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White Sox Sign Austin Slater

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The White Sox announced the signing of outfielder Austin Slater to a one-year deal. The Ballengee Group client is reportedly guaranteed $1.75MM and can unlock another $500K in performance bonuses. Slater would receive $50K in his 50th game and $75K apiece at 75 and 100 games. He’ll collect $50K for his 100th, 150th and 200th plate appearance and would earn another $75K each at 250 and 300 trips to the dish.

Slater, 31, was an eighth-round pick by San Francisco out of Stanford during the 2014 draft. The outfielder spent more than a decade in the Giants organization as he made his big league debut in 2017 and remained with the club through last season. In the first three seasons of his career, Slater was a decent but unspectacular fourth outfielder for San Francisco, slashing a combined .254/.335/.368 in 544 total plate appearances during that time. While primarily an outfielder, he also received occasional time at first base and even made token appearances at both second and third base off the Giants’ bench.

The outfielder broke out during the shortened 2020 season, however, with a 150 wRC+ and a .282/.408/.506 slash line in 104 trips to the plate while appearing in 31 of the club’s 60 games. That leap forward offensively earned Slater an expanded role over the next few years, and from 2021 to 2023 he became a regular for the Giants against left-handed pitching. While he was still generally shielded from righties, Slater slashed a respectable .257/.345/.412 in 343 games from 2021 to 2023. That’s good for a respectable 113 wRC+, and across those 838 plate appearances he walked at a 10.5% clip, swatted 24 homers, and swiped 29 bases despite frequent trips to the injured list cutting down on his playing time over the years.

Unfortunately for Slater, his production cratered in 2024. The outfielder hit just .209/.321/.266 (76 wRC+) overall in 212 trips to the plate this year while bouncing between the Giants, Reds, and Orioles. Even more surprisingly, the outfielder actually carried reverse splits this year after years of feasting on left-handed pitching. While he enjoyed a 141 wRC+ against lefties from 2020 to 2023, Slater hit just .188/.310/.231 against them in 142 plate appearances this year. Dismal as that overall production last year was, there is a silver lining in Slater’s performance. Once he arrived in Baltimore on the day of the trade deadline, he looked much more like the player he’s been throughout his career. In 79 plate appearances with the Orioles down the stretch, Slater hit .246/.342/.333 (102 wRC+) overall and posted a 114 wRC+ against southpaws.

That late-season rebound could inspire additional confidence in Slater’s ability to return to form in 2025 and beyond. That appears to be what the White Sox are betting on, and Slater makes plenty of sense for the club as a right-handed platoon option. Veteran lefty bat Andrew Benintendi is entrenched in left field, while the club also employs a host of left-handed youngsters in right field and at DH including Zach DeLoach, Dominic Fletcher, Gavin Sheets, and Oscar Colas. Of that group, only DeLoach (in a sample of just 79 big league PAs) lacks a significant platoon split.

Mixing in Slater against left-handed pitching should be a huge boost for a Sox offense that produced an MLB-worst 74 wRC+ against left-handed pitching last year, even if he merely recreates the production he offered the Orioles rather than bouncing back to the excellent form he showed from 2020 to 2023. While even an excellent short-side platoon bat isn’t going to make the White Sox contenders in 2025 following a 121-loss season this year, Slater was sufficiently attractive as a trade piece this summer to get dealt not once, but twice prior to the deadline. If he can garner that level of interest amid a down season, it’s easy to imagine the White Sox recouping some value for his services next July in the event he bounces back.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the White Sox were signing Slater to a major league deal. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the $1.75MM base salary and the $500K in incentives. The Associated Press reported the incentive structure.

Sandro Fabian Reportedly Agrees To Three-Year Deal With NPB’s Hiroshima Toyo Carp

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Outfielder Sandro Fabian has reportedly agreed to join the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, per details from Francys Romero and Mike Rodriguez (X links). It’s a three-year pact worth $5.8MM, plus $600K of incentives. Fabian was on the 40-man roster of the Texas Rangers, who have apparently received some release fee from the Carp to let Fabian go, though the exact value of that hasn’t been reported. Once this all becomes official, the Rangers’ 40-man roster count will drop from 39 to 38.

