Tag: minor league deal

Red Sox sign former Brewers righty Jason Alexander to minor-league deal

The Red Sox signed free agent right-hander Jason Alexander to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Worcester last week, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log. Alexander will head to Boston’s minor-league camp in Fort Myers, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

Alexander, who turns 31 on Friday, has one season of major-league experience under his belt after breaking in with the Brewers in 2022. In 18 appearances (11 starts) for Milwaukee, the righty posted a 5.40 ERA and 5.34 FIP with 46 strikeouts to 28 walks over 71 2/3 innings of work.

Not to be confused with the actor who played George Costanza in Seinfeld, this Jason Alexander is the younger brother of veteran reliever Scott Alexander. He originally went undrafted out of Menlo College (Atherton, Calif.) in 2017 and instead began his professional career by signing with the Angels that summer.

After nearly three years in the Angels organization, Alexander was cut loose by Los Angeles in June 2020. He then latched on with the Marlins the following April and pitched at three different levels in 2021 before joining the Brewers that November. He made his major-league debut in June 2022 as part of being called up by Milwaukee on three separate occasions that season.

Because of a strained right rotator cuff, Alexander opened the 2023 campaign on the 60-day injured list. He began rehabbing in the Arizona Complex League last June and worked his way back up to Triple-A Nashville prior to losing his spot on the Brewers’ 40-man roster in late July. He subsequently cleared outright waivers and spent the rest of the year with Milwaukee’s top affiliate, finishing with a 5.86 ERA in 16 outings (55 1/3 innings) for the Sounds before reaching free agency in November.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 227 pounds, Alexander is known for his ability to keep the ball on the ground, as evidenced by his 46.1 percent groundball rate with Nashville last year. He could potentially provide the Red Sox with experienced rotational depth in Worcester alongside the likes of lefty Brandon Walter and righties Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, Grant Gambrell, and Brian Van Belle, among others.

Alexander also has plenty of experience when it comes to pitching out of the bullpen, so he could be utilized in a relief role as well. Regardless of how the Red Sox plan on using him, Alexander does have minor-league options remaining if he were to be added to the major-league roster at some point down the line.

 (Picture of Jason Alexander: John Fisher/Getty Images)

Red Sox sign Mount St. Mary’s righty Cooper Adams to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed undrafted free agent Cooper Adams out of Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., per an announcement from the school.

Adams, a 23-year-old right-hander, was passed over in the 2023 amateur draft after going 8-3 and posting a 4.70 ERA with 73 strikeouts to 20 walks in 14 starts (82 1/3 innings) for the Mountaineers as a fifth-year senior last season.

Hailing from the Old Line State himself, Adams spent the first three years of his collegiate career at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and pitched to a 7.09 ERA with 28 strikeouts to 23 walks in 21 total appearances (eight starts) spanning 59 2/3 innings of work for the Retrievers. The Potomac native then transferred to Mount St. Mary’s in 2021 and led his team in both starts (11) and innings pitched (65 1/3 innings) the following spring.

Despite improving across the board in his final year of eligibility, Adams had to wait until just recently to enter the professional ranks. To that end, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound hurler threw at Tread Athletics’ annual pro day weekend in Charlotte, N.C. last month and apparently left a lasting impression on the scouts who were on hand.

“Adams got on the mound on Day 3 and showed up as a new pitcher, not the arm that was at Mount St. Mary’s last spring,” wrote Rylan Domingues, who has since joined the Phillies organization as a pitching development analyst. “He ran his fastball up to 96.8 MPH while averaging 95.1, higher than his previous best of 94.9. Along with that, he showcased a sinker, slider and a kick change, all new or much improved. He has totally reinvented himself post college and deserves a shot.”

That shot will evidently come with the Red Sox, who have worked to overhaul their pitching infrastructure under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow this winter. Since being hired in October, Breslow has made some notable additions to Boston’s pitching department, including Justin Willard (who previously worked for the Twins) as director of pitching and Kyle Boddy (who founded Driveline Baseball) as a special advisor.

