Outfielder David Dahl has opted out of his minor league contract with the Nationals, reports Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Washington could choose to select him onto the MLB roster to keep him in the fold, but Dougherty indicates they’ll let him head back onto the open market.
It’s the second consecutive minor league deal for Dahl that hasn’t resulted in a big league opportunity. He spent a year with the Brewers top affiliate in Nashville after signing a non-roster pact last August. Despite posting solid numbers with the Sounds, Dahl was let go by Milwaukee this July. He latched on with the Nats a couple weeks later, with the club seemingly eyeing him as a possible late-season replacement after some forthcoming deadline trades that subtracted from the lineup.
That didn’t wind up coming to be, as Dahl struggled over his 18 games with their highest affiliate in Rochester. He hit .224/.304/.343 in 79 trips to the plate, striking out on 22 occasions (27.8% rate). That’s a far cry from the .294/.357/.468 showing he’d posted in 280 plate appearances with Nashville earlier in the year, and the Nationals instead selected the contract of first baseman Joey Meneses and claimed outfielder Alex Call off waivers from the Guardians to backfill the 40-man roster.
Dahl’s most recent MLB came action came during the first half of the 2021 season with the Rangers. Signed to a $3MM deal the preceding offseason, the lefty-hitting outfielder hit .210/.247/.322 over 63 games in Arlington before being released. That came on the heels of an injury-wrecked 2020 season that had led the Rockies to cut him loose, and it’s now been three years since Dahl looked like a potential core piece in Colorado. The former #10 overall pick was an above-average hitter when healthy in each of his first three MLB seasons, which included a .302/.353/.524 showing in 2019 that earned him an All-Star nod.
The 28-year-old heads back into free agency in search of another opportunity. He seems likely to catch on elsewhere on a minor league pact, with a team that seeks non-roster outfield depth likely to be intrigued by his prior MLB success and recent solid production at the upper levels with Milwaukee. If Dahl finds a new landing spot by September 1, he’d technically be eligible for postseason play.
If you can’t make the nationals roster it might be time to hang ‘em up
There’s no way he can be worse than Alex Call
He is better than Ozuna. Bring him in!
Go Braves.
This seems like a Reds kinda guy. They stumble across him (ala Tyler Naquin), and he becomes a world beater who can bring back a decent return. CIN has nothing – and I do mean NOTHING – to lose.
I’ve been a Reds fan my whole life and I agree with you. I don’t see why more fringe players don’t sign with them to be able to hit in Great American Ball Park for half the season to build their stock back up for one more possible decent payday. We have seen numerous players over the last decade come to the Reds and start mashing the ball and look like completely different players than what we have known them as. They fall apart as soon as they leave Cincinnati but a few have still been able to get that one last contract before it’s all said and done.
Exhibit A – Scooter Genett
Exhibit B – Zack Cozart (started his career with Reds but still fell his bat fell off when he left nonetheless)
Might as well add Nick Castellanos to your list.
He is one that I wouldn’t have expected that to happen to. That’s a big contract Philly is sitting on and I would like to see him turn it around.
Derek Dietrich says hello. Brandon Drury is waving…
Perfect example, he hit like 17-20 HR’s by the end of the May as a Red if I remember correctly. Definitely hasn’t been anywhere near the same since that season.
I would much rather have him on the Cardinals than Dickerson!!
Like to see the Cubs sign him.
He should go across the pond
England?
Russia
Wow
CPBL might not be amy safer right now if we are honest.
Meneses has been a nice little story for an otherwise dismal Nationals season.
Wouldn’t mind the Phils stashing him in Lehigh for a bit just in case. I also thought they might have scooped up Janko from Lanco for the same reason but alas I was wrong there also. Pretty sure I’m just wrong here too. Meh.
He needs to start over fresh. His swing as well as a new organization. Time to go for broke
Orioles should sign him to a minor league deal, see if their famed analytics can help
I’ll pass. We already brought in Brett Phillips to block a youngster. We’re overflowing with young OF talent as it is.
Yes, agreed 2x. Definitely an Elias kind of pick up. But we do already have Phillips.
I think Elias picked up Phillips for three reasons. 1. he knows him 2. he’s an OF version of rah rah sis boom bah Odor. 3. He has post season play experience.
He could join the Yankees and sit under the learning tree of Matt Carpenter
He’ll be a Cub and go to the island of “lost talent” AAAA players.
I’m always amazed when an All-Star falls to a journeyman struggling in the minor leagues within years. I don’t think it’s too late for Dahl, he is young enough to possibly make a comeback in a few years.
I’ll take Barbie Dahl every time over this stiff
Lots of injuries. Pandemic hit and he cratered.
Surprised he didn’t get a shot with the glorified AAA Nats
Nationals are only taking on position players with multiple years of team control. Putting up numbers just to play out the string gets them nothing.
Reds should get rid of Aquino and sign this guy.