Since he was designated for assignment earlier this season by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Carlos Santana has been biding his time with the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, hoping to return to MLB at age 40.
Santana will continue to bide his time outside the Braves’ organization. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Braves will grant Santana his release from his minor league contract.
In 27 games with the Gwinnett Stripers, Santana slashed .292/.385/.382.
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Santana has played 2,212 big league games in a career that began with the Cleveland Guardians in 2010. He is MLB’s active leader in walks (1,332), a skill that still surfaced after he signed a minor league contract with the Braves on June 28.
Santana had never been designated for assignment in his professional career before the Dbacks cut him on June 24. He was hitting .083 (2 for 24) with eight strikeouts in eight games at the time he was released.
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In order to be included on any team’s postseason roster, he has to have a major or minor league contract with that organization before Sept. 1.
In a career that began in 2010, Santana has a .240/.351/.424 slash line, 335 home runs and 1,136 RBIs in 2,212 games. He is the oldest active position player in either league, and the oldest to appear in a game for a National League team in 2026.
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In addition to the Diamondbacks and Guardians, Santana has played at the MLB level for the Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs.
Santana was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to Cleveland as a minor leaguer in 2008. He debuted two years later as a catcher, but eventually settled in as a first baseman and designated hitter.
If he latches on with another team, Santana is unlikely to reprise the form that made him an All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner in 2019. But he could be a useful left-handed bat off the bench in a platoon role at first base or designated hitter.
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