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MLB Players Out of Minor League Options Work to Make Clubs in Spring Training

By Benjamin Chase

Feb 19, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; A group of New York Yankees players prepare for the spring training workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; A group of New York Yankees players prepare for the spring training workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /

A number of MLB players are fighting for jobs in spring training as they have no options left.

MLB players are working to keep or earn jobs in their major league camps as the World Baseball Classic comes to a close.

MLB Trade Rumors put out a list this week that highlighted each player for every team that is out of minor league options and must win a job in the major leagues this spring or face hitting the waiver wire in order to go to the minor leagues.

First, we’ll take a look at what exactly options are, then we’ll take a look at each team’s list and the likelihood that each player makes the roster for his current team.

What are options?

Going into the depth and oddities about options could be an entire article all its own, which is part of what MLB.com columnist Jonathan Mayo did in 2011 in this story.

Most fans hear the word option many times over throughout the course of a season, many are unaware of exactly what an option truly is.

Here is the definition from the MLB rule book, Rule 11 (C):

"LIMITATIONS ON OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENTS. An optional assignment of a player contract shall be permitted for not more than three seasons between Major League Clubs and Minor League Clubs; provided that if the player is optioned for less than a total of 20 days in one season, as determined by the date(s) of the optional assignment(s) and recall(s), respectively, the player shall not be charged with an optional transfer in connection with the foregoing limitation."

To butter it more basically, options are something that do not come into play until a player is added to a team’s 40-man roster. Once he is added to the 40-man, he is allowed three options to the minor leagues. Those are not three individual times being sent down, but three seasons of being sent to the minor leagues for more than 20 days for an option to be utilized.

Once those three options have been used on a player in his career, he has no options left, wherever he may end up as a player, meaning he will always need to clear waivers in order to be sent down to the minor leagues.

Now that the rule is as clear as mud, we’ll take a look at each team’s list and who could be in jeopardy of being exposed to waivers or released by his team if he doesn’t make the roster. We’ll go division-by-division.

Next: AL East

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