Trey Mancini, an outfielder and first baseman with the Angels, according to Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner. Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com initially noted that while Vaughn Grissom, who has been sidelined due to an oblique issue, had a locker in the clubhouse, Mancini no longer had one. Since then, the team has declared Grissom’s restoration from the 10-day IL and Mancini’s DFA.
Mancini, 34, returned to Major League Baseball last week following a roughly three-year hiatus. In the former Orioles star’s career, this is his second comeback tale. During spring training in 2020, Mancini had a Stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis. He missed the season but made a spectacular comeback the following year after declaring he was cancer-free and in remission.
Even while this return isn’t quite as poignant, it’s still extremely amazing. Mancini was cut in the summer of 2023 after hitting.234/.299/.336 in 79 games with the Cubs. He played in just 74 Triple-A games in the Diamondbacks organization last season and didn’t play anywhere in 2024. The list of 34-year-olds who return to Major League Baseball after a 35-month hiatus is undoubtedly short, and Mancini hasn’t been a significant player on a big league team in four years.
Mancini returned to the Show with three hits despite his lengthy absence. His brief time with the Angels will end with an oddity and a 4-for-13 record.308/.286/.462 batting line—a result of recording three singles, a triple, and a sacrifice fly during his brief tenure as a Halo.
Beyond his small sample of plate appearances with Anaheim, Mancini’s recent Triple-A action has been fairly productive. In 559 plate appearances between the D-backs’ Reno affiliate and the Angels’ Salt Lake club since the previous season, he has slashed.295/.375/.500 with 22 home runs and 33 doubles. Although that figure may seem appealing, it should be noted that, in the very competitive offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, stated productivity is only 8% above average (by measure of wRC+).
Within the next five days, the Angels will either trade Mancini or put him on waivers (outright or release). The results of today’s DFA may not be known for up to a week because the waiver process takes 48 hours.
