The Dodgers have claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell off waivers from the Mariners, who’d designated him for assignment last week, Robert Murray of FanSided reports. Trammell is out of minor league options, so he’ll go right onto the Dodgers’ active roster.
Now 26 years old, Trammell was the No. 35 overall pick by the Reds back in 2016. He ranked among the game’s top 100 prospects each season from 2018-21 and has participated in a pair of Futures Games but hasn’t yet found success in the majors. He had multiple auditions with the Mariners — who acquired him alongside Andres Munoz and Ty France in exchange for Austin Nola, Austin Adams and Dan Altavilla — but has produced only a .168/.270/.368 batting line with a huge 37% strikeout rate in 351 MLB plate appearances.
That said, Trammell has been vastly better in Triple-A. He’s spent parts of three seasons there as well, turning in a stout .274/.381/.506 batting line with a 24% strikeout rate that’s worlds better than his MLB clip. Trammell has shown off his eye at the plate both in the majors (11.1% walk rate) and in Triple-A (14%).
Trammell’s once better-than-average speed has declined, as Statcast ranked him in just the 43rd percentile of MLB players in average sprint speed last year. His defensive grades from metrics like Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved haven’t lined up with scouting reports that pegged him as a potentially plus defender in the outfield, either. Trammell has probably hit for more power than was expected early in his prospect days. His .368 slugging isn’t much to look at, but when considering his low batting average, he’s sitting on a .200 ISO in his big league career. He’s also popped 38 homers in his 812 Triple-A plate appearances.
His role with the Dodgers is yet to be determined, though fellow lefty-swinging outfielder Jason Heyward has been dealing with a back issue. If Heyward needs to miss any time, Trammell could step into his role as a stopgap until the veteran is able to return.
It’s always funny to me when a guy like this doesn’t get picked up by one of the teams expected to lose 100 games. He still had a .920 ops in AAA last year.
I think it’s like a trade off of not really needing to get wins and is this a guy worth a roster spot for a season to see if you can get lightning in a bottle. You are right though, idk why losing teams don’t just try guys like this more often. Give him few hundred ABs then try someone younger if it doesn’t work.
The Mariners already gave him a few hundred ABs. How’d that work out? Give him a few hundred more, you say?
Because they have better shot at a decent draft pick the more games they lose.
Yeah, but keep in mind it was in the PCL. Still had a solid 119 wRC+ once you adjust for the ultra hitter friendly environment, but still.
Trammell is a .259 hitter with a .788 OPS in AA and AAA in his career. He has not been very good. Be careful when you quote PCL stats. .822 was the average OPS for the league. Trammell didn’t rank in the top 3 of the regulars on his Tacoma Rainers’ team. Jo Adell had a .961 OPS last season and Angels fans can tell you all about him.
Honestly, I think we can stop debating about whether Trammell is any good or not, since it really doesn’t matter. He’s just a warm body who will likely be gone in a few days.
Of course we can debate whether or not he is any good. It’s literally the point of this comment section. He is not, but we are here to debate it.
He has to be there 10 days. For Dodger fan’s sake i would hope he doesn’t have to play much until Heyward returns. That would add insult to injury.
I get it, he’s not likely to become anything but teams like the Nats are paying guys like Joey Gallo and Eddie Rosario.
Trammell hasn’t had an at bat since the Dodgers picked him up.
Who will he replace?
Heyward for a week
Probably, but they could also have called up Pages.
Likely didn’t want to waste one of Pages options for a one week stint in the bigs. Also see what Trammell can do for them.
Also Pages is RHH while the Dodgers clearly would prefer a LHH to replace Heyward (who was effectively platooning with Chris Taylor).
I was hoping for Miguel Vargas
Same deal. Vargy is a righty bat.
Makes sense
Yeah it takes an option year but only if he wasn’t going to come up at all this year. Seemed like a good opportunity to give him a taste of the bigs. I don’t see where handedness is the deciding factor for a fifth outfielder who probably won’t be in more than a couple of games. Pages is a prospect while Trammell is just a total burner.
Blue: I’m not advocating for Trammell. Merely observing that Dodgers seem to be committed to platooning the 3rd-4th OF spots.
I see him as fifth in depth, after Outman, Taylor, Hernandez, and Hernandez. This entire idea of taking on castoff players who won’t be around for more than a few games while you’ve got prospects in those positions on the 40-man seems shortsighted to me. Definitely not my favorite part of how the Dodgers are managed.
@Blue. I read somewhere that Pages was nursing a minor injury and that might explain things. I also have to wonder if Dodgers just want to let him get settled in to work on things until his call up, rather than bouncing him up and down between minors and majors.
