefer them to get regular playing time in the minors if they don’t have regular big league jobs. Gorman also has options and is coming off two rough years at the plate.
When dealing with a group of fairly unproven guys, some will perform and some will not. On top of that, injuries are inevitable. Urías is coming off a down year at the plate but is a fairly reliable veteran who could step in to cover for some of the other guys, if necessary. If he’s on the roster and playing well in the summer, he would be a logical trade candidate for the rebuilding club.
Jeff Jones of The Belleville News-Democrat first reported the Cardinals were nearing a deal with Urías. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the sides agreed to a one-year, $2MM deal with a $500K buyout on a mutual option. The Associated Press reported the option value and the bonus specifics.
Photo courtesy of Cary Edmondson, Imagn Images
Jake Cave To Sign With Mexican League’s Tecolotes De Los Dos Laredos
Former big league outfielder Jake Cave has an agreement in place with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in the Mexican League, reports Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. Cave is represented by the Ballengee Group.
Cave, 33, appeared in seven major league seasons from 2018 to 2024, mostly with the Twins but also suiting up for the Phillies and Rockies. He appeared in 523 contests and stepped to the plate 1,564 times, producing a .236/.292/.400 batting line. He hit 45 home runs and stole 13 bases. He played all three outfield spots and a bit of first base.
The Rockies outrighted him off the roster after the 2024 season and he elected free agency. He headed overseas for the 2025 season, signing with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization. He had a good campaign over there, getting into 136 games for the Bears. He hit 16 home runs and slashed .299/.351/.463 for a 125 wRC+.
Cave will now add another stamp to his passport and join one of the most hitter-friendly leagues in the world. The league-wide slash line in the Mexican League was .295/.378/.465 in 2025. That’s roughly equivalent to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.‘2 2025 batting line of .292/.381/.467.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images