The San Francisco Giants officially parted ways with 34-year-old veteran Nick Ahmed on Saturday, concluding a brief tenure that didn’t meet expectations. According to the MLB Transactions wire, Ahmed has been released after being designated for assignment and subsequently clearing waivers.
Ahmed, who joined the Giants on a minor-league deal after spending over a decade with the Arizona Diamondbacks, found himself unclaimed by any other team. The Giants had the option to re-sign him to a minor-league contract but opted to release him, making Ahmed a free agent available to sign with any club.
In his first and only season with San Francisco, Ahmed played in 52 games, posting a .232/.278/.303 slash line with six doubles, one triple, one home run, and 15 RBI. Despite winning the Opening Day shortstop role over Marco Luciano, Ahmed’s performance fell short of expectations. Luciano briefly shined in his stint with the Giants, batting 9-for-24, and has since returned to Triple-A.
With Ahmed’s departure, the Giants are looking to Brett Wisely and Tyler Fitzgerald to fill the shortstop position. Both players will share time as the team seeks more consistent production from the spot.
Ahmed’s market value remains uncertain. Although he is a two-time Gold Glove winner, his offensive numbers have declined in recent seasons. This decline was a key factor in his release from the Diamondbacks last September, just before the team made its run to the World Series. In his final season with Arizona, Ahmed hit .212/.257/.303 with two home runs and 17 RBI in 72 games, leading the team to designate him for assignment to make room for top prospect Jordan Lawler.
Ahmed’s journey in MLB began when the Atlanta Braves selected him in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of UConn. Known for his speed, Ahmed was named the fastest baserunner in minor league baseball by Baseball America in 2012. In early 2013, he was part of a major trade that sent him, along with Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, Zeke Spruill, and Brandon Drury, to Arizona in exchange for Justin Upton and Chris Johnson.
By June 2014, Ahmed had made his Major League debut, and by the following season, he had secured the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day shortstop role. After overcoming injuries in 2016 and 2017, Ahmed hit his stride, winning Gold Gloves in 2018 and 2019. His best offensive season came in 2019 when he slashed .254/.316/.437 with career highs in home runs (19) and RBI (82).
As Ahmed navigates free agency, his defensive prowess and experience could still attract interest from teams looking for a veteran presence in the infield. Whether he can regain his offensive form remains to be seen, but his journey through Major League Baseball is far from over.