Fabian, 27 in March, was an international signing of the Giants out of the Dominican Republic back in 2014. Baseball America considered him one of the top prospects in that system from 2017 to 2020 as he performed well in the lower levels of the minors, but he struggled more as he climbed the ladder. His prospect stock dimmed and he reached minor league free agency after 2021, having not climbed higher than Double-A.

In each of the past three offseasons, he has signed a minor league deal with the Rangers. He did finally get to make his major league debut late in 2024, getting selected to the roster in the first week of September. He went hitless in five plate appearances over three games.

For the most part, Fabian has been upper level depth for the Rangers. He has taken 1,093 plate appearances in 265 games at the Triple-A level, keeping his strikeout rate down to 15.3% but only walking at a 6.9% clip. In the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League, his .272/.332/.482 batting line over that time translates to a wRC+ of 95.

His grip on his roster spot was likely tenuous and he was probably looking at more time in a minor league depth role if he had stayed in North America. Even if he earned himself a regular big league job, it would have taken him three years to get enough service time to qualify for arbitration. By heading to Japan, he is leaving affiliated ball but jumping to a higher level of earning power far more quickly.

Perhaps that will lead to another MLB opportunity down the road. After three years with the Carp, Fabian will be heading into his age-30 season. If he flourishes overseas, he can look for a new deal that would allow him to return to North American ball.

Athletics, Seth Brown Avoid Arbitration

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The Athletics and first baseman/outfielder Seth Brown have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract for the 2025 season, per a club announcement. While the team didn’t announce financial components of the deal, The Associated Press reports that Brown will make a $2.7MM salary.

Brown, 32, looked as though he was no longer in the A’s plans midseason when he was passed through waivers unclaimed. He accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, so as not to forfeit the remainder of last year’s $2.6MM salary, but Brown caught fire in the minors and hit his way back up to the big leagues in short order.

At the time of his removal from the 40-man roster, Brown was hitting just .189/.251/.306 through 195 plate appearances. He erupted with a .403/.416/.736 slash and seven homers in 77 Triple-A plate appearances, however, and found himself back on the big league roster less than a month later. From the time he returned to the majors through season’s end, Brown hit .271/.312/.448 in a sample of 205 plate appearances that was nearly identical to his early-season struggles.

That proved enough to keep Brown in the team’s plans for at least another year, it seems. The lefty-swinging slugger figures to again split his time between first base and the outfield corners, while Brent Rooker takes the majority of plate appearances at designated hitter. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $3.8MM salary for Brown in free agency, though deals hammered out prior to the non-tender deadline (known as “pre-tender” deals) often come with salaries south of projections. Teams have more leverage prior to the non-tender deadline and thus will frequently present offers in what’s effectively “take it or leave it” fashion, with the “leave it” option representing a non-tender.

Brown has now had consecutive disappointing seasons at the plate, but he popped 45 homers in 261 games with the A’s from 2021-22. He’s a .225/.289/.426 hitter (102 wRC+) in 1640 plate appearances dating back to the 2021 season.

Rockies Re-Sign Jacob Stallings

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The Rockies announced today that they have re-signed catcher Jacob Stallings to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2026. Stallings, a Bo McKinnis client, is reportedly guaranteed $2.5MM. He’ll make a $2MM salary next season and is guaranteed at least a $500K buyout on a $2MM mutual option for 2026. The buyout price would increase by $150K if Stallings plays in 80 games at catcher. It’d climb another $150K with Stallings’ 90th catching appearance and $200K if he appears in 100 games behind the plate. Colorado’s 40-man roster is now full.

It’s not a surprise to see the two sides reunite. The Rockies signed Stallings a year ago and he went on to have a solid season. It seems he enjoyed his time at altitude, as it was reported in September that the two sides had mutual interest in a reunion. Though he wanted to come back, he turned down a $1.5MM mutual option for 2025 in favor of a $500K buyout. He was presumably hoping to secure a guarantee larger than the $1MM difference between those two numbers and has indeed done so.

