Former Boston Red Sox first-rounder Michael Chavis has signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and joined the reigning World Series champions at spring training as a non-roster invitee.
Chavis, selected by the Red Sox in the first round (No. 26 overall) of the 2014 MLB Draft, was once considered one of the top prospects in Boston’s system. His rookie campaign with the Red Sox in 2019 saw him slash an impressive .254/.322/.444 with 18 home runs in 382 plate appearances; but he has struggled since then, slashing .231/.265/.382 in 804 plate appearances.
Chavis hasn’t appeared in a big league game since 2023, when he played a part-time role for the Washington Nationals. He spent the 2024 season in Triple-A between the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners organizations, performing admirably with a .290/.366/.485 slash line in 191 plate appearances for Triple-A Tacoma late in the year.
Defensively, Chavis can play at all three bases and both outfield corners. It’s highly unlikely he breaks camp with the Dodgers, but he can be a solid back-up utility option they stash in Triple-A in case of injuries.
Dodgers sign Michael Chavis, Red Sox sign Trayce Thompson
Just a few days after Chavis signed with Los Angeles, the Red Sox nabbed former Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson in minor league free agency. Thompson will join the Red Sox for the remainder of spring training as a non-roster invitee.
A former second-round pick by the White Sox in 2009, Thompson spent parts of four seasons with the Dodgers between 2016 and 2023. Overall, he has spent parts of seven Major League seasons with five different teams. Like Chavis, he spent the entire 2024 season at the Triple-A level split between two organizations (the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs).
Thompson, the younger brother of NBA star Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, will provide the Red Sox with some depth behind an outfield mix that already includes Ceddanne Rafaela and Rob Refsnyder, as well as top prospects Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Jhostynxon Garcia. He brings the number of non-roster invitees at Red Sox spring training up to 21.
