12/26/25 : Phillies sign LHP Genesis Cabrera to minor league contract
- Steve Potter
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Free agent LHP Genesis Cabrera has signed a minor league contract with the Phillies for the 2026 season. He also receives an invitation to big league spring training. The now 29 year old was originally signed by the Tampa Rays on 11/1/13 as an international free agent from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Rays traded him to the Cardinals on 7/31/18. Cabrera was a big part of the St Louis Cardinals bullpen contingent from 2019 to 2023 - he was traded to the Blue Jays mid season 2023 and pitched well for them thru the 2024 season becoming a free agent in November of 2024 and signing with the Mets. He’s pitched in 312 major league games totaling 318.1 IP with a 4.24 ERA.
Last season (2025) he played for four different organizations (Mets, Cubs, Pirates and Twins) appearing in 40 major league games (42.2 IP) with a 6.54 ERA - he also appeared in eight minor league games (9 IP). In his career he’s played for the Rays, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mets, Cubs, Pirates and Twins. In addition to his major league service he’s made 135 minor league appearances (92 starts) totaling 561.1 IP with a 4.18 ERA.
Cabrera is a power pitcher - fastball (both sinker and four seamer) sits in the 94-98 mph range which he couples with a curve, slider, changeup and cutter. The stuff can be electric however his delivery is described as a violent one which has produced inconsistent command. He hit Bryce Harper with a pitch in the face in 2021 - after that incident Harper sent Cabrera a note to tell him he knew it wasn’t intentional - “I just wanted to make sure he was OK,” Harper said. “He’s a young kid. He’s a young pitcher and that could definitely mess with somebody. We’ve seen it. You’ve seen it in the past with guys that hit somebody or they throw a pitch to the backstop and then it’s an onion that just opens, right?”
Command struggles significantly plagued Genesis in 2025 resulting in a high walk rate - he’s now signed a minor league contract with the Phillies in hopes of regaining past form and returning to the major leagues - the potential he continues to possess if his control issues can be resolved are intriguing.
From a fan’s view welcome to the Phillies Genesis!
Genesis Cabrera - photo by Stephen Maturen
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
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