The Marlins have designated outfielder Lewis Brinson for assignment, per a team announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to infielder Joey Wendle, whose previously reported acquisition from the Rays has now been formally announced.
Brinson, 27, was the centerpiece of Miami’s return in the blockbuster trade that sent Christian Yelich to the Brewers. Brinson joined the Marlins organization alongside, infielder Isan Diaz, outfielder Monte Harrison and right-hander Jordan Yamamoto. At the time, it was a strong-looking return given that both Brinson and Diaz were regarded as high-end prospects, with Brinson in particular being vaunted as one of the game’s most promising all-around farmhands. As most fans are well aware, however, the deal didn’t pan out for the Fish.
There was always some risk to Brinson, a toolsy first-round pick of the Rangers back in 2012 who found his way to Milwaukee by way of another prominent trade (Jonathan Lucroy). Brinson made a brief MLB debut with the Brewers in 2017, tallying 55 plate appearances and struggling quite a bit as a 23-year-old getting his feet wet in the big leagues. That rough debut didn’t dim his prospect status much at all, but he never really made many strides in parts of four seasons with the Brewers.
From 2018-21, Brinson logged 1056 plate appearances in the big leagues but mustered only a .203/.248/.376 batting line with a 28% strikeout rate against just a 4.6% walk rate. He continues to rate as one of the fastest players in MLB, per Statcast’s average sprint speed, but Brinson doesn’t rate as a premium defender in the outfield by most publicly available metrics. He’s also seen his exit velocity and hard-hit rates drop since 2017-18, and this year’s penchant for popping the ball in the air was particularly concerning; 13 of Brinson’s 75 fly-balls were pop-ups.
Brinson is out of minor league options, so any team that acquires him will have to carry him on the MLB roster next season or else attempt to pass him through waivers before sending him to Triple-A.
The end of an era.
Error*
Brin Diesel and the Chronicles of Briddick won’t end anytime soon.
He’s got hundreds of strikeouts left in that swing.
To the Dodgers and becomes a 5x All-star.
Or Rays.
If the Dodgers can turn Brinson into 5x allstar, they most likely have the ability to make a rock with googly eyes stuck to it a 2x allstar.
They already did. His name is Max Muncy.
Haha. I don’t know if that’s an insult to Max Muncy or too much of a compliment to Lewis Brinson.
Terrence Gore is a better comparison to Brinson.
Seems like a super great guy, but this is the best move they’ve made so far. Addition by subtraction. Now go get Conforto already.
The best addition by subtraction will be when they move on from Anthony Bass.
Why MFB? His numbers don’t look too bad .
His numbers lie. We had to endure him blowing lead after lead after lead after lead after lead…
Oh, kinda like luke Jackson?
I am shocked! Say it ain’t so! As long as they don’t non-tender Jorge Alfaro, I’m good.
Rangers traded both of those guys at the right time!
Pirates should sign him, nothing to lose to take a long shot.
Headliner for the Yelich trade. Not good
We still have Isan Diaz and Monte Harrison….uh…nevermind.
At least Mike Hill is gone and we have Kim Ng instead.
New GM’s often “clean house” like this, removing the remnants of old moves they might not have agreed with. Sometimes you just gotta cut the cord. Brinson absolutely will blow up someday, but it might be when he’s 29. Being viewed as “the centerpiece” on the Yelich deal (which is silly and mostly opinion-based idea of players being more important than others in trades) clearly not helping him in Miami, he won’t have that hanging over him in his next stop.
Yeah, Ng has plenty to rid the Marlins of from Hill’s era of incompetence.
Oh well not all trades work out… some do (see Zac Gallen (who was flipped for Jazz Chisholm) & Alcantara for Marcel Ozuna).
And how Jeter gifted Stanton to the Yankees!
Stanton is never healthy. Yanks got the gift of a part time player and his nice, long contract.
@Fanbase Why do you persist with this? Huge question marks over health and a contract Miami could never ever afford to keep running beyond 2017, we were lucky to get a few decent lottery ticket prospects. It was a deal that had to be made, no matter what
That was a fact most of us knew before the ink dried on that contract.
The Gallen/Chisholm trade was a win/win for both parties.
Yeah the Marlins lost on that deal big time. Luckily their massive haul from the Ozuna trade cancelled it out.
Harrison, Yamamoto, Diaz and Brinson have a total of -6.6 WAR between them. The whole Yelich trade has been an unmitigated disaster.
Bout time..
Just can’t swing it.
Oh yes he can. He is one of the best at swinging at empty air.
He’s absolutely going to have a breakout year next year, this is a terrible move. But I understand new GM’s sometimes feel the need to remove all the remnants of previous regimes moves they might not have thought helped the team.
LewB has had more than enough opps in Miami. This isn’t a terrible move. You have to move on eventually. He has enough talent that someone will take a flier but it’s a long shot.
Brinson was literally the worst player in the NL between 2018 and 2021.
The Oakland A’s better claim him, like now lol.
Yeah if the hired Ron Washington as the A’s new skipper it’s worth a shot. We have to remember it was Wash who made Semien the start he is (well Olson is the first baseman so he covered some of Semien’s miscues at short)…
Back to Texas he goes
Whaaaaat!!!! No way!! Still had potential. He had a massive hot streak for a few weeks last year.
He has a hot streak every year…but a cold streak for the rest of the season.
Yeah, but outside of those few weeks he was “Jeff Mathis” terrible.
bust
Joining an intimidating Cubs OF trio of Happ, Frazier, and Brinson.
What about Heyward? Those bleacher bums will keep cool in the summer with all the fans from those bats.
MFB will you cry if the Cubs win more games than the Marlins like last year?
If so, please post your video!
Do you still cry about 2003 and 2020?
There it is! Remember 2003?!?!!?!? Lol. Garbage team in a garbage city with a garbage owner.
I don’t root for the Cubs!
Find it funny that a fan of a last place team is throwing jabs though!
@ Bryan C – I don’t know much about the owner but Chicago is def not a garbage city.
I’ll give you team but not the City.
Just can’t hit MLB pitching consistently
Just took a look at his salary….he’s headed to the White Sox for sure.
The Rangers drafting and development curse continues
Even though Yelich’s two MVP-type seasons are now looking like a flash in the pan, the Marlins just keep losing this trade. Monte Harrison is next to go.
Yeah, I know he’s been less than useful at the big league level, but for a no risk pickup, that’s the kind of dumpster diving I can get behind.
Guardians. Can be had for league minimum and hits about as terrible as the teams other Outfielders
Baltimore should give Brinson a shot.
Final-Freaking-Ly! Now Isan and Monte, please. Move on from all of them.