Nationals To Select Hobie Harris
Right-hander Hobie Harris has been informed he’s made the Nationals’ Opening Day roster, agent Matt Gaeta tells Matt Kardos of SomersetPatriots.com (Twitter link). He’ll make his MLB debut as a 29-year-old rookie after an eight-year grind through the minor leagues. Harris isn’t on the Nats’ 40-man roster, so they’ll need to select his contract and make a corresponding move.
Harris forced his way into the Nationals’ plans with an excellent spring, holding opponents to just one run on three hits and a pair of walks with seven strikeouts through 10 innings. Command has been an issue for Harris in the past, evidenced by a 12.5% walk rate in two Triple-A seasons, but the former Yankees 31st-rounder still pitched to a pristine 2.04 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate in 53 innings for the Brewers’ Triple-A club in 2022. Manager Davey Martinez publicly praised Harris’ splitter and the manner in which he’d attacked the strike zone this spring.
Washington’s bullpen will likely have plenty of fluidity behind veterans Kyle Finnegan, Carl Edwards Jr. and Erasmo Ramirez. Hobie joins the likes of Hunter Harvey, Mason Thompson and Rule 5 pick Thad Ward as right-handers hoping to solidify themselves as viable big league options over the long haul. Harvey and Thompson had solid showings with the Nats in 2022, though neither reached 40 innings and Harvey in particular has a lengthy injury track record.
In additional Nats news, Martinez announced that first baseman Matt Adams will open the season in Triple-A Rochester (via Bobby Blanco of MASNsports.com). Adams, who’d been in camp on a minor league pact, was informed he would not make the club and given an opportunity to seek a roster spot elsewhere. That didn’t present itself, and he’ll open the year with the Nationals’ top minor league affiliate.
Adams, 34, hit .325/.325/.525 with a homer and four doubles but an ugly 11-to-0 K/BB ratio in 40 spring plate appearances. He hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2021 and spent the 2022 season playing with the Kansas City Monarchs of the independent American Association, for whom he batted .248/.327/.554 with 27 homers in just 367 plate appearances.
This will be Adams’ second stint with the Nats, as he spent time in D.C. back in 2018-19, winning a World Series ring in the second of those two seasons. The burly first baseman has long been a force against right-handed pitching but has generally stumbled against lefties in his career. He’s a .258/.306/.463 batter with 118 home runs in 2614 plate appearances at the MLB level.
Guardians Discussing Extensions With Multiple Players
The Guardians are “in advanced negotiations” with multiple players on extensions, reports Zack Meisel of The Athletic. It’s unclear which players are involved in those deep talks, but Meisel reports that the club has had at least some conversations with infielders Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario, outfielder Steven Kwan, as well as right-handers Triston McKenzie and Trevor Stephan.
It seems talks with Gimenez are particularly advanced, as he’s now reportedly finalizing a long-term deal with the Guards. It was already known that Cleveland has also discussed an extension with Rosario, who’ll be a free agent next winter. Talks with Kwan, McKenzie and Stephan are new developments, though hardly surprising given the quality of each young player and the fact that president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti recently indicated he had multiple irons in the fire on the extension front.
Kwan, 25, made his big league debut just last season and parlayed a terrific .298/.373/.400 batting line (124 wRC+) into a third-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting. While he’s light on power (six home runs, .101 ISO), Kwan walked more often than he struck out (9.7% vs. 9.4%), swiped 19 bags in 24 tries (79.2%) and played exceptional defense in left field (21 Defensive Runs Saved, 10 Outs Above Average).
Cleveland already controls Kwan all the way through 2027, his age-29 season, so any long-term deal would surely prolong his arrival on the open market by at least a year — and quite likely by multiple years. That’d put him in his early 30s by the time he could test free agency, but there’s surely some appeal in locking in an early payday, particularly given his relatively humble draft status (fifth-round pick, $185K signing bonus) and the fact that the arbitration system won’t reward his contact-and-defense skill set in the same way it would a prototypical slugging corner outfielder.
McKenzie’s extension status could potentially be impacted by recent injury troubles. The Guardians announced yesterday that he’s suffered a teres major strain and will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks. An absence of as many as eight weeks in total is expected.