Stallings got into 82 games for the Rox in 2024, stepping to the plate 281 times. He hit nine home runs and drew walks at a solid 9.6% clip. His .263/.357/.453 batting line translated to a 114 wRC+, his best offensive showing in any season in which he took at least 20 plate appearances.

The defensive reviews were a bit more mixed. He had racked up 42 Defensive Runs Saved from 2019 to 2021, the highest of any catcher in the majors for that time frame. But that metric has soured on him, giving him a grade of -15 over the past three seasons, including a -6 grade in 2024. Outlets like Baseball Prospectus and Statcast have considered him to be an excellent blocker in recent years but not so great in terms of framing or controlling the running game.

While Stallings may not be a perfect player, perhaps he’s the right guy for the Rockies and their current circumstances. Drew Romo may be viewed as the club’s long-term solution behind the plate but he’s not quite there yet. Selected 35th overall in the 2020 draft, he is just 23 years old and is still a work in progress. He has made his major league debut but hit poorly in just 16 games.

Perhaps Romo will get a lengthier big league audition in 2025, with the 35-year-old Stallings around as a veteran mentor/backup. Or if Romo is getting more seasoning in Triple-A, a level at which he has less than 100 games of experience, then perhaps Stallings will get more big league playing time. Utility player Hunter Goodman is the third catcher on the roster and he could be a factor if Romo is down on the farm, or perhaps the Rockies could bring in another veteran.

Either way, the club should be playing the long game. They just wrapped up their sixth straight losing season, with more than 100 losses in each of the past two campaigns. There are some positive developments on the roster but they can afford to give Romo some time to get his feet wet and get accustomed to the big leagues. Since player development doesn’t always go in a straight line, it makes sense to have a vet like Stallings around to help the process or simply step in whenever Romo might be more focused on things like training, developing relationships with pitchers or any of the other facets of being a big league catcher.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported the salary terms. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the possibility to max out at $3MM, while The Associated Press reported the escalator terms.

Cubs Acquire Eli Morgan, Designate Patrick Wisdom For Assignment

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The Cubs and Guardians have made a trade sending right-hander Eli Morgan from Cleveland to Chicago, per announcements from both clubs. Outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario heads the other way. Chicago designated infielder Patrick Wisdom for assignment to open space on the 40-man roster.

Morgan, 28, isn’t a household name but nonetheless represents a notable addition to the Chicago relief corps. The former eighth-round pick is fresh off a terrific season in Cleveland, having posted a 1.93 ERA in 42 frames out of the bullpen. Morgan was the beneficiary of a microscopic .222 average on balls in play and a bloated 85.2% strand rate, both of which serve as a portent for some ERA regression. However, he’s been a quality reliever for the past three seasons, working to a combined 3.27 ERA in 176 innings for the Guards.

Morgan did see his strikeout rate check in at a career-low 20.4% this past season, which is something of a red flag. The primary culprit has been a drop in swinging strikes against his four-seamer, though he hasn’t lost much in the way of velocity on the pitch. Morgan still racks up plenty of whiffs with his slider and changeup, and that pair of secondary offerings has helped him to keep both righties and lefties off balance in his four-year MLB career. Even with the dip in punchouts — Morgan fanned 28.1% of his opponents in 2022 and 25.1% in 2023 — he maintained strong command, issuing a walk to only 6.6% of opponents.

For the Cubs, Morgan will be a multi-year option in the ’pen — and an affordable one at that. He’s controlled for another three seasons and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn just $1MM this coming season. His role in Chicago will determine the extent to which his price tag rises over the next few seasons — saves are compensated more in arbitration than middle relief work, for instance — but the Cubs will very likely pay fewer than $10MM for the three years of service they’re acquiring.

