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Archives for June 2013

Cubs Sign Second-Round Pick Rob Zastryzny

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The Cubs have signed second-rounder Rob Zastryzny, MLB Daily Dish's Chris Cotillo reports.  Zastryzny will receive a $1.1MM bonus, less than the $1.362MM assigned slot value of the 41st overall pick (hat tip to Baseball America for the slotting information). 

The University of Missouri southpaw revealed that his deal was done on his Twitter account, saying he was "officially part of the Chicago Cubs organization" earlier today.  Zastryzny is advised by Aspire Sports.

Zastryzny throws a 90 mph fastball that Baseball America says he "effortlessly adds and subtracts from," ranging between 86 and 95 mph.  The left-hander "throws strikes but will need to refine his command in pro ball," and has somewhat of an inconsistent breaking ball.  BA rated Zastryzny as the 76th-best prospect in this year's draft class while ESPN's Keith Law rated him a level higher in the #58 spot.

NL East Links: Papelbon, Tigers, Amaro, Upton

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The Mets have generated most of the division's headlines today thanks to Zack Wheeler's official promotion to the Major Leagues, the signing of second-round draft pick Andrew Church and the news that the team plans to hold onto closer Bobby Parnell through the trade deadline.  Here's the latest from elsewhere around the NL East…

  • "There’s no indication the Tigers are pursuing Jonathan Papelbon," John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press writes.  The Tigers, Cardinals and Red Sox were recently cited by the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo as some of the teams the Phillies believed would form a market for Papelbon at the trade deadline given those clubs' lack of a proven closer.  Detroit has the most pressing need for a closer and money has rarely been an object for the club in recent years, though the Tigers may instead pursue a less-expensive bullpen option than Papelbon.
  • "I don't do five year plans — other organizations do, I guess," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told reporters (including David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News) today, though Amaro did describe how long-term planning plays a natural role in his decisions.  Murphy opines that Amaro may need to take the long view as the team approaches the trade deadline given that past moves such as the Ryan Howard extension have backfired and left the Phillies a flawed, expensive probable non-contender.
  • B.J. Upton is finally hitting (a .946 OPS in 53 June plate appearances) after a horrible first two months.  David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talks to the outfielder and several of his Braves teammates about those early-season struggles.  Hitting coach Greg Walker noted that other recent major free agent hitters like Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Adam Dunn also struggled upon joining new teams on big contracts.

AL East Notes: Cashman, Red Sox, Myers, Orioles

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With the Dodgers beginning a history-rich interleague series with the Yankees tomorrow in the Bronx, Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal looks back at how Vin Scully was offered a chance to be the voice of the Yankees in 1964.  Here are some more items revolving around the AL East…

  • Brian Cashman expects to continue to be busy leading up to the trade deadline, the Yankees GM told reporters (including MLB.com's Bryan Hoch) today.  "I’m always open for business, if it feels like they’re incremental upgrades or significant ones," Cashman said.  "Listen, because of the injuries that have hit us from the winter and March, we’ve been active and open to try to do something that would make sense for us. I think we’ve done a lot and we’re going to continue to try to do a lot."
  • MLB.com's Ian Browne addresses a number of Red Sox trade deadline possibilities in a reader mailbag.  Browne "highly doubts" that Jon Lester would be moved despite his current struggles, Stephen Drew could be brought back for next season depending on Will Middlebrooks' development and the Sox wouldn't have to give up much in a potential trade for Jonathan Papelbon though they would have to take on most of the remaining $33.6MM on Papelbon's contract.
  • In another MLB.com fan mailbag piece, Bill Chastain looks at Wil Myers' callup to the Rays and how the heavily-touted prospect could fare in the Major Leagues.
  • Orioles first round pick Hunter Harvey could come to terms with the club before their remaining two unsigned draftees from the first 10 rounds, a team source tells Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com.  It could take the O's right up until near the July 12 deadline to sign supplemental first-rounder Josh Hart.

Cardinals Sign Oscar Mercado To Over-Slot Deal

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MONDAY: The Cardinals officially announced today that Mercado has signed.

WEDNESDAY: The Cardinals have come to an agreement with each of their top three picks, as Baseball America's Jim Callis reports (on Twitter) that the team has agreed to terms with second-rounder Oscar Mercado on a $1.5MM signing bonus. Mercado, selected with the 57th overall pick, signed well above slot value. Baseball America reported earlier this year that the assigned pick value for the No. 57 slot was just $971K.

Callis adds, in a second tweet, that the $528,600 difference between Mercado's bonus and the assigned pick value is the most significant gap in any over-slot deal so far this year.

Mercado, a high school shortstop from Florida, is advised by Excel Sports Management — the same agency that advises high school lefty Rob Kaminsky, whom the Cardinals selected 28th overall. Callis notes in the above tweet that Mercado is a potential Gold Glover at short, but scouts aren't as high on his bat. He ranked as the draft's No. 36 prospect according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo and the No. 38 prospect according to BA.

Mercado has a strong commitment to Florida State University, making the over-slot deal a necessity for the Cardinals to sign him.