That’s an unequivocal blow to the Cleveland rotation, as the 25-year-old McKenzie made good on his former top prospect status in 2022 when he pitched 191 1/3 innings of 2.96 ERA ball with a strong 25.6% strikeout rate against a similarly impressive 5.9% walk rate. Home runs were an issue for McKenzie early on, but over his final 17 starts he averaged just 0.73 long balls per nine frames, compiling a dominant 2.19 ERA along the way.
Cleveland has four more seasons of control over McKenzie, who won’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2023 season. Currently, Blake Snell‘s $50MM extension is the largest ever signed by a pitcher with between two and three years of Major League service time. (Although Spencer Strider topped that mark last summer when he had less than one full year of service.)
As a 27-year-old reliever, Stephan would be perhaps the riskiest but also surely the most affordable of this bunch. He won’t reach arbitration until next offseason but has quickly ascended from Rule 5 flier out of the Yankees’ system to a tried-and-true setup option for All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase.
Stephan had a solid rookie campaign, lasting the entire season in 2021 (and thus shedding his Rule 5 designation) while pitching 63 1/3 innings of 4.41 ERA ball. His command and bat-missing abilities took huge steps forward in 2022, evidenced by a 30.7% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate. That helped Stephan break out with a shiny 2.69 ERA that was reinforced by a 2.19 FIP and 2.55 SIERA. He picked up 19 holds and three saves, and he’ll head into the 2023 season as one of the bullpen’s top high-leverage options.
Extensions for relief pitchers are rare in general — and that’s even more true of pitchers so early in their arbitration years. The Mariners managed to lock up Andres Munoz on a four-year, $7.5MM deal when he was at a comparable service point, but he was coming off Tommy John surgery and faced considerable health risks. Jose Leclerc inked a four-year, $14.75MM extension that contained a pair of club options. That might be a more apt comp for Stephan, but by that point he’d already taken over as the Rangers’ closer — a role that Stephan won’t be occupying in Cleveland thanks to the presence of Clase. Broadly speaking, there’s no great, recent parallel for a Stephan extension, though that hardly means he and the Guardians can’t hammer out an arrangement that’s appealing for both parties.
Big Hype Prospects: Burleson, Ortiz, Rodriguez, Miller, Tovar
We’re fast approaching the eve of Opening Day. The likes of Jordan Walker, Anthony Volpe, and Brett Baty continue to be among the most prominent prospect storylines. However, this column has covered them extensively over the long winter. It’s time we looked at some fresh(er) faces as we await Opening Day.
Five BHPs In The News
Alec Burleson, 24, OF, STL (MLB)
(AAA) 470 PA, 20 HR, 4 SB, .331/.372/.532
Walker’s ascension is overshadowing Burleson, who managed to snag a bench role and possibly a share of the designated hitter reps. The left-hander scalded Triple-A pitching before producing mixed results in 53 Major League plate appearances. Although his triple-slash of .188/.264/.271 can only be described as poor, underlying metrics suggest he was unlucky. In particular, his exit velocities, barreled, and hard contact rates all checked in as above average. He produced a .211 BABIP despite a batted-ball profile associated with high-BABIP hitters. An aggressive hitter, Burleson nevertheless has an advanced approach which helps him to make quality contact and avoid strikeouts. It’s difficult to avoid comparisons to teammate Lars Nootbaar who has a similar but more disciplined offensive profile.
Luis Ortiz, 24, SP, PIT (MLB)
(AA) 114.1 IP, 9.92 K/9, 2.68 BB/9, 4.64 ERA
Ortiz experienced a breakthrough last season, leading to his ascension for a brief four-game cup of tea. He posted a 4.50 ERA in 16 innings while dazzling with a 98.5-mph heater. He’s back in the mix for an Opening Day role due to an injury to JT Brubaker. Ortiz throws standard and sinking fastballs as well as a double-plus slider. Though he doesn’t have an alternate offspeed weapon – his changeup is more of “show me” offering – such starters are increasingly common around the league. Typically, they only face the lineup twice. Should he eventually land in the bullpen, he profiles as a stopper or closer.