In addition to adding Morgan to the bullpen mix, the Cubs are bidding farewell to the slugging Wisdom, who’s tagged 84 home runs in a Cubs uniform over the past four seasons. The 33-year-old has been a consistent source of power and been a frequent thorn in the side of left-handed pitching, but Wisdom’s limited skill set has long been evident and proved particularly restrictive in 2024, when he hit just .171/.237/.392 in 174 plate appearances.

Strikeouts have been an issue for Wisdom throughout his career, but at least from 2021-23, he was productive enough against lefties and affordable enough that the Cubs were willing to overlook his flaws. He’s fanned in a whopping 36.5% of his trips to the plate dating back to 2021 and has reached base at only a .290 clip — all while playing sub-par defense at third base (with occasional work at first base and very fleeting looks at second and in the outfield corners). From 2021-23, Wisdom hit .231/.312/.517 against lefties and at least hit for power against righties, even though his .206 average and .291 OBP were eyesores. He didn’t produce against pitchers of either handedness in 2024.

Swartz had projected Wisdom for a $3MM salary this coming season — perhaps a reasonable price tag for a defensively limited corner bat who can torment lefties to the extent he did in ’21-’23. But the Cubs’ veteran-laden roster — which includes no-trade clauses for Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki — offers minimal paths to reshaping an offense that simply hasn’t gotten the job done in recent seasons. Subtracting Wisdom both frees up a bit of cash and subtracts a narrow skill set from the roster. That spot on the bench can now be allocated to a new acquisition, presumably one with a more well-rounded skill set.

The Cubs can trade Wisdom for the next week or place him on waivers within the next five days. Friday’s looming non-tender deadline also affords the Cubs the opportunity to simply non-tender the now-DFA’ed Wisdom, which would allow him to immediately become a free agent without needing to first pass through waivers (the only time of year teams are allowed to do so). They could use that as a mechanism to try to quickly re-sign Wisdom on a minor league deal, though he’d likely want to canvas the rest of the league to see if his power potential could land him a 40-man spot elsewhere.

Cleveland had the most dominant bullpen in MLB this past season, so the Guardians surely feel they’re dealing from a position of strength. Morgan’s salary is hardly prohibitive, but even in spite of his success, the rest of the Cleveland was so dominant that Morgan rarely found himself working in leverage spots. Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin all joined Morgan as relievers with 40-plus innings and sub-2.00 ERAs (sub-1.00, in Clase’s case).

The Cubs, meanwhile, dealt with bullpen issues throughout the 2024 season and ultimately wound up releasing last winter’s big relief acquisition, Hector Neris. Midseason pickup Jorge Lopez became a free agent at season’s end. As it stands, their late-inning mix is still full of relatively inexperienced arms, headlined by Porter Hodge, Tyson Miller, Keegan Thompson, Nate Pearson and Luke Little. Morgan will add some stability to that mix, but Chicago still seems likely to pursue further additions in the months ahead.

Rosario, 21 in June, was a sixth-round pick in 2023. He played 109 Single-A games in 2024, striking out 32.2% of the time but also drawing walks at a strong 12.3% clip. He hit 16 home runs and slashed .230/.344/.423 for a wRC+ of 127. He also stole 16 bases while playing both center and right field. Baseball America currently lists him as the Cubs’ #27 prospect.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported on Morgan going to the Cubs (X link). Jesse Rogers of ESPN mentioned Wisdom’s DFA (X link). Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic first mentioned that an A-ball prospect would be going to the Guardians (X link).

Athletics Sign Matt Krook To Minor League Deal

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The Athletics signed left-handed pitcher Matt Krook to a minor league contract late last week, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. The 30-year-old elected free agency earlier this month.

Eleven years ago, the Marlins selected Krook out of high school in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2013 draft. While he planned to sign a contract, the team discovered a left shoulder injury during his physical, and the two sides were unable to come to terms on a signing bonus. Things continued to go downhill for Krook when an elbow injury cut his freshman season at the University of Oregon short; he would undergo Tommy John surgery that spring.

The Giants took Krook in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, and this time he signed a deal and entered the organization. After parts of two seasons in San Francisco’s farm system, he was included in the trade that brought Evan Longoria from the Rays to the Giants. Three years later, the Yankees selected Krook away from the Rays in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, and another two years after that, they added him to the 40-man roster to prevent him from electing minor league agency.

