Jose

Rojas

Rojas, 31, opted out of a deal with the Yankees when he didn’t get called up after hitting .254/.359/.561 in 67 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The former Angel definitely has a better chance of seeing the majors with the Pirates, but he will have to spend some more time in Triple-A first.

Rojas, who saw significant time with the Angels in 2021, is with the Yankees on a minor league deal after hitting .253/.345/.474 in Korea last year. That’s he’s not much of a middle-infield option limits his usefulness as a reserve, but he might be an upgrade over Oswaldo Cabrera for the last spot on the bench if the Yankees bring in a legitimate backup infielder.

The 30-year-old infielder has struggled in two chances at the major league level and had to finish out the season in the Korean Baseball Organization. However, he has posted outstanding numbers at the Triple-A level over the last few seasons and can play all over the infield, so be provides good organizational depth for the Yankees.

Word of the agreement was first reported on Saturday, and now the Doosan Bears have formally announced the pact. It’s a one-year, $1 million contract with a $50,000 signing bonus. Rojas, 29, leaves behind a .188/.245/.339 batting line in 241 career major league plate appearances, all accrued with the Angels between the 2021-2022 campaigns.

Nothing official from the KBO club yet, but it appears that Rojas is close to heading overseas for the 2023 season. The versatile 29-year-old infielder has posted outstanding numbers at the Triple-A level over the last few seasons, but struggled the last two years at the major-league level, hitting just .188/.245/.339 with six home runs and two steals in 241 plate appearances for the Angels.

Rojas was waived by Giants earlier this week and wound up refusing an outright assignment to Triple-A Sacramento. The 29-year-old infielder will test the free agent waters instead. He’s hit just .125/.140/.161 across 57 plate appearances this season in the majors.

Rojas has been removed from the Giants’ 40-man roster to make room for the club to claim first baseman Taylor Jones off waivers from the Astros. The versatile 29-year-old was scooped up off waivers from the Angels earlier this month and was stationed at Triple-A Sacramento. He’s gotten into 83 games over the last two years in the majors, so there could be some interest once again on the waiver wire.

The 29-year-old had been designated for assignment by the Angels earlier in the week. Rojas had just 57 plate appearances in his time with the big league club this season, slashing a woeful .125/.140/.161 with zero homers, one RBI and a cringe-inducing 19/0 K/BB ratio. He’ll add minor league depth for the Giants.

Rojas gets the boot from the 40-man roster as the Angels make space for their September 1 callups. The 29-year-old utilityman was just 7-for-56 (125) with zero homers and zero steals this season for Anaheim.

It’s one of a flurry of roster moves the Angels made Monday. Rojas has gone just 7-for-56 at the dish this season for the Halos.