It remains to be seen where Adams, who turns 24 in June, will make his professional debut this season. While Low-A Salem or maybe even High-A Greenville are the likely destinations, the Red Sox will presumably evaluate Adams throughout spring training before arriving at a decision.

(Picture of Cooper Adams: Mount St. Mary’s University Athletics)

Red Sox sign former Rockies pitching prospect Helcris Olivarez to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed former Rockies pitching prospect Helcris Olivarez to a minor-league contract, per the club’s transactions log. The deal comes with an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Ari Alexander of Houston’s KPRC 2.

Olivarez, 23, spent the first seven-plus years of his professional career in the Rockies organization after originally signing with the club for $77,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in August 2016. The left-hander debuted in the Dominican Summer League the following June and spent parts of three seasons in rookie ball through the end of 2019.

While the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olivarez impressed at Colorado’s alternate training site and fall instructional league. The Rockies then added the lefty to their 40-man roster that November in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.

Olivarez came into the 2021 campaign ranked by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Colorado’s farm system. But he struggled in his first taste of full-season ball, posting a 6.05 ERA (5.71 FIP) with 112 strikeouts to 68 walks in 22 appearances (21 starts) spanning 99 2/3 innings of work for High-A Spokane. As such, he fell four spots to No. 15 in the system entering 2022.

At that time, Baseball America described Olivarez’s raw stuff as “electric,” noting that the 6-foot-2, 192-pounder “has easy fastball velocity up to 100 mph and usually sits in the high 90s. But his command is questionable and his off-speed pitches need honing, with an average changeup and a curveball that can be flat. Cleaning up and simplifying his delivery will help him achieve the release-point consistency needed to become a bona fide starter. He already creates uncomfortable at-bats from either side, but to complement his plus heat, Olivarez needs to keep a better lid on his emotions on the mound.”

Unfortunately, Olivarez ran into injury troubles last year. He opened the season on Double-A Albuquerque’s injured list and was then transferred to the Rockies’ 60-day injured list with a left shoulder strain in late May. After making one two-inning rehab start for Colorado’s Arizona Complex League affiliate in mid-July, Olivarez was ultimately shut down and later underwent major shoulder capsule surgery.

The Rockies waived and outrighted Olivarez off their 40-man roster right around this time a year ago. He remained in the organization but did not pitch in any organized games this past season. As noted by MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, though, Olivarez returned to action this fall by pitching in a couple of instructional league games and impressed while flashing 93-96 mph with his fastball.

Olivarez, who does not turn 24 until next August, provides the pitching-needy Red Sox with an intriguing left-handed arm who was once viewed as a standout prospect. It remains to be seen if the club views Olivarez as a starter or reliever moving forward, but the southpaw nonetheless possesses tantalizing stuff and — if healthy — could make his impact felt at the big-league level next season.

(Picture of Helcris Olivarez: Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox sign lefty Zach Penrod to minor-league deal, assign him to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have signed free agent left-hander Zach Penrod to a minor-league contract, per the club’s transactions log. He has been assigned to High-A Greenville.

Penrod, 26, had spent the entirety of the 2023 season up until this point with the Missoula PaddleHeads of the independent Pioneer League. In 13 appearances (10 starts) for Missoula, the lefty posted a 2.98 ERA with 65 strikeouts to 32 walks over 54 1/3 innings of work. He was named to the 2023 Pioneer League All-Star team earlier this month.

A native of Idaho, Penrod got his start in pro ball by originally signing with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Northwest Nazarene University in August 2018. A two-way player in college who elected to go pro as a pitcher, Penrod debuted in the rookie-level Arizona League five days after putting pen to paper and allowed 10 runs (eight earned) in four appearances (three starts) spanning 11 2/3 innings.

Unfortunately, Penrod missed the entirety of the 2019 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery that April. He was then released by Texas the following June as part of the Rangers’ minor-league roster cuts in the wake of the then-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

After working his way back from Tommy John and an additional minor shoulder procedure, Penrod returned to organized action in 2021 with the Boise Hawks (also of the Pioneer League). He spent all of 2021 and the first half of the 2022 season with Boise before being traded to the Billings Mustangs last month. All told, he owns a lifetime 4.84 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 170 strikeouts to 88 walks in 39 career outings (27 starts, 145 innings) for three different Pioneer League clubs.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Penrod operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a power fastball that has been clocked at 98 mph this year as well as a “filthy” cutter and changeup, according to Idaho-based Earn It Sports.

