The Brewers have granted right-hander Jon Duplantier his release so that he can pursue an opportunity with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Duplantier, 30, inked a minor league deal with Milwaukee back in November and had been slated to compete for a job in spring training. It would seem that the opportunity overseas presented itself between the completion of that deal and today’s news, and the Brewers opted not to stand in the way of Duplantier’s guaranteed payday in NPB.
A former third-round pick and consensus top-100 prospect, Duplantier has only pitched in parts of two big league seasons: 2019 and 2021. Both came with the D-backs, who originally selected him in the 2016 draft. Duplantier held his own through 36 2/3 innings as a rookie in ’19 but was bombarded for 19 runs in only 13 innings in ’21. He’s posted a 6.70 ERA in 49 2/3 innings, striking out 19.7% of opponents against an 11.2% walk rate.
That was quite some time ago now. More recently, Duplantier dominated for the independent American Association’s Lake Country DockHounds in 2024, posting 18 scoreless frames with a 30-to-6 K/BB ratio. He parlayed that into Triple-A looks with the Dodgers and Mets, pitching to a combined 4.20 ERA with a 27.4% strikeout rate and grisly 16.1% walk rate in 65 2/3 innings of minor league work. In parts of four Triple-A seasons, Duplantier has a 4.85 ERA with similar strikeout and walk rates to the ones he notched in 2024.
Real nice guy when I met him when he was with Syracuse, I let him borrow my sharpie so he could sign for a group of kids. Not a lot of guys would do that. I wish him well in all he does.
mr – I’m sure he is a nice guy, but using a fan’s sharpie to sign for other fans is kind of common. Players don’t usually go to sign autographs equipped with their own sharpie.
Reminds me of one time in a gift shop in Toronto, a couple of Boston fans told the clerk they were looking to buy a sharpie. I had to translate for the fans because the clerk had no idea what a “shoppie” was. Haha!
It wasn’t just as simple as borrowing my sharpie, he stopped to sign for a group of kids, when he found out they didn’t have a sharpie he could have said sorry and left, but he stayed and wanted to sign for them and was very appreciative when I volunteered my sharpie for them. They weren’t just next to me in line and he kept using my sharpie as he went. He made a desicion to sign for these kids and make their ballpark visit a memorable one. A lot of guys wouldn’t, and don’t, do that.
mr – I’m not trying to throw shade on you for allowing him to borrow your sharpie!
All I’m saying is it’s customary for at least one player from each team to sign for kids prior to every game. And when they do, players never walk over with a sharpie in their hand. It’s customary after the player signs for the first person, he holds onto the sharpie (or pen) signing for the rest of the crowd. This is a longstanding tradition in MLB.
I just don’t want anyone to get the impression that most players are selfish jerks who don’t sign, that is simply not the case.
Fever pitch misses the point again.
Seriously…
Thank god for you protecting them, how else would the good guys in the league save face without you…smh….
that’s still 10 more than you’ve signed
Port – What are you saying? If you interpreted the below quote as him saying he wants credit for letting the player borrow his sharpie because “not a lot of guys would do that” ….. okay I guess?
I’m happy to give Mr. Met credit for letting the player borrow his sharpie. Not worth making a mountain out of a molehill here. LOL!
“I let him borrow my sharpie so he could sign for a group of kids. Not a lot of guys would do that.”
No Fever pitch guy. I didn’t interpert mr met as saying that at all. I thought he was just sharing a nice story about a ball player signing autographs. I find your negativity and bickering on this thread funny. I see you do stuff like that often here and I rarely read the comments but you’re not the only regular who sees the comments as a way to argue over nothing. You probably are very fun to be around
Portland – You show up with guns blazing at me and you expect me to believe you’re “new” around here? GTFOH.
I wrote “I’m sure he (Jon) is a nice guy”
I wrote about how most if not all of the other players do the exact same thing before every game. How do I know? BECAUSE I ATTEND THE DAMN GAMES.
And then I wrote Mr. Met is entitled to receive credit for allowing his sharpie to be used for other kids’ autographs.
That’s three very positive things I wrote, along with my sharing a humorous personal experience about sharpies.
So you are full of crap with your “negativity” comment.
One more insult from you and I’m dusting off my Mute button, capiche?
I have zero tolerance for miserable people like you trying to drag down everyone’s mood here. I come here to have fun, not put up with people like you.
Mute me. It’s people like you who make this site worse
Dang FPG he was just stating it was nice of a ballplayer to sign autographs for kids. I agree with Mr Met17 and am glad he shared it but it wouldn’t be MLBTR comment section without you or the other trolls telling someone they’re wrong.
Murray – You show up just to call me a troll?
Great, a 2-for-1 mute bargain!
Keep liking your own posts and fighting with multiple people. It doesn’t make you look bad at all fever pitch girl
share a nice story and get a bunch of snarky responses this place is a drag sometimes
dasit – Yes I totally agree! I’ve never even seen Portland post here before, sounds like another who changed their handle.
I’m 100% cool with letting Mr. Met take credit and then move on, after all it’s the holiday season :O)
@fpg Take a break bro. This is a baseball site and it’s okay for people to share their experiences without your constant snark
I don’t post enough to deserve respect from the toxic Red Sox fan. Makes me feel better about my life
FPG, like Portland said, to a tee, you’re the one missing the point here, and I guess even with numerous people pointing it out, you still have to act superior. The post wasn’t about me looking for any credit you twit, it was about Duplantier taking the time to want to stay and sign for a bunch of kids and being a good dude about it when he could have just said sorry and walked off. If you think the post was about me then you are more thick headed than you act. But ya know, since you are so superior in your ‘graphing knowledge, next time I want to wish a ballplayer well, I’ll make sure to check in with you first as to not offend any other, unnamed, not even mentioned ball players that someone else, who can’t grasp the content of a post might think I’m calling a jerk by saying someone else is a good guy. That’s like me posting I like waffles and you asking why I hate pancakes…but I’m sure that will go over your head also…
Btw, thanks Portland, Murray and dasit for actually comprehending a post and appreciating it…at least it didn’t totally fall on deaf ears…
mr – The only person who is thickheaded is you for thinking there will be a “next time”. I kept my posts friendly and civil, you and the other two arrogant clowns (if they are even different people) decided to immediately make it personal by throwing insults towards me.
I won’t be wasting even one more minute of this beautiful holiday season on you. I was very polite, but you didn’t agree with what I said so you acted like an ass. You get what you deserve.
Cry somewhere else Fever. You’re constantly fighting with people on this website. Go outside and touch grass
lol, fever…you’re delusional…
Watch out…The Lake Country DockHounds are about to take over the American Association. They are a free agent destination, akin to the Dodgers. I heard Duplantier made $80k last year, deferred over 20 years.
Kinda bummed, i thought he was leaving to pursue his dreams in National Professional Bull Riding.
That man is built like a brick shithouse and he stuff often looks terrific. I always thought he would do well, but it never really materialized.
Wishing him well overseas.
Nippon filling their limit on Gringos this season.
Lol. Sounds like a player the Red Sox would be interested in signing.
MLB – Only if he were injured. LOL!
Must be slow around here today
Reds – Yes I agree! Ridiculous how some bored people come here to insult players by writing that most players refuse to sign for kids, knowing full well players read here.
Baseball players are the nicest athletes on the planet, they constantly take the time to sign for kids. I will always defend them when others here attack them.