Philadelphia Phillies release Lou Marson

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

From being ranked among the top prospects in the game at 23 to out of work at 27, Lou Marson’s career has hardly gone according to plan. The catcher was among eight players cut Friday morning by the Philadelphia Phillies. Marson was granted his unconditional release, rather than receiving an assignment to the minor leagues.

Now a free agent, it’s unclear if Marson will attract much interest on the open market.

Originally a 4th Round pick in the 2004 Draft, Marson progressed slowly but steadily through the Phillies’ minor league system. 2008 was a breakout year for him at Double-A. He’d hit .314/.433/.416 in 395 PA, while showing some talent defensively. Baseball American ranked him at #66 in their annual Top 100 prior to the 2009 season.

That summer Marson was shipped to the Cleveland Indians – along with Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, and Jason Donald – in the deal that originally brought Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to the Phillies. He’d appeared in a handful of games for the Phillies at the Major League level, but with the Indians Marson would get his first real shot in 2010. He’d spend the next three seasons in a part time role for the Indians, hitting a combined .216/.304/.290 in 801 PA.

A shoulder injury kept Marson on the sidelines for most of the 2013 season. Yan Gomes stepped up and solidified the catcher’s job in Cleveland, leaving Marson expendable. Cleveland non-tendered him in December and he’d sign a minor league deal to return to the Phillies a few weeks later. He was 1 for 3 in 3 games this spring.