Grayson Rodriguez, 23, SP, BAL (AAA)
(AAA) 69.2 IP, 12.53 K/9, 2.71 BB/9, 2.20 ERA
The Orioles front office has been unusually candid about Rodriguez dating back to last season. He suffered a lat injury on what many believe was intended as his final minor league appearance. While he recovered, GM Mike Elias commented about his belief Rodriguez would appear on the Orioles’ Opening Day roster in 2023 – comments he doubled down upon over the offseason. Ominously, Rodriguez didn’t look like himself after returning from injury. Though he continued to reap strikeouts (29) in 19 2/3 September innings, he also issued 14 free passes. He performed similarly this spring. In 15 1/3 innings, he recorded 19 strikeouts, seven walks, and a hit batter. He was also roughed up for three home runs. Once again, Elias was candid, saying “we were hoping that he would show up as a better version of himself.” Rodriguez still profiles as a future rotation member. His initial response to the lat injury has now cast a small sliver of doubt on his ability to reach an ace-like ceiling.
Mason Miller, 24, SP, OAK (AAA)
(AAA) 5 IP, 12.60 K/9, 1.80 BB/9, 5.40 ERA
That’s no typo, Miller pitched five innings at Triple-A after a seven-inning showing in High-A and two frames in the complex. He also collected six innings of work in 2021. Injuries have marred Miller’s early career. Finally healthy last fall and this spring, he impressed Athletics evaluators. He’s now on track to debut this season. Miller pumps upper-90s heat at the top of the zone. He also features a plus slider and has shown a quality changeup. He can locate both offerings to specific spots but doesn’t yet have command of the entire zone. While the stuff and repertoire suggest a future as a starter, the injury history could convince the Athletics to try him in the bullpen. He profiles as a top-tier fireman.
Ezequiel Tovar, 21, SS, COL (MLB)
(AA) 295 PA, 13 HR, 17 SB, .318/.386/.545
A solid Spring Training at the plate — .308/.368/.462 in 52 plate appearances — has all but assured Tovar’s presence on the Rockies Opening Day roster. An able defender who could challenge for Gold Gloves, Tovar’s bat will determine whether he’s a future star or simply a quality Major Leaguer. The young shortstop has shown exceptional athletic ability. However, underlying peripherals suggest there could be a rough adjustment period ahead. Tovar hasn’t developed much plate discipline. His swinging-strike rate is high for an aggressive contact hitter. He could find himself frequently behind in the count. Coors Field represents a unique developmental challenge for a hitter who would probably benefit from a more consistent offensive environment.
Three More
Jared Shuster, ATL (24): Shuster is a soft-tossing southpaw who relies upon command and a plus changeup. He shouldered past the likes of Ian Anderson, Michael Soroka, and Bryce Elder to claim a spot in the Braves’ Opening Day rotation.
Dylan Dodd, ATL (24): Dodd has marched in lockstep with Shuster all spring. They’re remarkably similar pitchers. Another southpaw with a changeup-led repertoire and a command-over-stuff profile, Dodd is even of a similar size and shape to Shuster. Since Kyle Wright is behind schedule, both Dodd and Shuster will make their debuts next week.
Hayden Wesneski, CHC (25): The return in the Scott Effross trade with the Yankees, Wesneski has staked a claim to the fifth starter role. His command of a deep repertoire and overall feel for pitching promises a long and lasting career in the Majors.
Twins Grant Jeff Hoffman His Release
The Twins have granted right-hander Jeff Hoffman his release, Jon Heyman of the New York Post tweets. He’d been in camp on a minor league deal but had an out clause in his contract if he did not make Minnesota’s Opening Day roster.
Hoffman, 30, allowed a pair of runs on two hits and three walks with eight punchouts in five Grapefruit League innings for the Twins. He spent the 2022 season with the Reds, pitching to a 3.83 ERA with a 22.8% strikeout rate and a bloated 11.7% walk rate. In 348 1/3 innings at the big league level, Hoffman has a 5.68 ERA with a 20.3% strikeout rate and 11.1% walk rate.
