The Cincinnati Reds chose not to tender contracts to Juan Graterol, Jordan Patterson and Aristides Aquino, making them free agents. Per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, the Reds have interest in re-signing all three to minor league deals (Twitter links).
It’s been quite the couple of weeks for outfielder/first baseman Jordan Patterson, who only recently was acquired off waivers by the Reds. Shortly before that, the Mets had claimed him off waivers from the Rockies. The 26-year-old will now have some control over his own destiny, as there is clear interest in the former fourth round pick. Patterson’s only major league playing time came in 2016 with the Rockies when he managed to knock eight hits in eighteen at bats, but he is, at this point, a relatively proven commodity in the upper minors looking for an opportunity at the next level.
Graterol, 29, is a Venezuelan catcher with 106 career big league at-bats across parts of three seasons with the Angels and Twins. Graterol has done his share of traveling in recent years as well, as he was claimed off waivers five times since November 2016. After the Angels released him last June, he signed with the Twins as a free agent, appearing in three games at the ML level before the Reds selected him off waivers in October. While exhibiting very little in the way of power, Graterol has decent contact skills, hitting a combined .299/.330/.350 last season between the Angels, Twins and Triple A.
Aquino, 24, is a big-armed outfielder with good pop. Despite realizing some of his in-game power potential in Double A this season (.447 SLG), Aquino struggled to make consistent contact (25.2 K%). Still young, he has the potential to carve out a major league role for himself if he can refine his approach, but he will need to improve his pitch recognition in order to harness his raw power and make it as a right fielder in the bigs.
With the non-tendering of center fielder Billy Hamilton, the Reds 40-man roster is now down to 36.
Colorado Red
Why not DFA Jordan
Why not move Aristides Aquino off the 40 man.
Per my understanding he had options left.
dhud
A player stays on the 40 man roster when they are optioned
phenomenalajs
This stuff with Jordan Patterson is quite freaky. He’s like a hot potato. It makes you wonder what changed in the couple days between the claim off waivers and the waiving by each time. You had to know he was due for arbitration.
GareBear
This is essentially a dfa for Patterson. They want to resign him to a minor league deal but this way he enters with a flood of other non-tenders and they hope to “sneak him through” without having to give him a 40-man spot
Colorado Red
Very different.
If they DFA’d him, and no one claimed, he could be optioned off the 40 man roster.
He is now a FA.
Houston We Have A Solution
Yeah it’s quite typical.
Team claims player. They try to sneak him past other teams hoping no one claims him so they can keep him in order to remain his rights without using up a 40 spot.
But I forget who it was but one pkayer last 2 or 3 years was dfa and claimed lile 5 or 6 times.
hiflew
It happens almost every year in April. The Blue Jays used to use that tactic quite a bit.
BrandonGregory74
Peter O’Brien?
Dock_Elvis
Word is he’s failing physicals.
billneftleberg
Which is what the Mets tried to do.It didn’t work for them so why would it now? Whoever wants him will just give him the best contract. All the reds did was waste a waiver fee(25k)
hiflew
The owner probably spends more than 25k on dog food. I don’t think that waiver fee is going to break them.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
The Pirates should sign Jordan and give him the chance to compete as the fourth outfielder. However, it seems like the Giants or Indians are a better fit for him.
CaptainHooks
The Minnesota Twins should make a run at Jordan Patterson.
If the Twins can’t sign Patterson to a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite, the Twins could give him Michael Reed or Zach Granite’s 40-man roster spot.
ksoze
4 Spots for FA’s?
titanic struggle
I wondered that myself…
hiflew
Probably 1-2 for Rule 5 picks. The Reds will draft fairly high.
titanic struggle
They don’t often play the rule 5 game, more likely 1 or 2 spots to protect one of their own kids…
Dutch Vander Linde
They should put a limit on how many times a player gets put on waivers in a year because this is getting ridiculous. Once a team puts a claim on a player, they have to keep him until next offseason. If you don’t need him then don’t claim him.
hiflew
I both agree and disagree. I think there should be a minimum time spent on a roster, but not an entire year. Maybe 30 days or so.
Dock_Elvis
Then there needs to be centralized medical records because I’ve heard hes failing physicals.
Backup Catcher to the Backup Catcher
Reds fans are gonna miss Billy Hamilton. Hamilton has Cool Papa Bell like speed. You recall the now famous line attributed to Cool Papa’s speed; “Cool Papa Bell was so fast he could turn off the light and be in bed before the room got dark!”.
Some team is gonna sign Hamilton for a song and teach him to slap the ball around on the ground. Hamilton has the type of speed that can change every game in which he plays. He’s a nightmare for opposing pitchers. Plus, Hamilton is a Gold Glove caliber CF.
fieldsj2
If somebody can teach him how to keep the ball on the ground, there a miracle worker. It’s not gonna happen though. I’m a fan of Billy, but he can’t hit MLB pitching. Since day one he hasn’t been able to touch a slider from a right hander. He actually regressed in that department. Nobody can touch his D in center though. One of the best I’ve ever seen. I hope somehow he learns to hit, I’m definitely rooting for him.