MLBTR reports that the Cubs announced that OF Darnell McDonald, C J.C. Boscan, and RHP Trey McNutt cleared waivers and were outrighted to the minors and off the 40-man roster. In addition, RHP Rafael Dolis, RHP Zach Putnam and OF Thomas Neal were taken off the disabled list and outrighted off the 40-man roster. With these moves, the Cubs’ 40-man roster currently stands at 37 players.
To outright a player means a club assigns a player to the club’s minor league affiliate without the right of recall. The player is removed from the 40-man roster.
A player assigned outright to the minor leagues for the first time in his career must accept the assignment. Thereafter, a player has the choice of:
- rejecting the assignment and becoming a free agent immediately, or
- accepting the assignment and become a free agent at the end of the season if he has not been returned to the 40-man roster.
A player with 5 years of Major League service who refuses an outright assignment is entitled to the money due according to the terms of his contract.
Of the players moved, only two have been on the radar of Cub fans: Dolis and McNutt.
Dolis, 25, was a big reliever who had played 40 games for the Cubs in the last 3 seasons. He had a record of 2-5, 5.48 ERA in 44.1 IP. He had 4 saves, but a career 1.556 WHIP and negative 1.0 career WAR which shows he was plagued with control problems. This outright signals that Dolis is not in next year's plans.
McNutt, 24, was drafted in 2009 (32nd round) by the Cubs. He quickly moved up the minor league ladder to AA ball in 2010. But his career has stalled because of injuries and inconsistency. This year he went from AA and Rookie ball to post 2-5 record, 2 saves, in 29 GP, 33.1 IP with a 1.345 WHIP.
When a minor league player who is 24 or 25 has not established himself in the major leagues, he no longer has the "prospect" tag attached to his career path. Teams do not count on "late bloomers" to be big or everyday contributors at the major league level. McNutt's path has curved toward a bullpen role, if any, in the future.