That said, he’s also a former No. 9 overall draft pick and an extreme fly-ball pitcher who’s had the task of pitching his home games at two of baseball’s most hitter-friendly venues: Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park and Denver’s Coors Field. As one might expect, home runs have been an issue. He’s yielded 1.63 homers per nine innings pitched in his career, though he dropped that to 1.01 in 2022 with the Reds.
Hoffman has elite spin on his fastball, above-average spin on his breaking ball and in two seasons with Cincinnati posted solid swinging-strike rates that could portend a greater ability to miss bats than he’s shown for much of his career. He’ll head back to the market in search of a new opportunity with a clearer path to a spot on the big league roster.
Red Sox Notes: Tapia, Duran, Bullpen
Outfielder Raimel Tapia is with the Red Sox on a minor league deal, but it was reported recently that he had the ability to opt out of that deal if not added to the roster. That opt-out was yesterday and it’s still not known if he triggered it or how the club responded, but he did tell Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe yesterday that his agent was looking into opportunities with other clubs.
The 29-year-old Tapia is a light-hitting but speedy outfielder who spent his entire career with the Rockies before getting traded to the Blue Jays last year. His career batting line of .277/.318/.392 amounts to a wRC+ of 80. What’s perhaps most pertinent to his situation in Boston is his ability to play center field. It was reported last week that the club is increasingly viewing him as a viable option there, despite most of his career being spent in left field thus far. Tapia has 2587 1/3 left field innings at the big league level to this point, compared to just 439 1/3 in center. Defensive metrics like his work up the middle more, which is strange since it’s generally considered the more demanding position. His center field work has resulted in +3 Defensive Runs Saved, +5 Outs Above Average and -1.6 Ultimate Zone Rating, compared to +1 DRS, -1 OAA and -1.1 UZR in left.
That’s relevant to the Sox since they have moved Enrique Hernández to shortstop to cover for the injured Trevor Story. To replace Hernández in center, they signed Adam Duvall, who is 34 years old, has less than 600 career innings in center and had his 2022 ended by wrist surgery. If Tapia were on the roster, he would give them some cover in the event Duvall doesn’t take well to regular work at the position or gets hurt. They also could potentially co-exist on the roster, given Duvall’s right-handed power-based approach and Tapia’s left-handed contact-based style.
Tapia’s main competition for that bench spot seems to be Jarren Duran. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported this morning that Duran is flying with the club to Boston but it’s still unclear if he’s going to be starting the year in the big leagues or Triple-A. He still has a couple of option years and could easily be sent down, though they would then have to find a 40-man spot for Tapia. If they’re able to do that, it might make sense for the 26-year-old Duran to get more reps in the minors as opposed to sitting on the bench in the big leagues. He has hit very well in the minors and even cracked Baseball America’s top 100 list a year ago, but his 91 MLB games have resulted in just a .219/.269/.354 batting line and 68 wRC+ thus far.
With the start of the season now just about 48 hours away, the Sox will have to make a decision shortly, whether it’s Tapia or Durran getting that final bench spot. They also might still shuffle around their relief mix a bit, as manager Alex Cora tells Chris Cotillo of MassLive that they are still looking at external options for the bullpen. “There’s a lot of stuff that is going on right now,” Cora says. “There’s a lot of guys out there. If we see an opportunity to take advantage of it, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll stay in house.”
The club has already been fairly active in changing its bullpen mix over the past few months, signing free agents like Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Joely Rodríguez. On the trade front, they dealt Matt Barnes for Richard Bleier, while also shipping out Josh Taylor, Darwinzon Hernández and Franklin German, among other deals. Despite that, it seems they may still find another move or two in the next little while. At this time of year, teams around the league are making their tough roster decisions, leading to intriguing players getting cut or perhaps opting out of contracts. Given all that, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sox put in a waiver claim or make another trade in the coming days.
Rays Acquire Tony Locey From Rockies
The Rays announced Tuesday that they’ve acquired right-hander Tony Locey from the Rockies in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. He’s not on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move isn’t necessary.
Locey, 24, is one of four players the Rockies acquired from the Cardinals in the trade that sent Nolan Arenado to St. Louis. The Cardinals also sent Austin Gomber, Elehuris Montero and minor league infielder Mateo Gil to Colorado in that swap.
