The Chicago Cubs veteran utility-man chose to become a free agent.
Nicky Lopez Elects Free Agency After Clearing Waivers
Infielder Nicky Lopez has officially become a free agent after clearing waivers, choosing not to accept a minor league assignment to Triple-A Iowa. The decision follows his designation for assignment by the Chicago Cubs earlier this week.
Lopez, 29, joined the Cubs in late April shortly after being let go by the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels designated him for assignment upon the return of shortstop Zach Neto from the injured list.
With his decision to test the open market, Lopez will now look for opportunities with other Major League clubs as a versatile defensive option with big-league experience.
Once a fifth-round draft pick, Lopez is best known for his defensive prowess.
With a stellar .992 fielding percentage across second base, shortstop, and third base, his glove has consistently attracted interest from teams, despite his struggles at the plate.
Now 30 years old, Lopez owns a career OPS of .621 over 686 Major League games.
His offensive peak came in 2021 with the Kansas City Royals when he batted .300/.365/.378 and posted a 104 OPS+, slightly above league average. Since then, he has hit just .229 with a 66 OPS+ over his last 376 games.
Lopez was recently removed from the active roster to make space for rookie Matt Shaw, who returned to the big-league squad. Although Shaw underwhelmed in his first 18 games with a .172/.294/.241 slash line, he’s already showing progress, collecting five hits in his first three games back with Chicago.
Lopez will now be able to sign with any team of his choosing, but his options may be limited given his poor hitting.
The Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers currently have members of their infield on the shelf, so he could be a stop gap option for those teams.
However, it seems more likely he catches on with a minor league contract given no team put in a claim.
