Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox Players Eligible for Fourth Option Year

Yankees outfielder Everson Pereira, infielder Jorbit Vivas, and Mets right-hander Max Kranick are eligible for a fourth option year, according to a report by Joel Sherman of the New York Post. They join Red Sox right-hander Cooper Criswell, with more players expected to be named throughout the offseason.

When a player is added to the 40-man roster, they generally have three seasons in which they can be optioned to the minors. If a player spends at least 20 days in the minors during a season, it counts as one of those three option years. However, under specific circumstances, a player can qualify for a fourth option year.

A fourth option is granted if a player uses up their three option years before completing five professional seasons. MLB defines a professional season as one where a player spends at least 90 days on an MLB or minor league active roster. This rule often affects players who spend several years in the minors before being added to the 40-man roster.

Pereira and Vivas joined their respective 40-man rosters in the 2021-22 offseason and have been optioned each year since. Before 2021, neither completed a full professional season, as they spent 2017-19 in complexes or short-season affiliates without reaching the 90-day threshold. Additionally, the canceled 2020 minor league season did not count as a professional year. Consequently, Vivas has logged four professional seasons (2021-24), while Pereira completed a full minor league campaign only in 2022.

Kranick joined the Mets' 40-man roster after the 2020 season, having already accrued two professional seasons. His third season was in 2021, but he spent the majority of the 2022-23 seasons on the injured list due to forearm issues and Tommy John surgery. He returned to health in 2024, marking his fourth professional season.

​The eligibility for a fourth option means these players can be reassigned to the minors without needing to clear waivers, providing their teams with roster flexibility. While Vivas and Kranick may be on the 40-man roster bubble, the extra option is particularly beneficial for Pereira. The former top prospect, who underwent elbow surgery last June, can now be sent back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for further evaluation without the risk of being exposed to waivers.