The Cincinnati Reds have lost 16 players to minor league free agency. One of the players becoming a free agent was a bit of a surprise, but we’ll talk more about that specific scenario below. Here are the 16 players who are now free agents:
- Frainger Aranguren | RHP
- Zack Brown | RHP
- Manuel Cachutt | RHP
- Danis Correa | RHP
- Ricky Karcher | RHP
- Steven Leyton | SS
- Ben Lively | RHP
- Ryan Meisinger | RHP
- Ryan Nutof | RHP
- Jhonny Pereda | C
- Chuckie Robinson | C
- Eduardo Salazar | RHP
- Jayvien Sandridge | LHP
- Mac Sceroler | RHP
- Teddy Stankiewicz | RHP
- Jason Vosler | INF
Four of those player spent time with the Cincinnati Reds in the 2023 season. A fifth player saw action with the Reds in 2022. Most of these are not surprising as the players contracts were up and unless the team re-signed them they were going to become free agents. Well, that’s not entirely true – the team could have also chosen to add them to the 40-man roster and kept them around.
That last point is where things were a bit surprising for me. Jayvien Sandridge was not added to the 40-man roster and was allowed to become a free agent. This is a surprise given that he made big strides in the second half of the season, walking 17 batters and striking out 64 in 36.1 innings while posting a 2.72 ERA. That includes his time in the Arizona Fall League, where he had struck out 13 batters with just two walks in 6.1 innings. Cincinnati choosing to send him to Arizona after his second half and him performing well, then being allowed to become a free agent while the Fall League was still taking place is a bit confusing from my seat 1800 miles away from Phoenix.
The number of free agents isn’t unusual. But it is worth noting that starting in 2024 the number of roster spots available in the minor leagues is reduced by 15 players. That was a part of the latest collective bargaining agreement. While the pay went up, by a whole lot, for minor leaguers, they did concede that organizational rosters in the US could go from 180 players down to 165 players (this does not include the Dominican Summer League rosters). It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the offseason as there are plenty of free agents out there and not nearly as many spots available for everyone.
I guess a question or two is how much some of these situations are formalities in 40-man roster management, and whether baseball or the players will tolerate unspoken agreements, ie, we’ll re-sign you after Rule 5. Seems like we typically re-sign players each year.
It seems to me that they will need to sign at least one of the two catchers.
Agree, Sandridge is a head scratcher.
Sandridge and Chuckie are the ones I woulda kept. Prol a good sign for Hurtubise though. He hasn’t had a great AFL season (0 for 5 last night with 2 k’s) after starting well.
Sandridge I would have put on 40-man. Along with him several other guys being groomed as bullpen pieces are gone (Nutof, Cachutt, Karcher).
Must wonder if Sceroler was ruined by his short Rule V stay in Baltimore when it was obvious, he wasn’t ready.
Chuckle Robinson is REALLY A CRAZY this guy dominates Triple A than is given walking papers! Catchers are worth every consideration not .250 hitting OUTFIELDERS!
All this is about is leverage for the players, which is exactly what it was designed to do. It will be interesting to see how many of these players sign minor league deals with the Reds, but in so doing they earn more than they would have otherwise, and especially compared to what it was before minor league free agency.
For either Robinson or Perada, signing with the Reds could be a smart move as either would be the likely next in line should either Stephenson or Maile go down. Would they be that close in another organization?
Totally agree on the leverage for players. Not getting stuck in organizations and never getting to the show. Would love to see the Reds sign some of these guys back but in the end I just hope they all make it somewhere and live out their dream. I don’t care who they sign with as long as they make it. Would really like to see Chuckie make it up someday and not for a cup of coffee. Hope the Reds sign him and he gets another chance and succeeds.