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Scott Schebler

Rockies Sign Scott Schebler To Minors Deal

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The Rockies have signed outfielder Scott Schebler to a minor league deal, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (via Twitter).  Schebler will receive an invitation to Colorado’s big league spring camp.

Schebler, 31, has seen his MLB time dwindle since popping 30 home runs for the 2017 Reds.  He remained a solid contributor in the club’s 2018 outfield despite battling through multiple IL stints.  Schebler opened 2019 as the Reds’ starting center fielder, but was optioned to Triple-A by May.  He didn’t end up returning to the show that year, and was eventually designated for assignment in July 2020.  He was shipped to the Braves in a trade, but quickly bumped off Atlanta’s 40-man roster as well.

After signing an offseason minor league deal with the Angels, Schebler had his contract selected in mid-April of 2021.  He spent the season going on and off the Angels’ 40-man roster, picking up only 34 big league plate appearances.  In 285 Triple-A plate appearances, Schebler posted a 70 wRC+.

A 26th round pick by the Dodgers back in 2010 out of Des Moines Area Community College in Boone, Iowa, nothing has been handed to Schebler in his seven-year Major League career.  He showed legitimate pop in his time with the Reds before injuries hit, and he’ll look to earn playing time in a currently-unsettled Rockies outfield where Connor Joe, Sam Hilliard, and Raimel Tapia are projected as starters.

Players Recently Electing Free Agency

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With the regular season over, a series of players are closing in on free agency. The highest-profile will be available as major league free agents, those with six-plus years of MLB service time not under contract with a team. But there will be dozens of players in the coming weeks who qualify for minor league free agency and more quietly reach the open market as well.

Players can qualify for minor league free agency in a few ways. The most notable of these include: players with 3+ years of MLB service time who have been outrighted off their teams’ 40-man rosters this season, players who have been outrighted off a 40-man roster multiple times in their careers, and unsigned players not on a 40-man roster who have spent parts of at least seven seasons on a minor league roster or injured list.

Many of these players won’t officially reach free agency until the start of the offseason, but some were let go by their teams a few weeks early once the regular season concluded. Each of the following players has elected minor league free agency within the past week, according to the MLB.com and Triple-A transactions trackers:

Angels Place Anthony Rendon On Injured List

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The Angels announced they’ve placed third baseman Anthony Rendon on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 5, with a left hamstring strain. Utilityman Jack Mayfield has been recalled to take his active roster spot. Los Angeles also announced that outfielder Scott Schebler, who had been designated for assignment, has cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake.

This will mark the third IL stint of the season for Rendon, continuing what has been a disappointing campaign. When healthy, the 31-year-old has hit an average .240/.329/.382 with six home runs over 249 plate appearances. That’s a far cry from the star-level production Rendon had offered over the previous four years. Between 2017-20, he’d hit .307/.399/.550. That works out to a 146 wRC+ that tied for eighth among the 260 qualified hitters over that time frame.

Slow start notwithstanding, the Angels are surely hoping to get Rendon back onto the field rather quickly. Manager Joe Maddon suggested Rendon’s absence wouldn’t be too long (via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). That’s welcome news for the 42-42 club, which sits six games back in the AL Wild Card race. A return to health and peak form from Rendon could be critical to the team’s hopes of making a late-season run.

Schebler returns to Salt Lake, where he’s hit a solid .281/.355/.523 over 172 plate appearances this season. The left-handed hitter has twice been selected to the major league roster but only combined to make 34 trips to the dish at the highest level.

Angels Option Griffin Canning, Designate Scott Schebler

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The Angels announced they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Andrew Wantz. Somewhat surprisingly, starter Griffin Canning was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake in a corresponding move. Outfielder Scott Schebler has been designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot.

Canning is headed to the minors for the first time since his contract was selected back in April 2019. He’s been a rotation mainstay over the past few seasons, starting 41 of his 43 MLB appearances. He offered league average production from 2019-20 but has struggled this season. Over 62 2/3 innings, Canning has worked to a 5.60 ERA/4.62 SIERA with slightly worse than average strikeout and walk rates (22.4% and 10.1%, respectively).

Of course, there’s no indication Canning’s absence is expected to be particularly lengthy. He got the ball in last night’s start against the Orioles. The Angels, who have a six-man rotation, have an off day after their next five games. With the All-Star Break the following week, the Angels could simply skip Canning’s spot in the rotation during their final turn before the Break. Los Angeles has another off day after five games coming out of the Break, so they needn’t turn to a sixth starter again until July 27.

Optioning Canning could allow the Angels to give him a brief mental reset while also keeping tabs on his innings total. This year, he’s already exceeded the 56 1/3 frames he worked during last year’s shortened campaign, and the righty’s 2019 season was cut short at 90 1/3 innings by elbow inflammation that persisted into 2020. The organization surely wants to be cautious not to overwork a player they expect to be a key starter over the next few seasons.

