11-Year Veteran Opts-Out, Becomes Free Agent

Major league veterans often sign minor league deals knowing that it contains a clause that allows them to opt-out at various points if they're not on the major league roster. That has come to pass for 11-year veteran outfielder Kole Calhoun.

Outfielder Kole Calhoun has opted out of his minor-league deal with the Mariners and is now a free agent, a source tell @TheAthletic.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 26, 2023

Having signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners earlier in the offseason, Calhoun had an unremarkable spring, batting .250 with no home runs, and was notified this weekend by the M's that he wouldn't be making the Opening Day roster.

The 35-year-old has struggled mightily for the past couple of years, and is coming off a .196 season with the Texas Rangers, with a .587 OPS and 12 home runs in 125 games. He hasn't hit above .235 since 2017, though he produced some massive power in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, blasting 16 HR in just 54 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, producing an OPS+ of 130, the best of his career. 

Having opted-out, he'll now take his wares to the free agent market to see if another team is willing to take a shot on the former longtime Los Angeles Angel.

Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports