Veteran right-handers Connor Brogdon and Carlos Hernández elected free agency earlier this week, according to the MiLB.com transactions log. Both hurlers had been with the Guardians organization.
The Guardians gave Brogdon a major league contract worth $900K last winter, but the low-cost flier didn’t pan out. The 31-year-old made 16 appearances out of the bullpen and pitched to a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings. Even though Brodgon walked just three hitters, allowing five home runs made it difficult to hold a spot on the Guardians’ roster. They outrighted Brogdon twice during the season, including in late September, and he could only muster a 6.35 ERA in 11 1/3 innings when he took the ball for Triple-A Columbus.
Cleveland was the fourth major league organization for Brogdon, whom the Phillies took in the 10th round of the 2017 draft. He debuted three years later and put together the best stretch of his career from 2021-22, a 101 2/3-inning run of 3.36 ERA pitching with solid strikeout and walk percentages of 23.6 and 6.9, respectively. Big league success has eluded Brogdon since then, though, as he has combined for a 5.59 ERA in 95 frames with the Phillies, Dodgers, Angels and Guardians dating back to 2024.
Hernández inked a minor league pact with Cleveland last November, but he fractured his right leg and left arm in a car crash in his native Venezuela in January. While recovering, the 29-year-old spent the first half of the season on the injured list. After the Guardians selected his contract on Sept. 1, Hernández made two appearances and yielded a pair of earned runs on five hits in three innings. Cleveland then outrighted Hernández, who accepted the assignment and rode out the rest of the season in the minors.
Hernández first pitched for the Guardians in 2025, and he has also seen action with the Royals, Phillies and Tigers since he debuted in 2020. He recorded career bests in innings (85 2/3) and ERA (3.68) with Kansas City in 2021. However, despite a 98 mph fastball, Hernández has struggled to a 5.14 ERA and logged below-average strikeout (20.1%) and walk (11.1%) rates in 302 2/3 major league frames.
Photo courtesy of Scott Marshall, Imagn Images