There doesn’t seem to be a huge benefit for the Angels from a service time perspective by optioning Canning. The 25-year-old won’t accrue major league service while he’s on optional assignment, of course, but he’s already long exceeded his second full year of service this season. Unless they’re planning on leaving him in Triple-A for the rest of this season and much of the first half of 2022- an extremely improbable outcome- Canning’s path to free agency after 2025 will be unaffected.

A lengthy optional assignment could jeopardize his ability to qualify for early arbitration as a Super Two player after this year. That’d likely require the Angels to keep him down for over a month, though, and he doesn’t have the gaudy counting stats (wins and strikeouts) that suggest he’d be particularly likely to break the bank in arbitration regardless. In all likelihood, the optional assignment was more motivated by a desire to open an additional roster spot and keep Canning’s innings in check than it was an extended effort to skirt his potential Super Two eligibility, especially with the 40-41 Angels still on the periphery of the playoff race.

Wantz will take Canning’s place on the pitching staff for now. A seventh-round pick in 2018 out of UNC-Greensboro, he’s earned his first big league opportunity with a strong season at Salt Lake. Through 25 2/3 innings in an offense-friendly environment, Wantz has worked to a 2.10 ERA with better than average strikeout and walk numbers (25.0% and 6.0%, respectively). The 25-year-old has never appeared on an Angels farm system ranking at FanGraphs or Baseball America. He’s clearly elevated his stock in 2021, though, and would’ve been eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter if not added to the 40-man roster before then.

It’s the second time this season the Angels have designated Schebler, who cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment last time around. The 30-year-old hasn’t produced in limited big league time this year but he’s hit a solid .281/.355/.523 over 172 plate appearances with Salt Lake. The Angels will have a week to trade Schebler or again place him on waivers.

Angels Select Scott Schebler

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The Angels are expected to select the contract of outfielder Scott Schebler before this evening’s game against the Yankees. Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com was among those to note that Schebler has joined the team in the Bronx. Infielder Kean Wong was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake, but the Angels will need to make another transaction to clear space for Schebler on the 40-man roster.

Schebler, who signed a minor league deal with the Angels over the winter, briefly appeared on the big league club earlier in the season. He tallied just 27 plate appearances before being outrighted, but he’s done well at Salt Lake. The left-handed hitter has a .281/.355/.523 line with eight home runs across 172 plate appearances with the Bees. Triple-A West, like its predecessor the Pacific Coast League, has played extremely hitter-friendly. Nevertheless, Schebler’s offensive production has been nine percentage points better than the league’s average, by measure of weighted runs created.

Best known for his time with the Reds, Schebler has appeared in the majors in each of the past seven seasons. He was a regular for Cincinnati between 2017-18, popping 47 homers across those two seasons. Schebler’s never been one to draw many walks, though, and he’s better suited for the corner outfield than center. He wound up squeezed out of Cincinnati early in 2019 and has only tallied a cumulative 123 major league plate appearances over the past three years.

The Angels have been without Mike Trout and Dexter Fowler for extended stretches, and Justin Upton recently went on the 10-day injured list with back soreness over the weekend. That’s left Los Angeles rather thin in the outfield. General manager Perry Minasian told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register) over the weekend that Trout hasn’t begun running or any sort of baseball activity. Trout, who’s been out since May 18, could be a candidate for a transfer to the 60-day IL, if the Angels don’t expect him to return to big league action before the July 12-15 All-Star Break.

Angels Place Alex Cobb On 10-Day Injured List

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The Angels placed right-hander Alex Cobb on the 10-day injured list due to a blister on his right middle finger.  The team specified that Cobb’s placement was retroactive to May 5th.  In other news, outfielder Scott Schebler and right-hander Ben Rowen were both outrighted to Triple-A after being designated for assignment earlier this week.

Cobb was lined up to start on Monday, though The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya tweeted that Jose Suarez was scratched from his scheduled Triple-A start tonight, so Suarez could be in line for a call-up to fill Cobb’s place on Monday.

It’s been a hard-luck season for Cobb thus far, who has a 5.48 ERA through 21 1/3 innings but only a 3.24 SIERA.  While Cobb has been hampered by a 9.8% walk rate, he also has a 30.4% strikeout rate that ranks in the 81st percentile of all pitchers.  Cobb has a .431 BABIP and only a 60.1% strand rate, adding to his lack of good fortune.

The Angels as a whole rank last in baseball with a 66.2% strand rate and second-last (.317) in team BABIP.  It probably isn’t much consolation to Anaheim fans who are frustrated with another season of subpar pitching from their club, and the Halos will take another blow if Cobb spends an extended amount of time on the IL.  Blister issues can be unpredictable, though this is the first time that a blister problem has sidelined Cobb over his 10 MLB seasons.

