Jung Jong-chul has been designated for assignment again as the Rays and Braves complete a trade to strengthen their infield and left-handed pitching.

To clear space on the 40-man roster, the Rays, after acquiring utility infielder Jung Jong-chul and right-handed pitcher Osvaldo Bido through the waiver process recently, have designated both players for assignment following the trade for Brett Wisely and Ken Waldichuk from the Braves.

Jung Jong-chul, who also plays as a utility infielder, was initially expected to compete for that role, but the Rays ultimately chose to reinforce via trade and decided to remove him from the roster.

Wisely has appeared in 168 Major League games in his career, posting a batting average of .214, an on-base percentage of .265, a slugging percentage of .319, and an OPS of .584, indicating relatively modest offensive ability.

The 28-year-old Waldichuk was designated for assignment by both the Athletics and the Braves after the 2025 season. Once a top 100 prospect, he is expected to bolster the Rays’ starting rotation depth or provide a left-handed pitching option for the 40-man roster.

Jung Jong-chul made his MLB debut in 2025 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In three early April games, he went hitless in seven at-bats, struck out three times, walked none, and was caught stealing once before being sent down to Triple-A. This season in Triple-A, over 107 games and 397 plate appearances, his slash line stands at .209/.307/.271 with an OPS of just .578.

On December 20 last year, the Pirates completed a three-team trade with the Rays and Houston Astros, acquiring second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum, and lefty Mason Montgomery. To make room for these players on the 40-man roster, two spots had to be cleared, leading to the decision to designate Jung Jong-chul for assignment. After the holiday break, he was claimed off waivers by the Rays on January 8, but was designated for assignment again just five days later.

The Rays have seven days to decide their next move: if no trade occurs, they may outright him to the minors. Since this would be Jung Jong-chul’s second outright assignment in his career, under MLB labor rules, he can reject the assignment and elect free agency. Alternatively, the team could unconditionally release him, which also requires a waiver process during which other teams can claim him.

There were reports yesterday that the Rays had agreed to allow Jung Jong-chul to return to Taiwan to participate in this year’s World Baseball Classic, but whether this latest designation for assignment will affect that plan remains to be seen.