The Arizona Diamondbacks have released two-time Gold Glove winner Kolten Wong . The veteran infielder was playing with the Triple-A affiliate in Reno after signing a minor league contract. Wong, 33, came into the 2024 season hoping to diminish his brutal 2023 campaign that saw him hit .183/.256/.263 in 250 plate appearances between the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers. Wong did sign a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles, spending spring training with the club, but opted after he didn’t make the Opening Day roster.
Wong went on to sign with the D-backs, signing a second minor league deal on April 10. Through 31 games, the veteran tuned a .271/.339/.383 batting line in Triple-A’s Pacific Coast League. Wong showed signs of power with two home runs and swiped a pair of bases as he collected six doubles. He did show small improvements in his strikeout and walk rates, which sat at 21.2 percent and 7.2 percent in the big leagues last year. However, they were at 18.2 percent and 8.3 percent in Reno.
Possible Landing Spots
The Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels could use a veteran like Wong. He makes sense as both a depth option and even an immediate big-league replacement at that position. Doing so will allow a team to send a struggling young player back to Triple-A to further develop their game. After his release by the Orioles, Wong doesn’t seem interested in signing another minor league contract.
“I’ve got 10 years in this already,” Wong said to Jake Rill of MLB.com. “I don’t plan on going down to the minor leagues after this. Whatever happens, happens.”
Two more are leaving this summer .
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