Brett Carroll

  BRETT CARROLL CORNER OUTFIELDER Born: October 3, 1982 Height: 5’11″ Weight: 210 Bats: Right Throws: Right Drafted: 10th Round, 308th Overall, 2004 (Marlins) How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent College: Middle Tennessee State University Agent: N/A WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES Carroll is a stocky outfielder with good raw power who’s been held back by his struggles with the strike zone.  He generally has hit for good, but not great, power, with low averages, low walk rates and high to very high K rates.  He’s known for playing all-out in the field and has frequently played center, although he fits best in right.  He has a very strong arm and was listed as “best outfield arm in _____” a number of times by Baseball America.  He didn’t hit enough to stick in several trials with his original team, the Marlins, and has made only cameo appearances in the majors the past two years.  The Pirates signed him to a minor league deal for 2013. 2004 A-:  251/321/422, 211 AB, 16 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 15 BB, 57 K, 1-1 SB In his debut, Carroll played over half his games at third and split the rest between the outfield and second.  He hit reasonably well, but with a high K rate. 2005 A:  243/296/447, 412 AB, 28 2B, 1 3B, 18 HR, 17 BB, 108 K, 10-20 SB Carroll moved strictly to the outfield in low A.  He played mostly right but got into 22 games in center.  He totaled 18 outfield assists.  At the plate, he hit for good power, but had serious issues with the strike zone. 2006 A:  241/324/417, 216 AB, 12 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 18 BB, 48 K, 9-12 SB AA:  231/303/422, 251 AB, 15 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 18 BB, 62 K, 4-5 SB Carroll split his time between high A and AA.  He played mostly right in high A and mostly center in AA, while recording a total of 27 outfield assists.  At the plate his performance remained almost the same as the previous year, with a low average and walk rate, and pretty good power.  He managed to cut his K rate slightly. 2007 AA:  270/359/490, 100 AB, 13 2B, 3 HR, 12 BB, 20 K, 0-2 SB AAA:  314/361/597, 318 AB, 21 2B, 6 3B, 19 HR, 18 BB, 69 K, 0-4 SB MLB:  184/231/204, 49 AB, 1 2B, 3 BB, 15 K Carroll started off hot in AA, showing drastically improved plate discipline and earning an early promotion to AAA.  The Marlins called him up for the last two weeks of June, then brought him up again in September.  Carroll ended up showing dramatically improved power in AAA, although his plate discipline regressed from what he showed in AA.  He spent a majority of his time in the outfield corners in the minors, but played mostly center in the majors. 2008 R:  250/333/375, 8 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K A+:  169/231/282, 71 AB, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 22 K, 1-1 SB AAA:  418/480/896, 67 AB, 5 2B, 9 HR, 8 BB, 18 K, 1-2 SB MLB:  056/111/176, 17 AB, 1 3B, 1 BB, 6 K Carroll started off in the majors but the Marlins sent him down after a week.  He came back up at the beginning of May but went on the disabled list three weeks later with a separated shoulder and missed much of the summer.  He came back up in September but finished the season with only 18 major league plate appearances. 2009 AAA:  233/295/427, 103 AB, 3 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 8 BB, 23 K, 0-1 SB MLB:  234/306/383, 141 AB, 8 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 11 BB, 33 K Carroll spent the season in the majors, except for being optioned to AAA for most of August.  He mostly came off the bench, starting just 32 games.  In the field he played mainly in right.  He wasn’t overwhelmed at the plate, but he didn’t hit enough for a fourth outfielder. 2010 A+:  294/520/353, 17 AB, 1 2B, 3 BB, 5 K, 2-3 SB AAA:  221/299/385, 244 AB, 16 2B, 8 HR, 22 BB, 54 K, 4-6 SB MLB:  197/311/329, 76 AB, 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 29 K, 2-3 SB The Marlins used Carroll sparingly through the beginning of June then optioned him to AAA.  Other than missing some time with an injury, he played there the rest of the year and did not come up in September.  Florida outrighted him off the 40-man roster in early October and he became a minor league free agent a month later.  He struggled both in the majors and AAA. 2011 AAA (Mil):  281/356/469, 335 AB, 14 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 34 BB, 73 K, 9-12 SB AAA (Bos):  229/298/361, 83 AB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 BB, 20 K, 2-2 SB MLB (Mil):  000/000/000, 3 AB, 1 K The Royals signed Carroll to a minor league deal for 2011, but traded him to the Brewers during spring training.  He spent most of the season playing center in AAA, getting just a two-game callup at the end of July.  When the Brewers outrighted him to AAA, he elected free agency and signed with Boston.  He hit well during his time in AAA with the Brewers. 2012 AAA:  250/333/407, 364 AB, 23 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 44 BB, 97 K, 7-12 SB MLB:  000/000/000, 2 AB The Nationals signed Carroll and he spent most of the season playing right for their AAA affiliate.  He got just a five-game callup in August, with only two plate appearances.  He didn’t hit well in AAA. The Pirates did not give Carroll an invitation to major league camp, not that he’d have a realistic chance of making the team anyway.  His window for getting established in the majors has probably closed.  He’ll spend 2013 at Indianapolis. STATS Baseball Reference–Majors Baseball Reference–Minors Fangraphs MLB.com MiLB.com CONTRACT INFORMATION 2008: $390,000 2009: $400,000 2010: $403,500 2012: $580,000 2013: Minor league contract PLAYER INFORMATION Signing Bonus: N/A MiLB Debut: 2004 MLB Debut: 6/27/2007 MiLB FA Eligible: 2013 MLB FA Eligible: 2017 Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible Added to 40-Man: June 17, 2007 Options Remaining: 0 (USED:  2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) MLB Service Time: N/A TRANSACTIONS June 7, 2004: Drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 10th round, 308th overall pick; signed on June 23. June 17, 2007: Contract purchased by the Florida Marlins. October 6, 2010: Outrighted to AAA by the Florida Marlins. November 6, 2010: Became a free agent. November 19, 2010: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Kansas City Royals. March 22, 2011: Traded by the Kansas City Royals to the Milwaukee Brewers for future considerations. July 21, 2011: Called up by the Milwaukee Brewers. July 30, 2011: Designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers; elected free agency on August 3. August 4, 2011: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Boston Red Sox. November 2, 2011: Became a free agent. December 4, 2011: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Washington Nationals. April 3, 2012: Called up by the Washington Nationals. April 23, 2012: Outrighted to AAA by the Washington Nationals. October 15, 2012: Became a free agent. February 5, 2013: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.