Josh Rodriguez Rumors
Minor Moves: Bard, Sullivan, Pearce, Michaels
Here are the latest minor moves from around MLB...
- The Dodgers released Cory Sullivan and catcher Josh Bard, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. The pair both signed minor league deals with L.A. in December.
- The Yankees have signed Steve Pearce to a minor league contract, reports Josh Norris of the Trentonian (Twitter link). Pearce, a former well-regarded prospect with the Pirates, signed a minor league deal with the Twins in December but was released on Tuesday.
- The Nationals released outfielder Jason Michaels, the team announced. The Nationals signed the 11-year veteran to a minor league contract in December.
- The Brewers signed catcher Jason Jaramillo to a minor league deal, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. The Cubs released the backstop a couple of days ago after signing him to a minor league deal in January.
- The Red Sox released catcher Max St. Pierre, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (on Twitter). SoxProspects.com first reported the transaction.
- The Brewers released Corey Patterson then re-signed him to another minor league contract, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). Patterson, who signed a minor league deal with Milwaukee in January, will start the season at Triple-A.
- The Indians announced that they acquired right-hander Jairo Asencio from the Braves for cash. The right-handed reliever led the International League in saves in 2009 and 2011 and posted a 1.81 ERA with 11.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 54 2/3 innings at Triple-A last year. Asencio is out of options.
- The Mets have signed infielder Josh Rodriguez to a minor league deal, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. The Pirates selected the 27-year-old in last year's Rule 5 draft, returned him to the Indians in April, and traded for him in June. Rodriguez, who played in seven MLB games last year, posted a .258/.323/.349 line in 330 plate appearances in the upper minors.
Pirates Acquire Josh Rodriguez
The Pirates have acquired Josh Rodriguez from the Indians for cash, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian (on Twitter). The infielder had been returned to Cleveland from Pittsburgh as a Rule 5 Draft pick back in April.
Baseball America ranked Rodriguez 24th among Pirates prospects before the season and suggested that he could become a big league utility player. In 364 plate appearances at Triple-A last year, he hit .293/.372/.486 and played shortstop. In 14 plate appearances for the Pirates this year, Rodriguez collected a single and a walk while playing second and short. His brief return to the Tribe resulted in a .193/.270/.316 batting line in 65 Triple-A plate appearances.
Pirates Return Josh Rodriguez To Indians
The Pirates announced that they returned Rule 5 selection Josh Rodriguez to the Indians. Rodriguez, who had been designated for assignment last week, will head to Triple-A, according to the Indians. It cost $25K for Cleveland to accept the 26-year-old infielder back from Pittsburgh.
Baseball America ranked Rodriguez 24th among Pirates prospects before the season and suggested that he could become a big league utility player. In 364 plate appearances at Triple-A last year, he hit .293/.372/.486 and played shortstop. In 14 plate appearances for the Pirates this year, Rodriguez collected a single and a walk while playing second and short.
Pirates Designate Josh Rodriguez For Assignment
SATURDAY: Pirates GM Neal Huntington told Colin Dunlap of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette there "is a process that we have to go through," when asked about Rodriguez's future. "The first is the ability to see if there's a trade partner out there. The second is he'd have to clear waivers. We will work through those two processes first and go from there."
FRIDAY: The Pirates designated infielder Josh Rodriguez for assignment and recalled Pedro Ciriaco from Triple-A, according to the team. Ciriaco appears to be a placeholder for new Pirate Brandon Wood, who was claimed today from the Angels.
Rodriguez, 26, was claimed by the Pirates from the Indians as the first pick in the December Rule 5 draft. If he's not traded or claimed in the next ten days, the Pirates have to offer him back to the Indians for $25K or work out a trade to keep him. If another team picks up Rodriguez, they'll still be subject to the Rule 5 restriction of keeping him in the Majors all year.
Rodriguez received only 14 big league plate appearances this year. Last year at Triple-A he hit .293/.372/.486 in 364 plate appearances, spending most of his time at shortstop. Baseball America ranked him 24th among Pirates prospects, noting that "his upside appears to be as a utility player."
NL Central Notes: Pendleton, Rodriguez, Pujols, Silva
Let's take a look at what's happening around the NL Central on this fine Sunday afternoon...
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports that the Astros tried to work out a trade for right-hander Lance Pendleton before the Rule 5 Draft pick was returned to the Yankees earlier today. The two sides just couldn't find a match.
- Pirates GM Neal Huntington told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Rule 5 pick Josh Rodriguez has made the team (Twitter link).
- Albert Pujols is at peace with his current contract situation and has no hard feelings toward the Cardinals after failing to work out an extension, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Pujols said he still hopes something can be worked out following the season.
- Strauss also tweets that the Cardinals aren't interested in the recently released Carlos Silva.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that Brewers infielder Luis Cruz cleared waivers and will be assigned to Triple-A.
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart opines that the addition of Joe Inglett to the Astros means Jason Bourgeois will make the team and helps Tommy Manzella's chances to start at shortstop (Twitter link).
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