Fourth Minor League Option
Most players get only three minor league options, but a player who has accrued less than five "full seasons" is eligible for a 4th minor league option.
For the purpose of determining eligibility for a 4th minor league option, a player accrues a "full season" when he spends at least 90 days on the Active List and/or Development List of an MLB and/or minor league club or clubs in a given season, or (in seasons prior to 2012) spends at least 60 days but less than 90 days on the Active List of an MLB and/or minor league club or clubs followed by an Injured List assignment where the combined time spent on the Active List and the Injured List equals at least 90 days or (beginning with the 2012 season) spends at least 30 days but less than 90 days on the Active List and/or Development List of an MLB and/or minor league club or clubs followed by an Injured List assignment where the combined time spent on the Active List and the Injured List equals at least 90 days.
NOTE: Days spent on Optional Assignment to a club's Spring Training Complex in September count as active days toward determining eligibility for a 4th minor league option.
CoViD-19 EXCEPTION: With regard to a player's eligibility for a 4th minor league option year in 2021 (and beyond), days spent on Optional Assignment in 2020 counted for nothing, and days spent on an MLB Active List and MLB inactive lists (IL, FMLA/Bereavement, Paternity Leave, et al) counted and were calculated at the prorated 2020 MLB Service Time rate (one day equals 2.78 days of MLB Service Time).
If a player qualifies for a 4th minor league option year, the 4th option is available during Spring Training and for the entire MLB regular season.
CUBS ELIGIBLE FOR 4TH MINOR LEAGUE OPTION: (updated 1-11-2024)
Kevin Alcantara, OF (in 2026 - see NOTE)
Alexander Canario, OF (in 2024 or 2025 - see NOTE)
Shota Imanaga, LHP (in 2027 or 2028 - see NOTE)
Caleb Kilian, RHP (in 2025 - see NOTE)
Christopher Morel, INF (in 2024 - see NOTE)
NOTE: Canario and C. Morel will be eligible for a fourth minor league option in 2024 and Canario will also be eligible for a fourth minor league option in 2025 if the fourth option is not spent in 2024 (TBD), Kilian will be eligible for a fourth minor league option in 2025 if the third option is spent in 2024 (TBD), K. Alcantara will be eligible for a fourth minor league option in 2026 if the third option is spent in 2025 (TBD), and Imanaga will be eligible for a fourth minor league option in 2027 if the third option is spent in 2026 and he will also be eligible for a fourth minor league option in 2028 if the fourth option is not spent in 2027 (TBD).
Recent comments
Arizona Phil (view)
azbobbop: Yes.
Mike Wellman (view)
I’ve got Tim’s The Last Out too, along with some other prints of his work.
TarzanJoeWallis (view)
Very well played game all around tonight.
crunch (view)
best starter and 2 top hitters from the team gone...and they keep on winning.
little ahead of myself here, but the RSox got 9 outs to find 6+ runs.
TarzanJoeWallis (view)
Richard Gallardo just left the Smokies game with an arm injury after going to the ground following a pitch. Doesn’t sound good at all.
azbobbop (view)
Phil, do you think Wiggins will start out in ACL?
azbobbop (view)
The level of conversation on this site is intelligent, reasoned and informative. Miles ahead of other Cub sites.
Arizona Phil (view)
This was Jaxon Wiggins previous "live" BP on 4/5:
JAXON WIGGINS:
ONE INNING (20 pitches - 10 strikes)
one batted ball in play (F-9 by Stevens)
one walk (B. Davis)
one HBP (B. Davis)
two strikeouts (Peralta & Escobar - both looking)
three swing & miss
two fouls
four called strikes
nine called balls
Arizona Phil (view)
Prior to the Cactus League game at Papago Park, three Cubs pitchers threw "live" BP on Field 1 at the Cubs Sloan Park complex, including RHRP Ethan Roberts (June 2022 TJS) and Cubs 2023 2nd round draft pick RHP Jaxon Wiggins (February 2023 TJS).
Wiggins last threw "live" BP three weeks ago before being shut down for a couple of weeks, and this was the first time Roberts has thrown to hitters in almost two years.
JAXON WIGGINS:
ONE INNING:
25 pitches (11 strikes)
no batted balls in play
two walks (Suriel and J. Diaz)
three strikeouts (Carico, Lubo, and Escobar - all three swinging)
six swing & miss
two fouls
three called strikes
14 called balls
one WP
ETHAN ROBERTS:
ONE INNING
15 pitches (7 strikes)
two batted balls in play (G-3 by Carico and L-9 by Suriel)
two walks (Lubo and Carico)
no strikeouts
no swing & miss
two fouls
three called strikes
eight called balls
one WP
Mat Peters was bumped by Justin Steele from his scheduled game work at Giants, so he threw two innings of "live" BP with Wiggins & Roberts.
MAT PETERS:
TWO INNINGS
44 pitches (23 strikes)
five batted balls in play (F-7, L-7, F-7, G-6, G-3)
three walks
two strikeouts (both Lubo and both looking)
six swing & miss
three fouls
nine called strikes
21 called balls
three WP
crunch (view)
wall stole a HR from busch...double. nice to see him destroy a curve ball.
upon further viewing, that might not have been a homer in too many parks...it had a lot of hang time, though.