Who Will Diamondbacks DFA to Make Room for Evan Longoria?
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As reported, the Diamondbacks have struck a deal with free agent veteran third baseman Evan Longoria. However the deal is not yet official, as the team has not made an announcement.
In addition to Longoria likely needing to pass a physical to complete the deal, the organization must also decide who they are going to DFA and remove from the 40-Man roster. That is unless they also make a trade that might clear space, which is also a possibility. But barring that, someone is going to have to be DFA'd.
As the off season has gone on these types of decisions have probably gotten tougher and tougher for the team to make. It's a sensitive subject before the fact, and surely speculative. But as we try to think along with the organization, below are four players that seem to most likely to be DFA'd within the next week once the D-backs finalize and announce the Longoria deal.
Edwin Uceta
Uceta was signed as an amateur free agent by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic back in 2016. After five years he made his major league debut April 30th 2021. The Dodgers optioned him back and forth between the majors and a minors no less than five times. During his time on the MLB roster he had 6.64 ERA in 20.1 IP. His FIP was more than two runs lower at 4.40, but despite a K/9 over 11, his BB/9 over 5 was not tolerable for LA. They put him on waivers and he was claimed by the D-backs in October of 2021.
He had the same experience with Arizona, called up and optioned back out five times during the season. In 17.1 innings he had a 5.82 ERA with a 4.52 FIP. His walk rate improved to 3.7/9, but his K rate was only 6.9/9.
Uceta, who will still just be 25 yrs old next season throws a sinker, changeup, and curveball. His Sinker averaged 93.5 MPH last year and he has well above average spin rates on his sinker and curve. The stuff is there to be a successful pitcher, but it's not been made easier by getting called up and down so much. If placed on waivers he'll be claimed, perhaps by a team not expected to compete in 2023, who will just park him in a major league bullpen and let him work it out.
Seth Beer
Beer was acquired from the Houston Astros in the Zack Greinke deadline trade July 31, 2019. Beer raked in the Astros minor league organization, but has never been quite the same hitter for the Diamondbacks. He was having a nice cup of coffee in September of 2021, going 4-9, with a double and a homer through his first five games. But he injured his shoulder diving for a ball, and required surgery.
He made the team out of spring training in 2022 and had a career highlight moment, hitting a walkoff three-run homer on opening day against the Padres. Through his first 11 games, 35 PA he it .438 with a 1.111 OPS. Unfortunately it was steeply downhill from there as teams quickly found and exploited the holes in his swing and he was not able to counter adjust. Between April 21st and May 14th he went 3-49 and was optioned to Reno. Called back up for a couple of weeks in August, he went 4-30. His season end batting average was .189 with a .521 OPS.
With a team chock full of left-handed hitters and being limited to just first base and DH, Beer doesn't really have a spot. But Mike Hazen will be loathe to give up on a player he traded Zack Greinke for.
J.B. Bukauskas
Also acquired in the Greinke trade, Bukauskas has simply not been able to stay healthy. He's thrown only 35 minor league innings the last two years, and had a disastrous 17 inning stint in MLB in 2021 with a 7.79 ERA. He was having success in Reno in 2022 however, posting a 2.66 ERA in 20 innings. Sent to the Arizona Fall League to try to get in some more innings, he pitched in one game, got lit up, and was removed from that roster without explanation.
When healthy and right, Bukauskas throws a mid 90's fastball with a good slider. His kind of power stuff is what the D-backs are seeking as they rebuild their bullpen. But if they determine Bukauskas won't be able to stay healthy, or that his long injury history will degrade that power stuff, they may consider to give up on him.
Tyler Holton
Taken by the D-backs in the 9th round of the 2018 draft, Holton will pitching in his age 27 season next year. He gives the team some left handed relief depth, and had a good showing in his 9 MLB innings last year, giving up just three runs on eight hits, two walks and six K's. He had a 4.43 ERA in 43 innings at Reno last year, which is actually quite good given the environment.
The only reason he is on this list is because there is a chance he could slip through waivers. His fastball only averages 90.5 MPH, and the cutter sits at 87 MPH, and both have below average spin. He has a decent curveball, but overall, the stuff is not that impressive.
It's difficult to say which if any of these players could be DFA'd. But these are the players that appear to be on the bubble in the view of Inside the Diamondbacks
