The Giants announced Monday that they’ve claimed right-hander Jake Jewell off waivers from the Angels and designated infielder Zack Cozart for assignment to clear roster space. San Francisco acquired Cozart from the Angels earlier this winter, though it was obvious at the time that the trade was effectively a means of purchasing a prospect; the Giants took on the remainder of Cozart’s $12.167MM salary in order to land 2019 first-rounder Will Wilson from the Halos in that swap.
Jewell, 26, has yet to find big league success, as he’s served up 20 runs on 28 hits and eight walks with 23 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings over parts of two seasons with the Angels. Control has been a persistent problem for the 6’3″, 200-pound righty, but scouting reports on him have praised him as possessing a plus fastball and slider. He’ll need to curb the walks and do a better job limiting long balls, but there’s some potential for him to emerge as a viable two-pitch reliever.
Cozart’s days in San Francisco were numbered from the start. The Giants have a full infield with Evan Longoria, Brandon Crawford, Mauricio Dubon and Brandon Belt all first in line for playing time around the diamond. Cozart’s 2016-17 run with the Reds was excellent, albeit injury shortened, but his health troubles have escalated to new heights since signing with the Angels on a three-year, $38MM deal. While some missed time was always going to be likely given his track record, there was little reason to predict that he’d be limited to just 96 games over the first two seasons of the deal.
Injuries haven’t helped Cozart’s productivity any, but the .190/.261/.296 slash he posted in 360 plate appearances with the Halos still registers as a shock, given his prior productivity in Cincinnati. He’ll surely be released within the week, at which point he’ll be free to sign with any club for nothing more than the league minimum (or, more likely, a minor league contract). The Giants will remain on the hook for the aforementioned $12.167MM he’s owed — minus the prorated league minimum for any time he spends in the big leagues with another team.
Sad for Cozart.. I was excited for the Angels to sign him originally.
Scary to see a team like the Angels who desperately need pitching giving players away in salary dumps and designating guys who can pitch….
Do you even know what you’re talking about?
he does not
He most certainly does not
Absolutely does not
todd – Who can pitch, Jewell? You obviously don’t watch the Angels, but you didn’t even read his stats in the article. Jewell was totally ineffective on the mound.
And for that reason (1.376 WHIP over his career and, except for one season, more hits allowed than innings pitched), I’m surprised the Giants dropped Cozart for Jewell. But maybe they know more about Cozart’s physical health than we do, and he wasn’t likely to play in 2020 anyway.
I think you’re right.
Teams can only have 40 men on the 40 man roster. The question is always the same, who do drop to make room.
Jewell seems like an obvious choice.
Me too Pete. $12M seems like a lot just to snag a iffy first rounder,
The thing about designating a player is they can always resurface after clearing waivers and while Cozart may have other options, he could also stay with the Giants if he feels he has a good shot in spring training. Saying the obvious: no one will claim him.
Iffy? Wilson was ranked as the Angels’ No. 4 MLB prospect, Is the Angel system so weak that their #4 is “iffy”?
Probably, he’s #10 on Giants but should be lower.
Angel should’ve of kept Jewel and get rid of Max Stassi l don’t know what Billy Eppler sees in Max Stassi the art of framing a pitch Who can only hit $1.33 Billy Eppler going to see the exit door next year
Max Stassi had a batting average of 133 how can you keep a guy like that in the major leagues
There seem to be more & more of such players. But the ones—like Matt Weiters—who not only sucks but has been paid well, always makes me wonder.
Angels should take him back now that his salary is going to be league min.
I see Yankees all over this guy.
T
Why?? They signed Carlos Rendon.
Anthony not carlos.
Rendon who?
Sign him as utility player. Fletcher/La Stella at 2B. La Stella/Pujols at 1B. Cozart as utility is better than Rengifo (probably) and comes with MLB experience and possible upside if his two injury-plagued years were an aberration.
Angels got rid of him
Yeah I heard they DFA’d that Rendon guy, then released him, and then the Nippiton Ham Fighters picked him up.
Cozart is not better than regnifo lol. Cozart hasn’t been healthy in like 2 years… that shoulders done
His salary is only league minimum to other teams because the Angels are paying the rest of it.
I think you mean the Giants are paying the rest of it
Correct. Giants took on salary to get prospect.
That’s right. Brain cramp today.
Giants bought that contract
Where people like you come from? Stop commenting on anything related to baseball. Your to stupid to type
Angels are on the hook for all that salary , not league min. Unless another team signs him which they get him for league min and the angels still are on the hook for full amt minus league min
No they’re not that’s why they traded him to the giants, The Giants took on his contract
Wrong Bravesfan. Angels have nothing to do with Cozart. The Giants traded for his contract to get Wilson. They’re in the hook now.
Good lord…Nope. False. Wrong. He’s a Giant not an Angel.
Right now, he’s a nothing.
But a npthing bringing in over 12 million this year… I think he can adjust
Its amateur hr in here today
I dont see him doing well in a pitchers park. I thought he would be a fit for the Rangers possibly, but they just signed Frazier.
Zach Cozart we hardly knew ye..
Cozart could work in DC, add to our “replace rendon with 4 guys” approach.
Knew it was coming but thought they’d give him a look at spring training.
His glove should have been worth 2 WAR a year even if his bat went back to meh. The signing made sense at the time, but Cozart got injured and David Fletcher proved to be a younger, better player.
At this point I think Zack is looking for a Spring Training invite to show he can still play.
I’ll always wonder how the alternative timeline where we signed Moose instead of Cozart would have turned out…
Good chance the Angels only finish 20 games out of a wild card spot rather than 25.
What could have been….
Moose at third, Simba at short, Fletcher at second is a nice infield. Rengifo comes up as a utility guy.
