I was glad to read on thecubreporter.com this morning that Carl Edwards, Jr. was again signed to a minor league contract. Any further opt-out date was not disclosed. CJ had a solid '22-'23 with the Nationals, and he looked great in Spring Training. As much as I'd like to think that our bullpen is going to be lights out, we have 3 righties in early ARB years with no options left who have been shaky at times (Almonte, Leiter, Merryweather) and it would not shock me if any of them were to completely lose it this year and need to be DFA'd. I'm glad to have CJ at Iowa as someone who might be able to help the Cubs later this season.
From TCR:
Edwards had previously signed a 2024 minor league contract with the Cubs in February, but opted out and became a free-agent when he was not added to the MLB Active List (26-man roster) or MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) by the fourth day prior to MLB Opening Day. Because Edwards was a post-2023 MLB Article XX-B free agent, when he signed the first minor league contract prior to the start of Spring Training he had the automatic right to opt out if he was not added to the 40 by the fourth day prior to MLB Opening Day, although he could have waited and opted out on May 1st if he had not been added to an MLB Active List (26-man roster) or MLB 60-day IL by that date, or he could have opted out on June 1st if he had not been added to an MLB Active List (26-man roster) or MLB IL by that date.
However, because he is no longer considered a post-2023 Article XX-B free-agent, Edwards no longer has the automatic opt out rights he had under his previous minor league contract, but that would not preclude Edwards and the Cubs from agreeing to one or more contractual opt outs on dates satisfactory to both parties (TBD).
Also, because he has Article XIX-A rights (meaning he has accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time), Edwards cannot be sent to the minors without his consent if he is added to the 40 at some point in 2024 (he is out of minor league options, so this only applies to him being sent outright to the minors if & when he is added to the 40).