The Diamondbacks have launched veteran infielder Kolten Wong, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. Wong had been enjoying with their Triple-A affiliate in Reno after signing a minor league contract. He’s now a free agent.
A two-time Gold Glove winner at second base, the now-33-year-old Wong entered the 2024 marketing campaign in hopes of rebounding from a disastrous 2023 season that noticed him bat simply .183/.256/.263 in 250 plate appearances between the Mariners and Dodgers. Wong signed a minor league cope with Baltimore and spent spring coaching with the Orioles however opted out of that pact when he didn’t make the crew.
He subsequently signed with the D-backs, placing pen to paper on a second minor league deal again on April 10.
Via 31 video games, Wong has turned in a .271/.339/.383 batting line that appears respectable sufficient relative to MLB batting traces however is about 18% worse than common (by measure of wRC+) within the supercharged offensive surroundings of Triple-A’s Pacific Coast League. He’s homered twice, swiped a pair of luggage and picked up six doubles.
Wong has additionally proven modest enhancements in his strikeout and stroll charges, which sat at 21.2% and seven.2% within the large leagues final yr however are at 18.2% and eight.3% in Reno.
Depressing as Wong’s 2023 season was, the veteran infielder remains to be only one season faraway from a .251/.339/.430 efficiency with the 2022 Brewers — a season that noticed him swipe 17 bases and membership a career-best 15 dwelling runs with a powerful 9.3% stroll charge and significantly lower-than-average 17.7% strikeout charge. From 2017-22, Wong was an above-average common at second base between St. Louis and Milwaukee, hitting a mixed .269/.349/.414 with 54 homers, 72 steals, a roughly common stroll charge, robust bat-to-ball expertise and plus protection.
The D-backs haven’t wanted any assist at second base with Ketel Marte logging a .275/.322/.493 slash in his first 233 journeys to the plate this season, and there are different second base choices on the 40-man roster forward of Wong on the depth chart as properly. However there are many groups across the sport — Purple Sox, White Sox and Angels, to call just a few — which have struggled to get a lot of something out of their second basemen this season.
Wong may make sense as a depth choice with any of these golf equipment and even an instantaneous large league alternative in some spots if a crew desires to ship a struggling younger participant again to Triple-A for some extra seasoning.
