Utilityman Matt Beaty elects free agency

Corner infielder/outfielder Matt Beaty has elected minor league free agency after being outrighted by the Giants, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. He’ll look for other opportunities after being designated for assignment last week.

Beaty had a fairly brief tenure as a Giant. Acquired from the Royals on Opening Day, the left-handed hitter stepped to the plate just five times for San Francisco. 

He spent the majority of the year with Triple-A Sacramento, where he put up a solid .272/.406/.447 showing. He walked at a 10.9% clip while striking out just 18.6% of the time and hitting four home runs.

Upper minors success is nothing new for the former 12th round draftee. Beaty carries a .286/.388/.415 line in 137 career games at the Triple-A level. His major league results are more mixed. 

Beaty showed some early promise with the Dodgers, including a .270/.363/.402 showing in 2021. He’s struggled in a very limited look since then, hitting .104/.173/.167 in 52 plate appearances between the Padres and Giants over the last two years.

Beaty’s Triple-A track record is sure to lead to minor league interest now that he’s back on the market. That he went unclaimed on waivers suggests he’s unlikely to secure an immediate big league roster spot in free agency. A team seeking left-handed hitting depth could bring him in on a non-roster deal.