Infielder Adeiny Hechavarría has agreed to a deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, the team announced yesterday (h/t to the Japan Times). It’s a one-year deal worth a reported $970,000.
Hechavarría, 31, has appeared in the big leagues in each of the last nine years. Signed out of Cuba by the Blue Jays, he made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2012. That November, Hechavarría was part of the twelve-player blockbuster that sent José Reyes and Mark Buehrle to the Jays. He spent the next four seasons as the Marlins’ regular shortstop. He never hit for power or drew many walks, but Hechavarría made a lot of contact and rated as a plus defender at the position. As he got into his late-20’s, he became something of a journeyman depth infielder. Over the past four years, Hechavarría has suited up for the Marlins, Rays, Pirates, Yankees, Mets and Braves. He has slashed .251/.289/.387 with 23 home runs over 953 plate appearances in that time.
Last season, Hechavarría only picked up 63 plate appearances with Atlanta. He was left off the playoff roster during their run to the NLCS and became a free agent after the season.
Man, when will we ever see another trade like that Marlins-Blue Jays one? That’s just awesome to look back on.
maybe if Dipoto returns to his trading ways
Or Preller
Padres astros trade was better
That Caminiti Bell Deal was a whopper back in the day.
It was supposed to be a much more momentous trade than it turned out to be. If only Josh Johnson’s arm had held together, he would’ve been the key acquisition instead of the forgotten man. He was the one I was excited about as a Jays fan. Bonifacio too though he was an obvious risk.
Still can’t complain about how it turned out for the Jays though.
Guess he’s now Subtracteiny Hechavarria
Not often you see a defense-first infielder going to Asia to play. I wish him well, he’ll probably get better playing time and better pay in Japan.
I don’t know why, but he just doesn’t feel like a player who would play in Asia.
The few, the proud, the Chiba Lotte Marines
Say what you want, but he was a magician at SS.
Why are so many MLB players signing to play in other countries for 2021?? It used to be the other way around. Players from other countries were even defecting their own countries to plan in the MLB.
Assured pay vs. questions about whether they would earn a major league deal and how many MLB games will be played in ’21.
For fringe players, going to play overseas in leagues that can give much more certainty around playing a full season, in countries with COVID under far better control than the US, has got to be appealing. Not to mention, better shots at playing time.
MLB is still the pinnacle, but it makes sense for 50/50 guys to go elsewhere.
Because this countries going down the yoooohooooo
with more players wanting to persue these opprotunities and a limited number of roster spots its probably becoming more competitive to get into these leagues.
Was hoping for him to come back to Atlanta
Wow almost $1M bucks for this guy to to Japan. It seems like the Japanese League teams are offering/paying more $ for former MLB player this off-season than in years past. Maybe I just haven’t been following as closely in the past but it seems like $970K for a guy who would’ve been lucky to get a minor league deal with an invite to spring training is a really solid deal for him! Best of luck to him in Japan. Also while he was never really known for hit bat back when he was an everyday player with the Marlins… he did hit 9 HR in just over 200 ABs in 2019… so factor that along with going to Japan where the pitching won’t be as good as in the MLB and he could actually wind up putting up some “monster” (by his previous standards) numbers. And no matter what he’s excellent in the field… I wouldn’t be surprised to see him wind up hitting .300 with 20+ homers and playing “GG-caliber” defense over in Japan… Will be a really fascinating player to keep an eye on — not that it will ever amount to anything more in the majors — at least not at his age (31/32) but still — he could wind up being quite the “star” over in Japan — which I imagine would have to be a really cool experience for him if that ends up being the case.
Just didn’t hit enough. With Camargo and Almonte didn’t need him
He will probably hit better in Japan.
Feel like he could have gotten that deal with an mlb team
It would’ve been a non-guaranteed minor league deal and he’d very possibly been released sooner rather than later. This offers more security.
Hes a good player he could have gotten a big league deal.
Surprised Adeiny couldn’t fit a MLB deal for that price.
If Hechevarria could have gotten a big league deal i imagine he would have. Though i am somewhat surprised as well given that a team like the Orioles, who have an obvious need for a stopgap at SS wouldn’t offer a similar deal
If you look at 2019 attendance numbers, the NPB actually drew more fans per game than MLB. You’d think they’d be awash in money and buying more foreign players than they are, but they’re limited to 4 per team by the rules.
Hechie is not an everyday player, but there’s value with a guy who can bring you GG defense all over the infield. Plus, as a hitter, he puts the ball in play. That skill comes in handy late in games when all you need is contact to move or score a baserunner. Surprised that skill set wouldn’t fit on at least one MLB team.
Because he’s just not a good hitter. Contact skills without power or leading to getting on base don’t have the value you think they do. No one is signing a player because they might occasionally have a slightly better chance of moving a runner along with a ground ball out as a pinch hitter. That’s the disconnect between your expectations and the fact that not a single front office deigned to pick him up.
He will likely replace Jose Flores