Penrod, who does not turn 27 until next June, will wear the No. 40 with the Drive. While the southpaw has prior experience as a reliever, it appears as though he will be joining the Drive’s starting rotation.

(Picture of Zach Penrod courtesy of the Missoula PaddleHeads)

Red Sox sign veteran righty Dinelson Lamet to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent right-hander Dinelson Lamet to a minor-league contract, per the club’s transactions log. Lamet will report to Triple-A Worcester in the coming days.

Lamet became a free agent after being designated for assignment and subsequently released by the Rockies last week. The 30-year-old hurler had struggled to an 11.57 ERA and 6.57 FIP with 31 strikeouts to 22 walks in 16 appearances (four starts) and 25 2/3 innings pitched this season before being removed from Colorado’s 40-man roster.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Lamet first broke in with the Padres and 2017 and pitched to a 4.57 ERA in 21 starts as a rookie. He then missed the entirety of the 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and produced a 4.07 ERA in 14 starts after returning from the procedure during the latter half of the 2019 campaign.

The COVID-shortened 2020 season served as a breakout year for Lamet, who went 3-1 with a 2.09 ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 93 to 20 in 12 starts (69 innings) for the Padres. He finished fourth in National League Cy Young voting that year behind the likes of the Reds’ Trevor Bauer, the Cubs’ Yu Darvish, and the Mets’ Jacob deGrom.

Unfortunately, Lamet has been unable to find that same level of success over the last three seasons. He worked as both a starter and reliever in 2021 and was then traded to the Brewers last August after posting a 9.49 ERA in 13 appearances out of the Padres’ bullpen.

Lamet’s stay in Milwaukee was short-lived, however, as he was designated for assignment and traded to Colorado within days of joining the Brewers. He then forged a 4.05 ERA with 29 punchouts to 10 walks in 19 relief appearances for the Rockies, who brought him back on a one-year, $5 million arbitration agreement in November.

Despite the solid second half last year, Lamet got off to a rough start this season, walking 16.4 percent of the 134 batters he faced while getting hit hard in the process. According to Baseball Savant, Lamet currently ranks in the fifth percentile of all big-league pitchers in average exit velocity, the first percentile in hard-hit rate, the first percentile in walk rate, and the second percentile in chase rate. He also spent most of May on the injured list with lower back stiffness.

While the peripherals and injury concerns are undoubtedly discouraging, the Red Sox still elected to take a flier on Lamet, who turns 31 next month. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound righty has thrown four different pitches this season: a mid-80s slider, a mid-90s sinker, a mid-90s four-seam fastball, and a sparingly-used changeup.

Lamet figures to provide Boston with immediate rotation depth. At present, the Red Sox are down to just four major-league starters with both Tanner Houck (facial fracture) and Chris Sale (shoulder) on the injured list. As a result, the club has been forced to have bullpen games every five days. With the WooSox, Lamet will join the likes of fellow veterans Jake Faria and Kyle Barraclough and rookie Brandon Walter as possible spot start candidates if the occasion arises.

(Picture of Dinelson Lamet: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Former Red Sox catcher Jorge Alfaro signs minor-league deal with Rockies

Exactly one week after being granted his release from the Red Sox organization, veteran catcher Jorge Alfaro has found a new home.

Alfaro signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies on Saturday, per the club’s transactions log. The soon-to-be 30-year-old backstop (his birthday is on Sunday) has been assigned to Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque, N.M. and is in the Isotopes’ starting lineup for their game against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.

Alfaro originally inked a minors pact with the Red Sox in January but did not make Boston’s Opening Day roster out of spring training. The right-handed hitter instead began the season with Triple-A Worcester, batting a stout .320/.366/.520 with 13 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 30 RBIs, 22 runs scored, four stolen bases, nine walks, and 43 strikeouts in 43 games (191 plate appearances) for the WooSox.

