Nick Frasso was one of two players the Los Angeles Dodgers non-tendered on Nov. 21, along with Evan Phillips, which made both of them free agents.
At the time, Frasso was on the 40-man roster but not yet arbitration-eligible. The Dodgers nevertheless made their decision just before the deadline to tender contracts to players who are eligible for salary arbitration in 2026. The decision gave the Dodgers an extra spot on their 40-man roster, which is now full after the signing of Edwin Díaz.
But now, it appears Frasso has effectively remained part of the Dodgers organization as they’ve re-signed him to a Minor League contract, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
The Dodgers have brought back RHP Nick Frasso on a minor league deal, source confirms. Had been non-tendered last month. @AramLeighton8 was on it.
Talented prospect who has had some injury trouble that has kept him from an MLB debut. Now, he remains in the org.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) December 13, 2025
Frasso was acquired by the Dodgers in an August 2022 trade that sent Mitch White and Alex De Jesus to the Toronto Blue Jays. From there, he began to move up Dodgers prospect rankings.
He was added to the 40-man roster in Nov. 2023 to protect from the Rule 5 Draft, and he was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 80 overall prospect for the 2024 season.
However, Frasso missed the entire season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Though not disclosed at the time, Frasso’s shoulder surgery was before the Rule 5 deadline.
The right-hander also required a cleanup procedure on the labrum in his right hip in March 2024.
After returning to the mound in 2025, Frasso was never able to pick up where he left off and struggled to a 5.49 ERA across 77 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
He ended the season on the Minor League injured list and eventually landed on the 60-day injured list for the Dodgers to make room for Andrew Heaney on their 40-man roster.
Could Nick Frasso make his MLB debut?
Frasso should be with the Dodgers in Spring Training to help cover innings, but he needs to show ability similar to his 2023 season that made him a highly-regarded prospect to put himself on the radar for a future call-up.
In 2023, Frasso struck out just shy of 27% of the hitters he faced, but that number dropped to 19.7% upon his return. His walk rate also jumped from just under 8% to 12%.
Whether he can get back on track remains to be seen, but there’s virtually no risk in the Dodgers giving him a Minor League deal to see if another year removed from injury can help him.
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