Blue Jays: A pair of minor leaguers elect free agency

Following the conclusion of the minor league season, a pair of Blue Jays farmhands has elected free agency, according to MiLB.

Mike Hauschild and Darnell Sweeney, two individuals who briefly had a cup of coffee with the major league team this year, have elected free agency, according to the official MiLB transactions page.

Hauschild, 28, is likely best remembered for being abruptly signed to a minor-league contract and then pitching seven solid innings the same night. A former member of the Houston Astros, Hauschild pitched a gem in Seattle against the Mariners in that first appearance.

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After that impressive debut, he pitched only one more game, going 2.1 innings while allowing four runs against the Red Sox on August 8th in Toronto. He was then optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, where he would remain for the rest of the 2018 campaign.

Sweeney, 27, had a similarly nondescript tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Once a somewhat productive bench piece for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Florida native joined the Jays on a MiLB deal in April and appeared in two games, mostly as a defensive replacement in the later innings.

In 88 games for the Bisons, he slashed .236/.311/.411 with ten home runs, 37 RBI and 13 doubles to go along with six stolen bases and four triples. He was also designated for assignment and optioned twice during the 2018 season.

While both minor leaguers, it’s still important to note the free agency of these two men, as they were, at some point during this disappointing season, somewhat viable bench options. With them gone the depth of the team changes, at least in a minor way.

Though it’s possible they could still re-sign with the team on a separate minor league deal, the two will be somewhat missed. Hauschild especially, who was an upper minor starter option, and the depth he helped provide will need to be replaced sometime during the offseason.