While the Los Angeles Dodgers projected to have a glut of outfielders on their Major League roster and with Triple-A Oklahoma City, the organization acquired Brett Eibner from the Oakland Athletics last January.
Prior to the 2017 season, he’d appeared in a combined 70 games with the Kansas City Royals and Athletics. Eibner batted .193/.266/.353 with 10 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 22 RBI in 208 career plate appearances to that point.
After hitting .306/.405/.639 with four doubles, one triple, two home runs and 10 RBI in 19 Cactus League games, Eibner began the season with Oklahoma City. Along with Chris Taylor, he was recalled April 19 when the Dodgers placed Logan Forsythe and Rob Segedin on the 10-day disabled list.
Eibner went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts in three games (two starts) before being optioned back to Oklahoma City on April 23. That marked the start of a flurry of roster transactions he was involved in.
The versatile outfielder was back with the club the following day, as a groin strain forced Joc Pederson to the DL. Then on April 25, Eibner was sent back to OKC in a corresponding move to the Dodgers calling up Cody Bellinger.
Eibner was recalled on two more occasions, and ultimately appeared in 17 games (seven starts) for the Dodgers. He hit a lowly .182/.250/.364 with two home runs and six RBI in those contests. With Oklahoma City, Eibner batted .231/.289/.385 with four doubles, one triple, four home runs and 14 RBI in 37 games.
In late May, he began working with Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt to potentially serve as a reliever. Eibner pitched during his collegiate days at the University of Arkansas. He failed to reprise that, however, undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery in August.
One month later, Eibner was one of two players the Dodgers designated for assignment in corresponding roster moves to calling up O’Koyea Dickson and Alex Verdugo from OKC. Eibner was then released from the organization on Sept. 5.
2017 highlight:
Starting for Yasiel Puig in right field in the third of a four-game May series at Coors Field, Eibner extended the Dodgers’ lead in the fifth inning with a solo home run that cleared the trees in center field.
MLB Statcast projected the home run to travel 465 feet, which at the time was good for the eight-longest homer of the season.
2018 outlook:
The 28-year-old may miss all of next season while recovering from Tommy John. Because of that, it’s not likely Eibner will manage to sign a deal with any club. But if he manages to recover ahead of schedule, it possibly could lead to a Minor League contract with an organization.