In 2022, Locey reached the Double-A level for the first time but saw his longstanding command issues continue while opponents hit him harder than ever before. After beginning the ’22 season with a 3.09 ERA through 67 innings in High-A (despite a 13.9% walk rate), Locey was hammered for a 12.11 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. He yielded 48 runs on 60 hits, 28 walks and five hit batters, striking out just 28 of his 197 opponents along the way (14.7%).
Overall, Locey has walked 14.7% of the opponents he’s faced since being selected in the third round by the Cardinals out of the University of Georgia back in 2019. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote in his 2021 report on Locey that he had a heater that could run up to 97 mph but noted the following year that his velocity had dipped. Locey was used as a starter in 20 of his 26 appearances with the Rockies this past season, but it’s possible the Rays will shift him into a bullpen role, given the ongoing command troubles and poor results in the rotation.
Offseason In Review Chat Transcript: St. Louis Cardinals
MLBTR is conducting team-specific chats in conjunction with each organization’s Offseason In Review posts. Click here to view the transcript of today’s chat with MLBTR’s Anthony Franco about the Cardinals’ offseason.
Cristian Pache Will Not Make Athletics’ Roster; A’s Exploring Trade Scenarios
The Athletics will not carry Cristian Pache on the team’s Opening Day roster, manager Mark Kotsay announced late last night (link via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle). Because he’s out of minor league options, Pache will need to be traded or placed on outright waivers. The A’s will likely designate him for assignment prior to Opening Day, which would remove Pache from the 40-man roster and buy them a few days to explore possible trades. Outfielders Brent Rooker and Conner Capel will be on the roster, Kotsay added.
Effectively moving on from Pache after one year in the organization is a clearly suboptimal outcome for the A’s, who acquired the slick-fielding center fielder as one of the main pieces (alongside headliner Shea Langeliers) in the trade that sent Matt Olson to Atlanta. The 24-year-old appeared in 91 games for the A’s last year but posted an anemic .166/.218/.241 batting line through 260 plate appearances, exhausting his final minor league option year in the process. Things didn’t go much better in Triple-A, evidenced by a tepid .248/.298/.389 slash (68 wRC+) in an extremely hitter-friendly Las Vegas environment.
That lack of minor league options, lack of production, and the Athletics’ offseason acquisition of speedster Esteury Ruiz sealed Pache’s fate, it seems. Pache has had a productive showing in spring training, hitting .302/.362/.419 in 47 plate appearances, but the A’s already informed Ruiz last week that he’ll make the roster. It’s possible they’re confident in their ability to deal Pache for a return of modest value, but if the eventual transaction is a waiver placement, it’ll be a rather damning outcome for the team, given that Pache was a pivotal part of the prospect return in the A’s latest fire sale.
Pache is still just 24 years old, and he remains an elite defender (5 Defensive Runs Saved, 8 Outs Above Average in just 646 innings in 2022). As recently as the 2020-21 offseason he was considered among the 20 best prospects in the sport. However, his bat hasn’t developed at all, leaving the A’s in a tough spot this spring. The dilemma wasn’t exactly unforeseeable, though, given Pache’s prior struggles in Atlanta and the fact that he had only one option year remaining at the time of the trade.
Kotsay candidly acknowledged back in February that Pache could be showcasing himself for the other 29 teams in baseball this spring, and it appears that’s indeed been the case. The best-case scenario for the A’s would be to find a trade partner, and Kotsay indicated to Kawahara last night that the front office is exploring the possibility. Speculatively speaking, both the Rockies and Marlins have been in search of help at in center for awhile now, though Miami moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the outfield this year in hopes of patching that longstanding need. Rebuilding clubs with injured center fielders like the Royals (Drew Waters) and Reds (Nick Senzel) are also logical fits. It’s also possible certain contending clubs could look at Pache’s glove and see him as a valuable fourth outfielder, even if the bat never comes around.
As far as Oakland is concerned, it seems clear now that Ruiz will get the everyday nod in center field, while Ramon Laureano lines up in right field. The left-handed-hitting Capel and right-handed-hitting Rooker could form a platoon in left field, and many of Oakland’s infielders (Tony Kemp, Seth Brown, Aledmys Diaz) have experience in the outfield as well.