Angels Select Phil Gosselin, Designate Scott Schebler

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The Angels have selected the contract of infielder Phil Gosselin and designated outfielder Scott Schebler for assignment, per a team announcement.

This is now the ninth straight season in the bigs for Gosselin, whom the Angels signed to a minor league contract over the winter. The 32-year-old has appeared in the majors with six teams, most recently the Phillies, and put together a .261/.314/.361 line in 749 plate appearances. Gosselin has experience at several positions, including third base, where he’ll start for the Angels on Tuesday. Starter Anthony Rendon will sit because of a knee contusion.

Schebler, another of the Angels’ offseason minor league additions, had his contract selected in mid-April. The two-time 30-home run hitter has failed to impress since then, however, with a mere four hits (three doubles and a single) in 27 plate appearances. Schebler struck out 11 times while recording no walks during that span.

Angels Select Scott Schebler, Designate Jon Jay

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The Angels announced that they have selected outfielder Scott Schebler and designated fellow outfielder Jon Jay for assignment. The team also recalled infielder Luis Rengifo.

Schebler had a decent run as a member of the Reds from 2016-18, a 1,243-plate appearance span in which he offered roughly league-average production with a .248/.323/.457 line (102 wRC+) and 56 home runs. His best effort as a power hitter came during a 30-HR showing in 2017, though both his pop at the plate and his playing time have tailed off since then. As a Red and Brave from 2019-20, Schebler only amassed 95 plate appearances, 94 of which came in the first of those seasons. He batted a woeful .123/.253/.222 with two HRs that year.

Thanks to his recent struggles, Schebler had to settle for a minor league contract with the Angels over the winter. For now, he’ll replace Jay as a sub for the Angels’ starting alignment of Mike Trout, Jared Walsh and Justin Upton.

Jay was also a minor league pickup for the Angels, but the 36-year-old couldn’t take advantage of his MLB opportunity early this season. He went 1-for-8 with a single and two strikeouts before the Angels designated him.

Angels Sign Scott Schebler

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The Angels have signed outfielder Scott Schebler to a minor league contract, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (Twitter link).  Schebler will earn $900K in guaranteed money if he reaches the team’s big-league roster.

Schebler is best known for his days as a regular for the Reds from 2016-18, as he hit .248/.323/.457 with 56 homers in 1243 plate appearances over that three-season stretch (including a 30-homer campaign in 2017).  Shoulder problems and struggles at the plate limited Schebler to just 30 games in 2019, however, and Cincinnati cut ties after trading him to the Braves last July.  Schebler’s 2020 season consisted of just one game and one plate appearance in an Atlanta uniform before he was outrighted off the 40-man roster and sent to the Braves’ alternate training site.

While Schebler has spent much of his time as a right fielder, he has experience at all three outfield positions and displayed some decent glovework.  That could give him an advantage in breaking camp with Los Angeles next spring, as the Halos are thin on outfield depth behind their projected starting trio of Jo Adell, Mike Trout, and Justin Upton.

Given Adell’s inexperience and Upton’s very rough 2020 season, having a veteran like Schebler on hand could be of particular help — ideally, Schebler could somewhat replace Brian Goodwin, who the Angels dealt to the Reds last August.  It’s probably safe to assume that the Angels will bring at least a couple more veterans on minors contracts into camp (if not a more prominent acquisition) to battle for outfield jobs, and top prospect Brandon Marsh will also be in the mix.

The signing marks the first notable move for newly-hired Angels GM Perry Minasian, and it perhaps isn’t surprising that Minasian turned to a known quantity.  As Nightengale points out, Minasian worked as Atlanta’s assistant GM when the Braves picked up Schebler last summer.

Braves Outright Scott Schebler

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The Braves announced that outfielder Scott Schebler went unclaimed on waivers and has been outrighted to their alternate training site in Gwinnett. Because he’s been assigned to the alternate training site, Schebler remains in the 60-player pool and is eligible to rejoin the club at a later date this season.

Atlanta acquired the 29-year-old Schebler from the Reds in exchange for cash after Cincinnati designated him for assignment. He received just one plate appearance with the Braves before being designated a second time.

It wasn’t long ago that Schebler was a 30-homer bat for the Reds. He swatted 30 long balls and hit .233/.307/.484 back in 2017 as the primary right fielder in Cincinnati, but the composition of their outfield has turned over considerably since that time. Schebler was used in a more limited role in 2018 but still hit well (.255/.337/.439, 17 homers). Shoulder troubles completely tanked Scheber’s 2019 season, however. He eventually underwent labrum repair surgery after hitting just .123/.253/.222 in 95 Major League plate appearances and .216/.274/.325 in 212 Triple-A plate appearances. He’ll work with the club’s alternate roster in Gwinnett while hoping for another chance at the big league level now that his shoulder is back up to strength.

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