But if that timeline also includes signing Harvey, Allen, Cahill, and Lucroy, we still suck.
And clevinger on the mound, not cause we traded for him, but because we drafted him and didn’t want vinnie pastano. Thanks again Dipoto your drafts always bare fruit. Unfortunately, it’s for the other team.
I see Cozart in an Atlanta uniform.
my thoughts exactly unless they decide to go for a defensive first shortstop like a Adeiny hechavarria again. the Braves have been known to do well with reclamation projects.
Rangers need to take a chance on him and stick him in AAA, maybe he can come up if Arenado goes down with an injury.
You mean Frazier?
Again a boy can dream. Frazier / Guzman would be the 1b platoon in this alternate reality, while Arenado is the full time 3b.
Arenado will be a twin
Definitely did not see Cozart being designated.
Huh?
Would like to see Cozart back to the Reds for the league minimum. Need someone else besides Galvis who can play SS.
I would rather it be a minor league contract at this time.
Let him prove himself in ST.
Then move him to the 40 man, if he deserves it.
I was thinking the same thing, at the very least he’s a competent back up.
I see Cozart back in Cincy. They need a better starting SS but, at least he can be a backup. If healthy, he can also fill-in at 2B and 3B.
This has Brewers written all over it.
Hey Atlanta , heard you were looking a 3rd baseman lolololol
This has the Nippon Ham Fighters written all over it
would love for Rangers to get him on minor league contract with spring invite.
I could see Chaim Bloom grabbing this guy for the Red Sox after recently releasing Marco Hernandez. He can fight it out with Lin as their league minimum utility player.
Start him at 2b to replace Holt, or if Pedroia is back, then stick him on the bench.
Is Will Wilson worth $12M?
What’s with this guy, does he have beer-flavored nipples ?
Yes. He’s the Giants #7 prospect and he is young enough to move up. That’s easily worth the gamble.
Wil Wilson is, indeed, worth the $12M. The Giants wanted him originally, thinking he was a Top 10 Prospect. Zaidi made a fine trade for Wilson (with Cozart’s salary the consequence).
Yes
Can play all over the diamond with above average glove. Worth a flier to just about any team in baseball looking for infield depth, particularly on the left side.
Too bad for Cozart but he can’t stay healthy and his bat was awful for us. I expect that trend to continue with him but maybe not.
Wow… Cozart isn’t even worth a guaranteed roster spot? He’ll have no problem being invited to a spring training camp. If he proves he’s healthy, he’ll make a roster.
It’s got to be that the extent of his injury is such that he won’t be playing this season. I’m thinking the Giants knew that and DFAd him to open up the roster space for someone who they can get potentially get out on the field this year.
In other news. Astro’s did right by firing the GM & Manager.
I hope Cora gets his dues as well. Maybe suspended for 5 seasons. Or Indefinitely.
What a lot of people, including Steve Adams, are missing on Cozart is that his injury was debilitating. It was a major shoulder injury. He shouldn’t have had any playing time last year. He tried to come back, but quickly realized that he couldn’t get the ball across the diamond on a throw. I would seriously doubt Cozart will be ready until the halfway point of the season, because he’s probably going to need to prove a lot more than “I won’t get injured.” With the news that came out about the derails around his injuries with the Angels, he needs to prove his body will let him play at all again.
He played his best for the Reds – how about a shot to be a veteran backup with upside….
Zaidi’s master plan. DFA Cozart. It’s only $12.167 million dollars.
Oh, simpletons.
Ozark’s health may be a question but his leather work isn’t! That young man can pick it. Would be a nice add to a team like the Giants or the Angels.
Why can’t the Giants put him on waivers for the purpose of out-righting him to AAA? That way they keep him in the organization, and he could be depth in case of injury. They have to pay him whether he’s at AAA, or playing for another team.
He doesn’t have options based on his contract, and has the ability to reject an assignment, and become a free agent and still get paid.
I realize that, but if he rejects the assignment and becomes a FA is he going to get a major league deal elsewhere? Is a team going to commit a 26 man roster spot to him? Not sure why he would reject an assignment to the minors, only to sign a minor league deal elsewhere. If he’s really viewed as a desirable asset, he might have multiple offers, and as a result probably sign for more than the minimum.
The article states that he’ll be released, but I don’t see why the Giants wouldn’t at least try to outright him to AAA. At least going that route they may save some cash since he wouldn’t be signing for the minimum.
I loved Cozy in Cincy. For the league minimum, I’d roll the dice on him as a backup to Galvis.
I thought the reds were trying to contend? I liked Cozart too but when you are trying to compete for a division title you need to put emotion aside. He’s not a solid backup plan because he has been injured a lot in the past 5 years, some serious. And his bat never was his strength. He really had 1.5 good offensive seasons for Cincy, but outside of that he has traditionally struggled. Hard pass.
Agree. Cincy. Philly. Minor league contract. Low risk.
I’d like to see the Blue Jays sign Cozart as their backup to Bichette and Biggio. They have a really young middle infield and could benefit from a veteran there. Granted, he’s probably going to be looking for more playing time, so it probably won’t happen.
Cozart to the Cubs or DBacks on a league minimum deal.
Hope the angels are getting their 10 cents redemption value from each one of these recyclables
Cozart has to be done right? All that hype each year amounted to 1 good season. He fell off a cliff the last 2 seasons. Feels like the Ray’s Mariners or Marlins would be the team to take flyer on a minor league contract tho.
Giants have too many broken down IF’s already
I think he could wind up back in Cincy. Veteran SS for peanuts. Plus his bat will return.
12 mil on a suspect — SF couldnt sign Madbum but spends $$$ on a guy who is yrs away if ever from the ML
He’s going to manage the Red Sox! LoL