By Jon VankinShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberUnder new manager Tony Vitello, the San Francisco Giants will be looking to build a roster capable of better than the 81-81 record that saw them finish 12 games behind their longtime archrivals, the National League West-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. After trading seven-year veteran Mike Yastrzemski to the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline, the Giants made a move to address their outfield depth on Friday.
The trade came just hours before the 5 p.m. ET deadline by which teams must inform players who are arbitration-eligible if they will be offered new contracts, or simply let go — that is, non-tendered. The Miami Marlins appeared certain to non-tender 26-year-old outfielder Joey Wiemer on Friday, after designating him for assignment earlier this week. Instead, they traded him to San Francisco.
...Wiemer was the Milwaukee Brewers' fourth-round draft pick in 2020, a year when the annual MLB Draft was sliced to only five rounds from 40 as owners looked to cut costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He quickly rose through the Brewers' farm system, reaching the Triple-A level in 2022.
The righty-swinging outfielder was listed as the No. 90 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline going into the 2023 season. Baseball Prospectus placed him at No. 65. He was selected to play in the 2022 Futures Game, and MLB Pipeline rated Wiemer the No. 3 prospect in Milwaukee's system in 2023.
But Wiemer struggled in his rookie season of 2023, coming to the plate 410 times with only 75 hits and 36 walks, a .283 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Wiemer displayed some power, hitting 13 home runs and 19 doubles, but it was not good enough.
At the 2024 trade deadline, Milwaukee traded Wiemer and one other player to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Frankie Montas.
More MLB: Dodgers Tabbed to Trade No. 5 Prospect River Ryan For 4-Time Gold Glover
His stay with the Reds lasted only a few months. Cincinnati dealt him along with 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India to the Kansas City Royals for another pitcher, Brady Singer.
The Royals placed him on waivers in August this year, where the Marlins picked him up.
The Giants were able to acquire Wiemer without giving up any players of their own, sending only an undisclosed amount of cash to Miami for the former prospect. The Giants are clearly hoping that Wiemer can revitalize his career in San Francisco.
"Beyond his above-average power versus lefties, Wiemer is capable of playing all three outfield spots and doing so at a fairly high level," wrote Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors on Friday. "Even bearish scouting reports on him over the years have labeled him as a potential plus defender. Defensive metrics bear that out. "
Because Wiemer has no remaining minor league options, the Giants must keep him on the major league roster or designate him for assignment once again.
More MLB: Giants Expected to Cut Ties With 101 MPH, Top 25 Prospect Righty
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