Despite the strong offensive performance, there were and still are some concerns when it comes to Alfaro’s defense at catcher. The 6-foot-2, 249-foot backstop logged 225 1/3 innings behind the plate for Worcester, allowing six passed balls and throwing out just five of 35 would-be base stealers. He also made two starts at first base, but was not an apparent fit at the position for Boston.

Because the Red Sox expressed confidence in their current catching tandem of Connor Wong and Reese McGuire, Alfaro triggered the opt-out clause in his contract last Thursday. As previously mentioned, it did not take the native Colombian all that long to find a new landing spot.

With the Rockies, Alfaro will look to break back in at the big-league level after spending the 2022 season with the Padres. Colorado currently carries two catchers (Elias Diaz and Austin Wynns) on its 26-man roster and three additional catchers (Daniel Cope, Jonathan Morales, and Brian Serven) on its Triple-A roster.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, already addressed Alfaro’s departure from the organization by promoting catching prospect Stephen Scott to Worcester on Friday. Scott joins Caleb Hamilton and Ronaldo Hernandez in making up Boston’s catching depth at the top flight of the minors.

(Picture of Jorge Alfaro: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Jorge Alfaro opts out of minor-league deal with Red Sox

Veteran catcher Jorge Alfaro has opted out of his minor-league contract with the Red Sox and intends to test free agency, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. The club now has 48 hours to decide whether to block the 29-year-old backstop’s opt-out by adding him to the active roster.

Alfaro, who turns 30 later this month, joined the Red Sox on a minors pact in January after being non-tendered by the Padres last November. Though the right-handed hitter did not make Boston’s Opening Day out of spring training, he elected to remain in the organization and has since torn it up with Triple-A Worcester.

Entering Thursday, Alfaro has batted a stout .320/.366/.520 with 13 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 30 RBIs, 22 runs scored, four stolen bases, nine walks, and 43 strikeouts in 43 games (191 plate appearances) with the WooSox. Defensively, the native Colombian has allowed six passed balls and has thrown out five of 35 would-be base stealers while splitting time behind the plate with Caleb Hamilton and Ronaldo Hernandez. He has also made two starts at first base.

Despite the strong offensive performance, it does not appear as though the Red Sox are keen on adding Alfaro to their 26-man group. That being the case because they are comfortable with the tandem of Connor Wong and Reese McGuire and do not intend on carrying a third catcher at this time.

When speaking with reporters (including Cotillo) prior to Wednesday’s loss to the Reds at Fenway Park, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that Alfaro would be a tough fit on the roster as things stand now.

“He’s swinging the bat well,” Cora said. “We’ll see where we’re at. Obviously, right now, we’re very comfortable with Reese and Wong. There’s (another) 29 teams out there. They might have a chance or not. In a selfish way, hopefully, nobody wants him. As a person and a player, I would love him to be in the big-leagues, either with us or somebody else. It’s where we’re at right now. We’re very comfortable with these two guys. I’ll repeat myself.”

As noted by Cotillo, the Red Sox will presumably wait until the 48-hour deadline to make their official decision on Alfaro. That way, they can protect themselves in the event that either Wong or McGuire suffer some sort of injury in the interim.

If Alfaro does indeed leave the organization, though, Hamilton and Hernandez would emerge as the top two catching options for the WooSox while Stephen Scott and Nathan Hickey are right behind them at Double-A Portland.

(Picture of Jorge Alfaro: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Jorge Alfaro has unique clause in contract that could make him available to all other teams later this month

Red Sox catcher Jorge Alfaro has a unique clause in his contract that could complicate his future with the club, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

Alfaro signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox in January that came with an invite to major-league spring training. It has since been revealed that the deal also comes with an “upward mobility” clause that would go into effect on March 25.

As noted by Cotillo, this differs from a standard opt-out. It instead allows Alfaro to secure a major-league opportunity elsewhere if the Red Sox are not willing to give him one. If Alfaro is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by March 25, he can request to become available to all 29 other teams in hopes of landing a big-league job.

If another club is interested in Alfaro, the Red Sox would then have 72 hours to either add Alfaro to their own 40-man roster or allow him to switch teams. If no other club is interested in Alfaro at the time of his request, Boston would be able to keep the 29-year-old without committing a 40-man roster spot to him.