Tigers Release César Hernández
The Tigers announced that infielder César Hernández has been granted his release. He had been in camp on a minor league deal but had an opt-out opportunity this past weekend.
Hernández, 33 in May, spent many years as a solid infielder for the Phillies, mostly as a second baseman. In four straight years from 2015 to 2018, he walked at a rate of 8.8% or higher and stole at least 15 bases. His power also gradually ticked up in that time, going from a single long ball in 2015 to 15 homers in 2018.
He’s been a bit less consistent in recent years as he’s gone into journeyman mode. He split 2021 between Cleveland and the White Sox, hitting 21 home runs but still finishing with a tepid .232/.308/.386 batting line and 90 wRC+. With the Nationals last year, he hit just a single home run and batted .248/.311/.318 for a wRC+ of 79.
He had to settle for a minor league deal this year, joining a Tigers club with some infield uncertainty. Javier Báez was going to be the shortstop despite a disappointing 2022 campaign. Spencer Torkelson also struggled last year but seemed likely to get another shot to at first. Jonathan Schoop was lined up to play second base after a strange 2022 where he was awful at the plate but great in the field, though he could also move over to first if Torkelson’s struggles continued. Jeimer Candelario was non-tendered but Nick Maton was acquired from the Phillies to take over at third.
Hernández could have been behind those guys in a bench role, as he’s played second, third and short in his career, as well as some outfield work. However, they also have Ryan Kreidler and Zack Short on the roster, and acquired Zach McKinstry from the Cubs just yesterday. Tyler Nevin will start the season on the injured list but will jump into this mix once healthy.
The minor league deal that Hernández signed with Detroit would come with a base salary of $1.5MM if he had made the team, but it seems the Tigers would rather pocket that money and fill out their bench with those other options. He was one of several veterans that had automatic opt-outs in their respective contracts, with the first opportunity being this past weekend. Whether he triggered that opt-out or not, it seems he wasn’t going to crack the roster in Detroit and will now be free to pursue opportunities with all 30 clubs.
The Opener: Guardians, First Base, MLBTR Chats
With just two days until Opening Day, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Will Cleveland name a new fifth starter today?
With Guardians right-hander Triston McKenzie at risk of missing as much as two months to open the season, the club will need announce a replacement in the rotation, a move that could be made as soon as today. Left-hander Konnor Pilkington, who posted a 3.88 ERA in 58 innings of work in the majors last season, could be the most logical option. Righties Hunter Gaddis and Xzavion Curry both made a pair of starts for the club in 2022 and are on the 40-man roster as well. Others on the 40-man roster include Jason Bilous and Joey Cantillo, though both have limited experience above Double-A. Chris Archer and Anibal Sanchez are among the depth starters who might be available to the Guardians on a minor league deal, but it seems unlikely that Cleveland would add a free agent at this point, as that pitcher wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day anyhow. It’s always possible that another option could present itself via waivers or a veteran opt-out, but the Guardians are known for their ability to turn out quality pitching and already have several in-house options.
2. Will Hiura and Ruf find new teams?
Yesterday, both Keston Hiura and Darin Ruf were designated for assignment by their respective teams. The two are both right-handed hitting first baseman with experience at other spots (Ruf in the outfield corners, Hiura at second base and in left field) who were late cuts from their club’s Opening Day bench mix. Hiura, 26, has youth on his side and posted a 115 wRC+ in 266 plate appearances last year, albeit with a concerning 41.7% strikeout rate. Ruf, meanwhile, had a solid track record of success with the Giants before a disastrous 29-game stint with the Mets following last year’s trade deadline. Despite their warts, both could be bench options for a team short on right-handed pop.
3. MLBTR Chats
A pair of live chats with MLBTR readers are planned for today. At 10am CT, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco is set to host a Cardinals-centric chat with readers in conjunction with St. Louis’s installment of our Offseason in Review series. You can ask a question in advance using this link, and the same link will allow you to participate live or review the transcript once the chat is complete. Meanwhile, at 1pm CT, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat with an MLB-wide focus. Click here to ask a question in advance.