Atlanta Braves release former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Photo credit: https://nationalpost.com/sports/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-jake-marisnick-patient-about-turning-heads
He'll head back to the market and look to latch on with another team needing outfield depth.
Rather than attend Oregon, Marisnick signed with the Blue Jays, receiving a $1 million signing bonus, more than double the suggested bonus for a player drafted at that position.
Marisnick was part of a huge trade that Jays manager Alex Anthopolous made with the Marlins that sent him SS
Yunel Escobar, infielder Adeiny Hechavarria, right-hander
Henderson Alvarez, left-hander Justin Nicolino, catcher
Jeff Mathis, and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani to Florida for right-hander
Josh Johnson, left-hander Mark Buehrle, shortstop
Jose Reyes, outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher
John Buck.
Marisnick's release comes both on the heels of some notable struggles in Gwinnett and a shakeup in Atlanta's outfield corps.
The Braves signed veteran
Eddie Rosario to a big league deal yesterday after his recent release from the Dodgers organization.
In a corresponding move, they optioned
Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett, hoping a minor league reset can get the former top prospect back on track. Releasing Marisnick will clear roster space and playing time for Kelenic in Triple-A.
As noted, the 2025 season has been a struggle for Marisnick anyhow. The 34-year-old has appeared in a dozen games and taken 45 turns at the plate.
He's produced a woeful .098/.178/.195 batting line in that time. Marisnick has homered and was successful in his only stolen base attempt, but he's fanned in 29% of his plate appearances and posted bottom-of-the-scale batted ball metrics (81.7 mph average exit velocity, 28.6% hard-hit rate).
Although he didn't hit well in Gwinnett, Marisnick logged a big .286/.371/.549 slash with in the Angels' minor league ranks just last year.
He's a veteran of 11 major league seasons who has more than nine years of major league service time under his belt.
Marisnick has never been a big threat with the bat - as evidenced by a lifetime .228/.281/.385 line in 2247 MLB plate appearances - but Statcast regularly places him in the 85th to 90th percentile in terms of sprint speed.
Marisnick is a superlative defender in center field; in 4448 career innings, he's been credited with 54 Defensive Runs Saved and 40 Outs Above Average in center. He's chipped in another 26 DRS and 12 OAA in 908 career innings in the corners.
Marisnick has at least held his own against left-handed pitching in his major league career (.237/.293/.417, 92 wRC+).
That, coupled with his speed and glovework, ought to earn him a look with a new organization - albeit likely on another minor league contract.
Previously on Blue Jays Central
POLL |
AVRIL 30 | 35 ANSWERS Atlanta Braves release former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Will Jake Marisnick catch on with another team or is his career over? |
Catch on with another team | 10 | 28.6 % |
He should retire | 25 | 71.4 % |
List of polls |