Nine Non-Roster Rockies Players Eligible For Players Association Financial Assistance

Nine non-roster Rockies players who have played in the majors and were in spring training March 13 when Major League Baseball suspended the regular season are eligible for supplemental financial assistance approved by the Players Association.

Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy is a member of the eight-person union executive subcommittee that finalized the assistance offer to the 371 players who were still in camp March 13 and had service time in the majors, even if it was just one day.

The allotted amounts are based on service time. None of the players have to accept the money. Those choosing to do so must apply through the union and will receive a payout in two installments.

Players with six or more years of service are eligible to receive $50,000. Starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, catcher Drew Butera and left-handed reliever Tim Collins are in this category.

Players with 3-5 years of service can collect $25,000. That group includes infielder-outfielder Chris Owings, catcher Elias Diaz and reliever Daniel Bard.

Players with 2-3 years of service can get $15,000. Those with 1-2 years get $7,500 and 0-1 year of service get $5,000. Players in the latter category include reliever Joe Harvey, infielder Eric Stamets and outfielder Mike Gerber.

Three non-roster players who were in the Rockies’ major league camp but were reassigned to minor league camp before March 13 are ineligible for this assistance from the union.

Reliever Julian Fernandez has never pitched above the Low Class A level but acquired two years of service time while not pitching in either 2018 or 2019 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery March 5, 2018. The Giants selected Fernandez from the Rockies in the December 2017 Rule 5 draft and placed him on the 60-day disabled list March 28, 2018.

The Marlins claimed Fernandez off waivers on Nov. 19, 2018. They put Fernandez on the 60-day injured list Feb. 13, 2019, reinstated him Oct. 19 and on that day returned him to the Rockies as a Rule 5 draft selection.

Other non-roster Rockies players who didn’t qualify for the assistance because they had been reassigned from major league camp before March 13 include pitchers Wes Parsons and Tim Melville. The latter didn’t pitch at all in spring training due to a rib injury. Parsons and Melville have less than one year of service time.

The Rockies invited 22 non-roster players to spring training, including 10 who have never played in the big leagues. That group includes pitchers Ryan Rolison, Tommy Doyle and Alexander Guillen, catchers Chris Rabago and Brian Serven and infielders Brian Mundell, Bret Boswell, Alan Trejo, Colton Welker and Ryan Vilade.