The Los Angeles Dodgers are renowned for their player development system, as they’ve been able to develop All-Stars seemingly at every position on the diamond.
However, not every player who comes through the Dodgers pipeline necessarily works out.
One player who didn’t exactly pan out in Los Angeles is James Outman. The 29-year-old outfielder spent four seasons in LA and has since bounced between teams. After a brief stint with the Detroit Tigers, Outman has been released to the open market again.
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James Outman Became Free Agent Immediately After Season’s End
Immediately after the 2026 season ended (when the Brewers won the World Series), outfielder James Outman became an MLB free agent.
His transactions tracker reflects the decision (on 11/2);
“CF James Outman elected free agency.”
Outman had been designated for assignment by the Tigers in late August and did not return to the team after that.
In 2026, he played 45 games with the Tigers. Across 93 at-bats, he batted .183. Outman also spent a chunk of time with the Minnesota Twins in ’26, but his production wasn’t much better, as he hit .156 in 64 at-bats.
James Outman put together a strong-ish rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but his production quickly went downhill from there.
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Looking at James Outman’s Tenure with the Dodgers
James Outman made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022 after being a 7th-round pick in the 2018 MLB draft.
In 2022, Outman played in just 4 games.
Fast forward to 2023, Outman was pretty much the Dodgers’ everyday center fielder. Over 150+ games that season, Outman hit 23 home runs and posted an OPS+ of 114.
However, that success was short-lived, as Outman has hit just 14 home runs since, and his OPS+ has sat in the 50s over the past couple of seasons.
In 2025, Outman batted .103 in 39 at-bats, which was the final straw for the Dodgers front office. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins later that season.
Strikeouts have been a big issue for Outman.
Across 923 career at-bats, Outman has 377 strikeouts (a whopping 40% strikeout rate).
Striking out at that rate with limited power is just very unattractive to MLB teams, and it will be interesting to see where/if Outman signs with another club. It would likely be a minor league deal, as Outman needs to prove he can lower the strikeouts if he wants another chance on an MLB roster.
Los Angeles Dodgers 4-Year Player Immediately Released by Latest MLB Team