Alfaro will soon be leaving Red Sox camp in Fort Myers to play for Team Colombia in the World Baseball Classic. The Sincelejo native has appeared in two Grapefruit League games so far this spring and has gone 3-for-6 (.500) with one double and two strikeouts.

After deciding against signing or trading for a catcher on a major-league deal this winter, the Red Sox brought in Alfaro as a non-roster invitee. The right-handed hitter is currently competing with Reese McGuire and Connor Wong for a spot on the club’s Opening Day roster. Because Alfaro can play first base and serve as a designated hitter, Boston could very well carry all three backstops on its 26-man roster come March 30.

More likely than not, though, the Red Sox will elect to carry the left-handed hitting McGuire and one of Alfaro and Wong, who both hit from the right side of the plate. Wong, who suffered a left hamstring strain in Thursday’s 15-3 win over the Phillies, also has one minor-league option remaining, meaning he can be shuttled between Triple-A Worcester and Boston up to five times this season. The same cannot be said for Alfaro, who is out of options.

A veteran of seven major-league seasons between the Phillies, Marlins, and Padres, Alfaro possesses intriguing power, athleticism, arm strength, and speed. With San Diego last year, he ranked in the 97th percentile of all big-leaguers in max exit velocity (115.2 mph), the 96th percentile in average pop time to second base (1.89 second), and the 85th percentile in average sprint speed (28.7 feet per second), per Baseball Savant.

On the other side of the coin, though, Alfaro does own a rather high career strikeout rate of 34.1 percent to go along with a career walk rate of just 4.2 percent. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder has also had his issues as a receiver after leading the National League in passed balls in each of the last two seasons.

Alfaro, who does not turn 30 until June, will have the next three-plus weeks to determine what his immediate future looks like. That being said, Wong’s status moving forward could impact his decision. Additionally, depending on how things play out in spring games (and in the World Baseball Classic) Alfaro could draw interest from catcher-needy teams who would be willing to guarantee him a roster spot. If that happens, the Red Sox would then have to decide to either add Alfaro to their own roster or let him go.

If Alfaro remains with Boston past March 25 without being added to the big-league roster, he would have the ability to opt out of his deal on June 1 and July 1 in order to test free agency. If Alfaro is in the majors with the Red Sox at some point this season, he would earn a base salary of $2 million.

(Picture of Jorge Alfaro: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox sign slugging first baseman/outfielder Daniel Palka to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent first baseman/outfielder Daniel Palka to a minor-league contract, the club announced on Friday. The deal comes with an invite to major-league spring training.

Palka, 31, spent the 2022 season in the Mets organization. The left-handed hitter batted .263/.344/.506 with 18 doubles, 26 home runs, 79 RBIs, 68 runs scored, 48 walks, and 105 strikeouts in 109 games (445 plate appearances) with Triple-A Syracuse.

“Power. Controls the strike zone,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Palka when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) on Friday. “For as much power as he has, he doesn’t strike out as much. So he’s here. He says he’s ready to play. … He’s another guy who has big-league experience and is a good bat. And I’m glad that we got him.

A native of South Carolina, Palka was originally selected by the Diamondbacks in the third round of the 2013 amateur draft out of Georgia Tech. He was traded to the Twins in 2015 and was claimed off waivers by the White Sox in November 2017 before debuting for Chicago the following April.

As a 26-year-old rookie, Palka burst onto the scene in 2018 by slashing .240/.294/.484 with 15 doubles, three triples, a team-leading 27 home runs, 67 RBIs, 56 runs scored, two stolen bases, 30 walks, and 153 strikeouts across 124 games (449 plate appearances) for the White Sox. He finished fifth in American League Rookie of the Year voting that fall.

For whatever reason, Palka took a step backward in 2019. He appeared in just 30 games for the South Siders that year and mustered a .107/.194/.179 slash line to go along with two homers, four runs driven in, four runs scored, eight walks, and 35 strikeouts over 93 total trips to the plate. The White Sox designated him for assignment that November and released him in July 2020.

