The Boston Red Sox have largely sat out free agency to this point in the offseason, but the same is not true for the rest of the league. In fact, one of the team’s former top prospects, Michael Chavis, has just found a new home in the majors.
Chavis initially broke into the majors with Boston back in 2019, and he flashed his potential, hitting .254 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 95 games. He eventually got traded in 2021 after taking a significant step back at the plate, and he’s spent time with five teams since leaving Boston.
After getting released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in July, Chavis signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball, but the team announced earlier in December that it would not be bringing him back for the 2026 season. However, Chavis has found his way back to MLB, as he signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds.
“Michael Chavis has signed a minor league deal with the Reds that includes an invite to Spring Training, per source,” Kiley McDaniel of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Chavis has been the epitome of a boom-or-bust hitter during his baseball career. While he’s never had a problem hitting for power, if he’s not hitting the ball out of the ballpark, he’s typically striking out.
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If the Reds can find a way to get Chavis to be a bit more consistent at the plate, he could be a surprise contributor for them in 2026. For now, though, it simply seems like the team is taking a flier without having many expectations for him.