Astros DFA Grae Kessinger – MLB Commerce Rumors

After formally asserting Christian Walker the signature Earlier right this moment, the Astros designated a participant Gray Kissinger To process to open up a spot for Walker on the 40-man roster (per Chandler Rome of The Athletic).

Kissinger, 27, was Houston’s second-round decide within the 2019 draft. The grandson of the six-time All-Star Don Kessinger, demonstrated glorious hitting abilities in school, hitting .330 with a .904 OPS in his first 12 months in school. Ole Miss. Nevertheless, evaluators had issues about his potential to maintain up with main league pitching. There have been additionally rumblings about his incapacity to stay at shortstop. In reality, Kissinger struggled on the plate throughout his first few years within the Astros farm system, taking part in all around the infield because the group seemed to maximise his versatility.

After being promoted to Triple-A in 2023, Kessinger appeared to have taken a step ahead on the plate. He improved his walk-to-hit ratio and put up an .832 OPS and a 107 wRC+. That was sufficient to earn him a call-up to the massive league membership that summer season. Nevertheless, he did not make an impression offensively on the main league stage, going 8 for 40 with 12 strikeouts, good for a .614 OPS and 73 wRC+ in 26 video games.

Regardless of his nice struggling within the league in 2023, Kissinger made the Astros Opening Day roster in 2024. Sadly, he continued to fall brief in opposition to MLB. In 25 video games, he could not hit a single hit. He walked thrice, reached a house run as soon as, and struck out seven. To make issues worse, he regressed at Triple-A as nicely. His OPS dropped greater than 100 factors from the earlier 12 months, whereas his wRC+ fell nicely under the 83 common.

Given all his struggles on the plate, it isn’t stunning to see Kessinger DFA’d. Nevertheless, he can nonetheless present worth together with his versatility — he has performed all 4 positions on the MLB stage — and there may actually be a workforce that sees sufficient potential within the former second-round decide to take him off waivers. If not, the Astros may have the choice of sending him straight to the minors and conserving him within the group.