Since being cut loose by the White Sox, Palka has not gotten back to the major-leagues. He played for the Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization during the latter half of the 2020 season before returning to affiliated ball with the Nationals in 2021.

All told, Palka is a lifetime .218/.277/.433 hitter with 29 home runs and 71 RBIs in 154 career big-league games (all with the White Sox). At the Triple-A level, he owns a career line of .261/.349/.486 with 98 home runs and 293 RBIs in 477 games across four different organizations.

Defensively, Palka has past experience at first base and all three outfield spots. With the Syracuse Mets last year, the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder logged 354 2/3 innings at first, 58 2/3 innings in left, and 160 innings in right.

Palka, who turns 32 in October, has been assigned to Triple-A Worcester. There, he figures to provide Boston with some power-hitting depth who is capable of playing fist base and both corner outfield spots when needed. It does not appear as though the club signed him out of necessity or to address a specific need, but rather to fill in the gaps when other players at camp leave for the World Baseball Classic next month.

“I think this is more about the scouting department just adding to the equation,” said Cora. “It’s not needs or whatever. It’s just getting deeper. And that’s the most important thing. I don’t know how much we’re going to add in the upcoming weeks.

“But I know they’re working hard to see who’s out there, what we can bring to the equation or who wants to come here,” he added. “At the end of the day, all those guys that have some big-league experience but don’t have contracts, it’s up to them sometimes. And I’m glad that he’s here.”

With the addition of Palka, the Red Sox now have 64 players at major-league spring training. They will need to trim that number down to 26 by Opening Day.

(Picture of Daniel Palka: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Red Sox bring back outfielder Marcus Wilson on minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent outfielder Marcus Wilson to a minor-league contract, per the club’s transactions log on MLB.com.

This will mark Wilson’s second stint with the Red Sox organization. The former second-round draft pick was originally acquired from the Diamondbacks in the April 2019 trade that sent catcher Blake Swihart to Arizona.

After splitting the remainder of the 2019 minor-league season between (then) High-A Salem and Double-A Portland, Wilson was added to Boston’s 40-man roster that November in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft. Despite being on the Sox’ 40-man roster for the entirety of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, the California native was a limited participant at the club’s alternate training site in Pawtucket.

Wilson broke camp with Triple-A Worcester the following spring. The right-handed hitter batted .242/.370/.452 with 10 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 30 RBIs, 34 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 41 walks, and 88 strikeouts over 64 games (265 plate appearances) for the WooSox before somewhat surprisingly being designated for assignment at the end of July.

The Mariners quickly claimed Wilson off waivers in early August, and he spent the rest of the 2021 season with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, Wash. That October, however, Wilson was again designated for assignment. He cleared waivers this time around and was outrighted off Seattle’s 40-man roster.

As such, Wilson returned to Tacoma for the start of the 2022 season. He slashed .209/.336/.469 with 11 doubles, two triples, 12 homers, 34 runs driven in, 33 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 35 walks, and 82 strikeouts in 59 games (238 plate appearances) for the Rainiers before getting called up by the Mariners for the first time last June.

In what was his major-league debut, Wilson went 1-for-5 with one run scored, one walk, and four strikeouts across three games for Seattle. He was then optioned back to Tacoma on July 7, but was designated for assignment at the end of the month. The 26-year-old once again cleared waivers and closed out the 2022 campaign in Tacoma before electing for minor-league free agency in October.

Wilson, who turns 27 in August, should provide the Red Sox with some upper-minors outfield depth this season. It has yet to be determined if he will start the year in Portland or Worcester, though he could be behind other experienced outfielders like Raimel Tapia, Greg Allen, and Narciso Crook on the club’s organizational depth chart.

For his career at the Triple-A level, Wilson is a lifetime .230/.355/.441 hitter with 30 home runs, 99 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases over 194 games (792 plate appearances). In 74 career games at Double-A, he is a lifetime .225/.324/.425 hitter with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, and nine stolen bases across 278 trips to the plate. The 6-foot-2, 198-pounder also has past experience at all three outfield positions, so he can be considered versatile in that regard.

(Picture of Marcus Wilson: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)