The Wild Card round of the 2022 postseason begins today, but for the majority of teams and players, the offseason is now underway. With that will come plenty of roster formalities, including veteran players who’ve been outrighted off their respective teams’ rosters reaching minor league free agency. This week, there have been 34 such instances throughout the league, per the transactions log at MiLB.com.
None of these are a surprise, to be clear. Any player who is not on his team’s 40-man roster at season’s end but has three-plus years of Major League service time, multiple career outright assignments and/or seven-plus seasons in the minors has the right to elect free agency. Everyone in today’s group of players falls under that umbrella. The majority of the group will likely find minor league deals over the winter, although a few of the players in question could potentially find a big league deal as a bench piece or middle-inning reliever.
There will be several more waves of players of this ilk, and we’ll make note of them in bunches over the coming weeks as we await the launch of Major League free agency, when all unsigned players with at least six years of Major League service time will reach the open market. For now, here’s the first of what will likely be several waves of newly minted minor league free agents:
Catchers
- Taylor Davis (Pirates)
- Dustin Garneau (Tigers)
- Andrew Knapp (Giants)
- Pedro Severino (Brewers)
Infielders
- Willians Astudillo (Marlins)
- Johan Camargo (Phillies)
- Michael Chavis (Pirates)
- Matt Davidson (Athletics)
- Dixon Machado (Giants)
- Richie Martin (Orioles)
- Josh VanMeter (Pirates)
- Tyler Wade (Yankees)
Outfielders
- Greg Allen (Pirates)
- Lewis Brinson (Giants)
- Jaylin Davis (Red Sox)
- Jonathan Davis (Brewers)
- Jackson Frazier (Cubs)
- Brett Phillips (Orioles)
Pitchers
- Tyler Beede (Pirates)
- Austin Brice (Pirates)
- Miguel Del Pozo (Tigers)
- Jerad Eickhoff (Pirates)
- Luke Farrell (Reds)
- Paul Fry (Diamondbacks)
- Eric Hanhold (Pirates)
- Travis Lakins Sr. (Orioles)
- Mike Mayers (Angels)
- Daniel Mengden (Royals)
- Juan Minaya (Nationals)
- Sean Newcomb (Cubs)
- Dillon Peters (Pirates)
- Dereck Rodriguez (Twins)
- Cesar Valdez (Angels)
- Aneurys Zabala (Marlins)
stancpa44
Forgot one, Tiger’s, catcher Tucker Barnhart.
Geebs
No they didn’t.
cgbeauchamp1958
Wanna bet. Read the article carefully.
For Love of the Game
No, Barnhardt’s contract is up. He is a Major League free agent, not an MiLB one. Although if you’ve seen him “hit”…
kidbryant
Tucker won’t be a free agent until the day after the World Series ends. He is a Major League free agent, not outrighted minor leaguer.
egrossen
“34 bums become free agents”
Not impressed
You need to show some respect to guys who have ascended to the highest level of baseball.
I’m pretty certain you would give up a year of your life to be thought of as a “bum” in the major league.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
Calling them “bums” is a show of respect to the truly great players.
Don’t insult Trout, Judge and Ohtani by comparing them to Josh VanMeter.
foppert
FMD. So poor.
How about we show respect to the great players in a way that doesn’t denigrate others.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
Isn’t this haughty deeming of other people’s terminology and respect level as unacceptable itself a form of denigration?
By these standards, yes.
foppert
Yes and yes. I’m absolutely denigrating your comment and I can only hope like f@ck that I’m morally superior to the idea that is expressed in it.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
It is true…
You can only hope.
Not all heroes wear capes, some tone police offhand comments on sports websites’ comments sections.
Thank you for your service.
foppert
Ok. Just quietly though, It’s not like I was telling a story of how I pulled 3 kids from a house fire. Just stating that exalting one group, by denigrating another, is poor form. I’d also suggest the exalted wouldn’t be too keen on it either. But anyways, we move on. I’ve got lives to save.
Gasu1
You’re the only one who used the word “unacceptable”. Telling someone they could have done better is not the same as telling them their behavior is “unacceptable”. Don’t you find it tiresome when people exaggerate someone else’s behavior, merely in order to satisfy their own desire to drive the knife of criticism in deeper?
Gasu1
George Washington was a truly great man, so I can honor him by calling a lesser man, namely you, a bum? Is that how it works? Or do I have it wrong, and you’re arguably a greater man than George Washington? Trying to follow the logic here.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
Some dudes really want to get down on their knees and **** baseball players and they get whiny and upset when other people fail to worship the objects of their affection properly.
They are more “buckets’ than bums, though.
case
I suspect he’s a greater man than a slave owner.
egrossen
You know, I’ve seen this take on this before. I get it, but I don’t use it as an excuse for bad Major League Baseball players. I fully acknowledge they have talent. They wouldn’t have made it this far if they didn’t. However, they are not good enough at the MLB level. They are bums.
TrueOutcomeFan
He typed away vigorously as his mother bellowed from the top step, “Your garlic knots are here!”
alwaysgo4two
So by your logic, if you don’t reach the pinnacle of your profession, you’re a bum? Says everything about you.
egrossen
Good one…
.
Ma the meatloaf!!!!!
cpdpoet
There would probably be a bit less animosity if MLBTR listed our ages under our profile pic…?
Cause some of these troll posts are just for reactions…
sascoach2003
I’m not even sure if that would be a serviceable expansion team roster!
solaris602
The New Orleans Strugglers’ offense would feature a team BA around .200, and the staff ace (probably Mengden) would do well to maintain a 5.50 ERA. The optimist calls them free agents, the pessimist calls them unemployed failures.
