Veteran first baseman/outfielder Kevin Mitchell Jersey has opted out of his minor league deal with the Marlins, manager told and other reporters. Catcher has also been told that he isnt making the Opening Day roster, but Casali has yet to decide on whether or not to exercise his own as an Article XX(B) free agent. Mancini joined the Cubs on a two-year, $14MM free agent contract last offseason, and since the Cubs waived him last August, any team that uses Mancini on a big league roster is only obligated to pay him a minimum salary (with Chicago still on the hook for the rest of his $7MM salary for 2024). This made Mancini even more of a flier than your standard minor league signing, though the Marlins didnt see enough in Mancinis Spring Training performance to give him a roster spot. Mancini hit an unspectacular .257/.333/.371 over 39 plate appearances this spring. After mi sing the 2020 season due to a battle with colon cancer, Mancini made a triumphant return in 2021 and won Comeback Player Of The Year honors while batting .255/.326/.432 over 616 PA with the Orioles. His longtime tenure in Baltimore ended when the Os dealt Mancini to the Astros at the 2022 trade deadline, and while Mancini earned a World Series ring with Houston, he didnt contribute much at the plate during the regular season or in the playoffs. The struggles continued with the Cubs in 2023, as Mancini hit only .234/.299/.336 over 263 PA. Mancini just celebrated his 32nd birthday earlier this week, and now again finds himself at something of a cro sroads in his career. His track record and reputation as a clubhouse leader should land him another minor league deal in another organization, though Mancinis most recent results arent particularly encouraging. Casali was another minor league signing for the Marlins this offseason, brought in as catching depth behind Miamis planned tandem of and . Since that isnt exactly a proven set of backstops, Casali might well choose to pa s on his opt-out decision and stay at Triple-A in the hopes of receiving a call-up at some point. That said, any number of teams could have catching vacancies opening up due to injuries or end-of-spring cuts, so Casali find be able to find a more preferable opportunity elsewhere. A veteran of 10 MLB seasons, Casali has hit .220/.314/.380 in 1454 PA. Casali has been a few impre sive years at the plate as a part-timer with the Reds and Rays, but the 35-year-old hasnt hit much in the last three seasons and is generally known more for his defense and game-calling prowe s. Bubba Thompson Jersey