The Yankees made Krook a full-time reliever in 2023, and he kicked off his major league career that same season. Tossing four innings across four separate stints with the big league club, he gave up 11 earned runs, walking six and striking out just three. It was no surprise that control issues were his downfall; he came into his MLB debut with a career 14.3% walk rate in the minors. Despite his ever-present control problems, his minor league numbers were excellent that year (1.32 ERA, 2.81 FIP in 34 IP), but even so, they weren’t enough to stop New York from designating him for assignment over the offseason.

The Orioles put in a claim and sent the Yankees cash to acquire the lefty. Although he looked solid over 43 2/3 frames with Triple-A Norfolk (3.92 ERA, 4.49 FIP), Krook only got the chance to pitch one inning with the O’s in 2024. He allowed three runs (two earned) on a three-run shot off the bat of Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford. While he technically lowered his career ERA from 24.75 to 23.40, it wasn’t the image-rehabilitating showing he was surely hoping for. Baltimore DFA’d Krook at the trade deadline and outrighted him to Triple-A a few days later.

Krook will look to get another crack at the majors in 2025, this time with the A’s. Outside of star closer Mason Miller, the Athletics don’t have much in the way of top-end talent or depth in the bullpen, so Krook should have a clear path to playing time if he pitches well. His minor league deal presumably includes an invitation to spring training, where he’ll have his first chance to make a good impression on his new club.

Padres Sign Trenton Brooks To Minor League Deal

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The Padres have signed first baseman Trenton Brooks to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He will presumably also receive an invite to major league spring training.

Brooks, 29, has a long minor league track record showing his strong plate discipline. Over the past four years, he took 1,691 plate appearances on the farm with a 13.8% walk rate and 16.4% strikeout rate, both of those being much stronger than average. However, he only hit 55 home runs in that stretch, a fairly light tally for a first baseman. Still, that led to a combined .279/.383/.470 batting line and 119 wRC+ for that stretch.

He was finally able to parlay that into a major league debut in 2024, though he ultimately got a very limited look from the Giants. He was on the 40-man for less than a month, getting into 12 games and slashing just .120/.241/.120 in his 29 plate appearances. He was sent through waivers unclaimed and outrighted off the roster, eventually electing free agency at season’s end.

The Padres have Luis Arráez and Jake Cronenworth as first base options, but Cronenworth might be covering second base if Xander Bogaerts is going to move back to shortstop with Ha-Seong Kim now a free agent. The club doesn’t have an obvious designated hitter at the moment, so there’s room for another bat in the lineup. Arráez is also a speculative trade candidate since he’s entering his final year of club control with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a hefty $14.6MM salary next year, a notable expense for a club with known budgetary limitations.

Brooks can provide the club with some upper level depth at the position and try to force his way back to the majors. If he manages to do so and finds more success this time, he still has a full slate of options and just a handful of service days. That means he can be cheaply retained into the future, which would be appealing for any club but perhaps more so for the Friars as they have had to scale back payroll recently.

Mariners Trade For Austin Shenton, DFA JT Chargois

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As announced by both teams, the Mariners have acquired infielder Austin Shenton in a trade with the Rays. Seattle will send cash considerations to Tampa Bay in return. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Mariners designated right-handed pitcher JT Chargois for assignment.

Shenton began his professional career with the Mariners, who selected him in the 2019 draft. Though he was never a highly-ranked prospect, the flexible defender quickly worked his way up the minor league ladder, hitting well at every step along the way. In 120 games across four levels in Seattle’s system, he hit .299 with 46 doubles and 19 home runs, good for a .940 OPS. While he spent most of his time at third base, he also took reps at first base, second base, and both outfield corners.

Ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, the M’s dealt Shenton to the Rays in exchange for right-handed reliever Diego Castillo. Funnily enough, the other player Seattle sent to Tampa Bay in that trade was none other than Chargois. (After brief stints with the Rays and Marlins, Chargois made his way back to the Mariners at the trade deadline this past summer. But more on him in a moment.) Injuries cut into Shenton’s playing time in the Rays system in 2021 and ’22, but after his strong 2023 season (1.006 OPS in 134 games between Double and Triple-A) the team added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Shenton wasn’t as dominant with the stick in 2024, but he provided above-average offense for both Triple-A Durham and the Rays over a handful of games with the big league club. In his first MLB season, he slashed .214/.340/.405 across 50 plate appearances, good for a 120 wRC+. Those are decent numbers for a lefty bench bat, but nonetheless, Shenton was the casualty when the Rays needed to free up an extra roster spot to protect a pair of promising pitchers from this year’s Rule 5 reaping. He was DFA’d yesterday evening.

Despite his solid offensive production, it’s not hard to guess what the Rays might have been thinking. While his bat has real promise, Shenton will be 27 years old next season, and he comes with his fair share of flaws. Although he has played several positions, he might not be capable of regular MLB playing time anywhere other than first base. As for his offense, he has enticing power and a good eye, but strikeouts could be his downfall against the highest level of competition. He has also had dreadful splits against same-handed pitching in two of the last three seasons. On top of all that, he has often had trouble staying on the field; he spent time on the IL in each of his first four professional campaigns.

Regardless, the Mariners must have liked what they saw (and what they remembered) of Shenton, and there’s little risk for Seattle in taking him on. He still has two minor league option years remaining, so he won’t get any playing with the big league club unless he earns it. Moreover, it’s not as if Chargois was going to be a key player in the M’s bullpen next season. Rather, he seemed to be a likely non-tender candidate ahead of this week’s deadline.

Chargois, 34 in December, is a journeyman low-leverage reliever who has bounced between the Twins, Dodgers, Mariners, Rays, and Marlins throughout his big league tenure. He also spent a season with the Rakuten Eagles in Japan. The veteran righty has never been a flashy name, but his career 3.35 ERA and 3.84 SIERA over 231 1/3 innings are impressive numbers. Durability and injury concerns (he has never pitched more than 53 2/3 innings in a season) could prevent him from signing anything more than a minor league contract this winter, but his sparkling 2.23 ERA and solid 4.18 SIERA from this past season should help him find a new place to pitch in 2025.

D-Backs Select Tim Tawa, Joe Elbis

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The Diamondbacks added infielder Tim Tawa and right-hander Joe Elbis to their 40-man roster to keep them out of the Rule 5 draft. Arizona’s roster count sits at 37.

Tawa, a 25-year-old utility player, was Arizona’s 11th-round pick in 2021. The Stanford product is primarily a second baseman but can bounce around to the corner infield or any outfield spot. The right-handed hitter split the ’24 season between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno. He hit 31 homers with a .279/.349/.519 batting line across 613 plate appearances. The power output is surely inflated by his favorable home parks, but Tawa’s versatility and minor league production could make him a solid bench piece.

Elbis, 22, is a starting pitcher who reached Double-A. The Venezuela native combined for 135 1/3 innings of 3.39 ERA ball between High-A and Double-A this year. While his 20% strikeout rate isn’t overpowering, he showed solid control with an 8.3% walk percentage. He’ll begin the ’25 season as minor league rotation depth.

Dodgers Select Jack Dreyer

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The Dodgers added left-hander Jack Dreyer to their 40-man roster, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X link). He’s their only addition to the 40-man roster on Rule 5 protection day.

Dreyer, 26 in February, was an undrafted signee out of Iowa in 2021. The 6’2″ reliever has overcome that lack of draft pedigree to grab a roster spot with the defending World Series winners. Dreyer posted fantastic numbers in the upper minors this year. Between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, he turned in a 2.20 earned run average across 57 1/3 innings. He struck out nearly 32% of batters faced while limiting his walks to a 5.3% clip.

The Dodgers have Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda as their top lefty relief options. Justin Wrobleski and swingman Zach Logue were the only other southpaws on the 40-man roster. Dreyer has a shot to pitch his way into the middle innings next season.

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