Five players elect minor league free agency

A handful of former major leaguers hit the open market this week. They’ll get a head start on free agency as the MLB playoffs unfold. These free agent elections were listed on the MiLB.com transactions page.

Pitchers

Bailey Falter (Braves)

The veteran left-hander came to Atlanta at the trade deadline along with outfielder Lane Thomas. Falter tossed two scoreless outings with the Braves. It was a nice bounceback showing after he was crushed for 15 earned runs over 9 2/3 innings in Kansas City. Falter has shuffled between multiple organizations over the past few seasons. He’s been a useful swingman, outside of his stint with the Royals. Falter is the most likely candidate of this group to find an MLB gig in 2027.

Aaron Brooks (Rays)

After starting the year in the Mexican League, Brooks got a brief look with the Rays. He was tagged for three earned runs in a mid-May relief appearance. The righty recorded just one out. Brooks accepted an outright assignment to the minors and spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Durham. An injury cut his campaign short in June. Brooks put together two solid seasons in the KBO in 2020 and 2021. He’s struggled in parts of three MLB seasons since then.

Seth Martinez (Red Sox)

The 32-year-old Martinez earned a Spring Training invitation with the Red Sox but didn’t break camp with the club. He pitched for Triple-A Worcester for the majority of the year. Martinez had his contract selected in August. He tossed an inning in relief and was designated for assignment shortly after. The righty remained with the WooSox for the rest of the season. Martinez has compiled a decent 4.03 ERA across six big-league campaigns, mostly with the Astros.

Catcher

Aramis Garcia (Diamondbacks)

Garcia was in camp with the Diamondbacks but opened the season at Triple-A. An injury to Gabriel Moreno opened up a spot on the big-league club in April. Garcia hit .158 with a homer in eight games in the majors. He was bumped off the roster once Moreno was ready to return. Garcia has bounced around the league as a depth option behind the plate. He’s appeared in each of the last three MLB seasons, though that’s only amounted to 13 games played.

Infielder

Owen Miller (Cubs)

The Cubs added Miller on a minor league deal over the winter. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Iowa. Miller got a brief look in August. He was on the roster for a series, appearing in one game as a defensive replacement. The 29-year-old has played every position except catcher and center field as a big leaguer. His versatility could attract a new team this offseason.