Rumy's Ghost
Still better than the Cincinnati Reds
SliderWithCheese
All garbage players but someone will comment how player X would be a solid pickup, and that someone would be wrong. Some of these players will be working for Amazon just in time to deliver holiday packages
Larmando
Well , there’s always a player that’s gonna have a better year next year , I remember Edward Jr was on this list last year and see how good he was this year
wkkortas
Don’t tell that to die-hard USPS guy Josh Van”Postage”Meter.
Lets Go DBacks
Who’s the big Marlins dude in the leading pic? That’s a funny shot.
DarkSide830
LA TORTUGA
jmartin87
25% of the list are Pirates. Guess that explains the outcome of their season. Pathetic franchise.
TheMan 3
only pathetic because of the cheapest owner in baseball
Nutting’s only goal is profit while scraping the dumpster of bodies to fill the 40 man roster
xtraflamy
John J. Fisher would like a word.
Dutch Vander Linde
And probably he’s going to sign 70-75% of this list to the major league roster
Dutch Vander Linde
And probably he’s going to sign 70-75% of this list to the major league roster.
#1WhiteSoxFan
Once is enuff!
brodie-bruce
@#1 if your talking about the double post it was probably this site, there is a glitch somewhere that randomly double post stuff. i know because it happened to me and i know i only posted once
Holy Cow!
He’s just salty over the Sox this year.
alwaysgo4two
They kept throwing players up against the wall, and as the list shows, most didn’t stick.
ARC 2
headline should be minor league free agents.
Scott B2
Welp, With Bloom leading the charge, this list could have been titled “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR 2023 BOSTON RED SOX”.
Rsox
In the last 4 seasons they had 4 of the guys on this list already
amk1920
Guess this is why the Dodgers added Beau Burrows to the roster
bravesfan
A few interesting names, more so a few years ago, but nonetheless. Question: I assume even though these are minor league free agents, none of these guys can sign with a big league club or another minor league deal, and be eligible to play this postseason? Not that any of these guys are that interesting to want this, just merely curious of the formality
ChuckyNJ
Your premise is correct. All the minor league free agents on that list are not eligible for the postseason.
afsooner02
Board Member #1:
I’ve never heard of half of these guys and the ones I do know are way past their prime.
Charlie:
Most of these guys never had a prime.
Rachel Phelps:
The facts are, we lost our two best players to free agency. We haven’t won a pennant in over thirty-five years, we haven’t placed higher than 4th in the last fifteen. Obviously, it’s time for some changes.
Board Member #2:
This guy here is dead.
Rachel Phelps:
Cross him off, then.
.
Afsooner02,
Charlie I’ll have to get back to you. I gotta see a guy about some white-walls!
Halo11Fan
I wonder if the Angels will add five, six or seven of these players.
User 2079935927
Mike Mayers will not be signed.
Holy Cow!
Hold on there. John Carpenter is getting his synth out.
joew
10 players who where pirates in 2022
User 4095290658
Addition by subtraction.
joepanikatthedisco
A nice challenging expansion team for Franchise Mode
Habeto
Let’s make a team out of this list. I’ll start:
Allen RF
Chavis 1B
La Tortuga DH
Brinson LF
Camargo 3B
Davis CF
Van Meter 2B
Knapp C
Martin SS
Bench: Severino, Davidson, Wade, Phillips
Rotation: Beede, Eickhoff, Newcomb, Rodriguez, Peters
Bullpen: Brice (CL), Zabala, Mengden, Farrell, Fry, Mayers, Minaya and Del Pozo
kingsfan1968
Newcombe back to the Angels for 1 year @ $13 mil. Oh wait… that was Matt Harvey a few years ago! ♂️
Tom the ray fan
Over/under 47.5 wins for this squad
Habeto
I’ll be surprised if this team can win 40 games unless in the same division with the Nationals, Tigers and A’s.
Poster formerly known as . . .
Somebody please sign Tyler Wade before Cashman can.
baseballer12
I’m confused. If a team is in the playoffs why can they have a player on this list (Camargo and Wade)? For Camargo, he was outrighted to AAA recently. When the playoffs start, are you completely limited to players exclusively on your 40 man roster already?
Habeto
Yes, you have to be in the 40-man roster AND been added before September 1st, when the rosters expanded.
KamKid
I don’t think that’s true. I think you had to be in the organization not on the 40 man as of September 1. I feel like some teams have selected players to debut in the post season before. The Mariners have Cade Marlowe on their playoff taxi squad and he’s not on their 40 man.
Habeto
mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-ru….
I did miss the 60-day IL.
KamKid
Well there you have it. I’m wrong. Although in 2020, Alex Kiriloff, Shane McClanahan, and Ryan Weathers were all selected to playoff rosters without previously being on the 40 man. That was a strange year with odd roster rules though. Adalberto Mondesi was the same situation in 2015. New CBA I guess? But as a Blue Jay fan I took notice of the article on here about Seattle’s playoff roster that said Cade Marlowe would be first up if an outfield need arises as he’s on the taxi squad. He’s not on the 40 man yet. Surely Seattle knows the rules?
baseballer12
Thanks for the explanation! Appreciate it!
KamKid
This isn’t an expansive list of minor league free agents from teams eliminated from the post season is it? Just guys who have played in the majors and outrighted this year? Otherwise I think most teams would have a decent number of guys eligible for minor league free agency. Unless those guys just haven’t chosen to file yet.
Buccrazy
Pirates lead the way in something at least.