Could be, I hadn’t heard that. I was surprised the Dodgers didn’t DFA Lamet after his two innings of work.
For what its worth, Pages tripled in a run Sunday. They were off Monday.
He has had injuries stall his progress multiple times. Still young, potential to be a good pick up if he’s healthy
Not really. He has had multiple chances and was healthy. He just cant translate to the ML. Can’t keep from striking out
Hey Bob, Taylor had two stints out with a pulled hamstring in 2022 and missed spring training and a good chunk of 2023 needing surgery on a broken hamate bone. I get the bat to ball skill has been poor, but he has had health issues
Don’t see room for him on the roster unless it’s Hayward to the IL
He’s not replacing Kikē, Taylor, Rojas or Barnes. Neither is he replacing any of the starters.
If he got through to the Dodgers, they could DFA him and hope he clears and they can keep him
Has to be Heyward to the IL. He’s been dealing with a back issue since spring training.
imagine having the Dodgers payroll and having a first baseman playing 3rd. and an OF’er playing shortstop lol
Imagine having no imagination. Y’know, like you.
I think the Dodgers are doing a great job at taking calculated GAMBLES. But keep pretending your golden boy is innocent.
you keep grasping at whatever straw makes it interesting for you.
Because you’re on the inside and know absolutely everything that happened.FFS. Gotcha.
Met’s fan?
Bad Karma will continue for the golden boy.
The bad mojo followed him up the 5 freeway.
Picking up Trammell isn’t a gamble, it’s a short term rental. He’ll be out of LA by Earth Day.
You know, you’re the equivalent of a five year old. I’m not jealous, you are! That’s what you sound like.
Go cry to mommy. Believe it or not, the entire league doesn’t revolve around the Dodgers and Ohtani. Crazy, I know.
cry about what? another troll? you’re a dime a dozen.
Still a Met’s fan? Been almost a minute.
As long as you are answering the trolls, you are crying.
You wouldn’t happen to know the emoji for jerking off do you? It seems apt for you.
you’d be the expert in jerks. or at least exhibit A. buh bye now. I’ll look for an adult with whom to engage
It’s pretty imaginative to play a 1B playing 3B and OF playing SS. Dodgers definitely using their imagination.
tg
Imagine commenting what you just commented without realizing that Muncy is at worst a 2 WAR 3B and Betts is likely at least a 3 (and more like a 4 or 5 WAR) SS
At the rate he’s going I would be surprised if Mookie isn’t an 8+ WAR player this season. Muncy probably at least 4 war as well.
Imagine not being a troll.
Trolling can be effective when fishing sometimes
Friedman doesn’t believe the old mantra that pitching and defense wins championships….
Gotta be Heyward. Frasso can go on the 60-day if a 40-man spot is needed.
Remember when Ohtani was under investigation for illegal wire transfers? Yeah, what’s happening with that?
Dont remember that… Cant remember any govt agency saying Ohtani was the subject of ANY investigation
Just his bank accounts where wire transfers originated from.
Govt doesn’t announce their investigations. MLB did announce theirs, though it took them a moment.
last time dodgers picked up a mariners scrub (chris taylor) it ended up working out
Would have been a nice addition on the Padres.
Pham would be and oh wait Belt is available too.
Tow – glad to hear you are still alive.
History lesson #1 – TT is a former Padre and he sucked and any team almost never brings back a guy that sucked for them.
History lesson #2 – Pham – just re-read #1.
Belt – as reported, no team – NO team has made him a mlb offer – if you don’t trust Preller then maybe at least trust the rest of the league!
Any relation to Alan Trammell?
Nope! Names are pronounced differently as well
No relation in terms of work ethic or character either. Alan was a model professional. Taylor is a lazy scumbag.
How do you know he is lazy? You have videotapes of his practice? Bias on your part?
He is neither lazy nor a scumbag. He does have some trouble hitting major league pitching, but there are no known character issues.
As an M’s fan, I really hope Taylor can grab ahold of this opportunity. Great guy, seems like he could platoon in the bigs!
Very very surprised he almost cleared waivers tho
Listened to a few interviews in Seattle and he comes across as a genuinely good guy who is working his tush off to be healthy and productive. Had a lot of injuries, which affected his speed. Really easy guy to root for.
Matt Gage released to clear 40 man spot for Trammell
Trammel is left-handed outfield back-up if Heyward goes on IL. He gets DFA’d at some point. Maybe without ever playing in MLB this year. There are better options in Oklahoma City but don’t want to add them to the 40-man and have to lose them.