Brent Honeywell, Jr.
Position: RHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 195 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 03/31/1995
College: Walters State Community College
Drafted: 2nd round, 72nd Overall, 2014 (Rays)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Bonus: $800,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Minor League Free Agency: 2024
Options Left: 0
Overview
The Rays took Honeywell in the second round after he had a big season in JC ball. He quickly established himself, with Baseball America ranking him the top prospect in the Rays’ system after the 2017 season. Things went downhill after that due to a long series of elbow problems. He missed three seasons, from 2018-20, but still made the Rays’ top prospect list every year from 2014-21, then Oakland’s in 2022. Coming up as a starter, Honeywell at one time or another threw six different pitches. In his only significant major league experience in 2023, he threw a four-seam fastball, a slider, a change and a screwball. That last pitch has generated a lot of attention throughout his career. Honeywell threw his fastball 90-94 as a starter, but it sat at 94-95 as a reliever in 2023. Before the Tommy John surgery, he had good command, but it hasn’t been as good since. The Pirates signed Honeywell to a minor league deal for 2024.
2014-17
Honeywell made short work of the low minors. He put up a 1.07 ERA in the high-offense Appalachian League after signing, then split 2015 between the two class A levels. He made a dozen starts at each, with a combined 3.18 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. It helped that he walked fewer than two per nine innings. In 2016, Honeywell made ten starts each in High Class A and AA, dominating even more. He had a 2.28 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in AA. He did miss six weeks with a forearm strain, which may have been a warning sign.
Honeywell went to AAA in 2017 and, after struggling slightly through a dozen starts, had a 2.35 ERA in the next dozen. He did this as one of the youngest starters in the league, at age 22. He also missed a few games due to a disciplinary suspension. The Rays added Honeywell to their 40-man roster after the season.
2018-20
In spring 2018, Honeywell blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery. That cost him one season, but in 2019 he fractured his elbow and in 2020 he had another surgery to clear out scar tissue. As a result, he missed three straight seasons.
2021-23
Honeywell finally returned in 2021. He made a brief major league debut, but mostly pitched in a swing role in AAA. He was mostly effective, with good control, but he didn’t miss a lot of bats and had some gopher ball problems. After the season, the Rays needed to clear roster space and sent Honeywell to Oakland for cash. He then missed most of the 2022 season due to a stress reaction in his elbow. Late in the year, he returned to pitch in 11 games in short relief in AAA, but he had a rough time. The A’s outrighted him after the season and he eventually signed a major league deal with San Diego.
Honeywell spent most of 2023 pitching in relief for the Padres. He managed a decent ERA of 4.05, but his pitch tracking data wasn’t good. He got hit hard, didn’t get much swing and miss, and didn’t have great control. In August the Padres put him on waivers and the White Sox claimed him. He got into four games with Chicago and they went very badly. The Sox outrighted him after three weeks and he became a free agent after the season.
The Pirates signed Honeywell to a minor league deal for 2024. He pitched for Indianapolis until early July, when the Pirates called him up. They designated him for assignment five days later when Marco Gonzales came off the 60-day injured list.
Stats
Transactions
June 5, 2014: Drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2nd round, 72nd overall pick; signed June 16.
November 20, 2017: Contract purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays.
November 19, 2021: Traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.
September 11, 2022: Outrighted to AAA by the Oakland Athletics.
November 10, 2022: Became a free agent.
January 6, 2023: Signed as a free agent by the San Diego Padres.
August 5, 2023: Claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres by the Chicago White Sox.
August 25, 2023: Outrighted to AAA by the Chicago White Sox.
October 10, 2023: Became a free agent.
January 7, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 7, 2024: Called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 12, 2024: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.