SF Giants: Former second baseman DFA’d by Marlins

The Miami Marlins cut ties with a former SF Giants second baseman as Joe Panik was designated for assignment on Friday. Interestingly, Panik was already on the paternity list and not expected to return before the end of the season.

SF Giants: Former second baseman DFA’d by Marlins

The Marlins needed the extra roster space to add Deven Marrero, Preston Guilmet, and Andrew Bellatti to the 40-man roster so Panik was one of the players removed from the roster. Luis Madero, who was briefly with the Giants organization in 2020, was also placed on waivers by Miami.

The Giants originally selected Panik in the first round of the 2011 draft out of St. John’s University in Queens, New York. He was selected as a shortstop but he shifted to second base early on in his pro career. That decision is one that paid huge dividends.

The left-handed bat debuted with the Giants in 2014, slashing .305/.343/.368 (105 OPS+) with one home run, 18 RBI, and 30 runs scored in 287 plate appearances. He also made a huge play in the World Series that Giants fans will not soon forget:

Panik added to his résumé with a National League All-Star nod (2015) and a Gold Glove Award (2016) at second base. However, a long list of injuries have derailed his career and the Giants decided to cut ties with the veteran infielder in 2019 after several subpar seasons.

The 30-year-old quickly caught on with the New York Mets to finish out that season and inked a minor league pact with the Toronto Blue Jays in the following season. The Blue Jays liked his versatility enough to bring him back for the 2021 season.

However, he was shipped to the Miami Marlins along with a minor league prospect in Andrew McInvale in a trade that sent Adam Cimber and Corey Dickerson back to the Blue Jays. In total, the left-handed bat registered a .208/.266/.284 line (51 OPS+) with three home runs, 18 RBI, and 17 runs scored across 257 plate appearances with the Blue Jays and Marlins in 2021.

Given his recent production, Panik will struggle to find a guaranteed contract in free agency. More than likely, he will have to settle for a minor league deal with a chance to make the club out of Spring Training. That said, the former SF Giants second baseman has given fans plenty of lasting memories and he has earned some nice hardware in eight major league seasons.