Minor Moves: Stange, Ruiz, Carter, Torra

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Here's your daily rundown of minor transactions from around the league…

  • Right-hander Daniel Stange has opted out of his deal with the Padres' Triple-A affiliate, MLB.com's Corey Brock reports (via Twitter).  Stange last pitched in the majors in 2010, appearing in four games with the Diamondbacks, and has been in the minors with the D'Backs and Padres ever since.  Stange posted a 4.15 ERA, 9.9 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 in 39 relief innings at Triple-A this season.
  • Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets that the Yankees have signed first baseman/DH Randy Ruiz and assigned the slugger to Triple-A. Ruiz, 35, has a monstrous .301/.373/.524 batting line and 232 homers in parts of 15 minor league seasons. He batted .313/.385/.635 with 10 homers in 130 plate appearances for the Blue Jays in 2009 but went just 6-for-40 with the Jays in 2010. He hasn't appeared in the Majors since, though he did total 68 plate appearances for the Twins in 2008.
  • The Seibu Lions have reacquired outfielder/designated hitter Chris Carter (not to be confused with the other Chris Carter, who currently plays for the Astros) after releasing him this past offseason, according to a report from Nikkan Sports. Carter, who last saw MLB action in 2010 with the Mets, had been playing in the independent BC League in Japan this season. The 30-year-old appeared in 59 games for the Lions in 2012, compiling a .294/.348/.452 line in 138 plate appearances.
  • The Nationals have released Triple-A right-hander Matt Torra, according to the International League transactions page. Torra, 28, had a 5.53 ERA in 27 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse this season. He was selected 31st overall in the 2008 draft by the Diamondbacks but has never cracked the Majors. In 578 1/3 innings at Triple-A, Torra has a 4.64 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9.
  • Seven players are currently in DFA limbo: Eric Young Jr. of the Rockies, Ramon Ramirez of the Giants, James Darnell of the Padres, Ramon Hernandez of the Dodgers, Kelly Shoppach of the Mariners, Mike Zagurski of the Pirates and Collin McHugh of the Mets.

MLBTR contributor Aaron Steen provided the translation for the Carter story.

Astros Sign Second-Round Pick Andrew Thurman

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MONDAY: Thurman signed for his exact recommend slot value, Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (via Twitter).

FRIDAY: Astros second round pick Andrew Thurman has agreed to sign, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.  Terms of the deal aren't known yet, but recommended slot bonus for the No. 40 pick is just under $1.4MM.

The right-handed pitcher out of UC-Irvine says he is set to sign early next week after taking a physical.  He'll be the highest Houston pick to sign to date as No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel has yet to ink a deal.

Thurman, who is represented by The Legacy Agency, was ranked as the No. 27 pick in the draft by ESPN's Keith Law.  MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo and Baseball America have him pegged at No. 42 and No. 44, respectively.  BA writes that Thurman pounds the strike zone but needs to work on his command because he has a tendency to pitch up in the zone.  The primary knock against Thurman is his lack of a power breaking ball though his below-average 73-77 curveball is serviceable.

Mets To Promote Zack Wheeler

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Zack Wheeler was in uniform, wearing No. 45, as he addressed the media today to discuss his upcoming Major League debut. The Mets have announced that the 23-year-old Wheeler will make his debut in the second game of tomorrow's doubleheader.  Wheeler

ESPN's Adam Rubin was among the reporters in attendance as Wheeler discussed his expectations of himself and thoughts on the team:

"I don't think I'm the savior at all. We've got great arms here, and you've got great players. We might not be doing too well right now, but I know the talent of these guys, and hopefully we can turn it around soon."

Wheeler, drafted sixth overall by the Giants in 2009, was acquired in exchange for Carlos Beltran in what could be the best move of Sandy Alderson's tenure as GM of the Mets. Beltran's contract contained a clause that prevented him from being offered arbitration at the end of the season, so Wheeler was pillaged for 44 games of Beltran's services.

Wheeler ranked as the game's No. 11 prospect prior to this season, according to Baseball America. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo ranked him eighth, and in a recently updated list of Top 25 MLB prospects from ESPN's Keith Law (Insider required), Wheeler placed 15th.

The Georgia native has fared well at Triple-A, though he hasn't exactly dominated opposing hitters. In a combined 101 2/3 innings dating back to 2012, Wheeler has a 3.72 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. Despite the somewhat pedestrian ERA, Law writes that Wheeler has top-of-the-rotation stuff, and his peers at BA and MLB.com agree.

When he is officially promoted tomorrow, Wheeler's service clock will start, meaning he would accumulate 104 days of service time over the course of the season if he sticks on the MLB roster. Much like another top prospect who is getting the call on Tuesday — Tampa Bay's Wil Myers — Wheeler seems likely to fall just shy of the projected Super Two cutoff. If that does indeed prove to be the case, he will qualify for arbitration just three times instead of four prior to being a free agent at the end of the 2019 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rangers Sign Dominican Lefty Francis Cespedes

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Ben Badler of Baseball America reports that the Rangers squeezed in one final signing before the 2012-13 international signing period ended, inking Dominican left-hander Francis Cespedes for a bonus of $750K. Cespedes' bonus will count against last year's $2.9MM bonus pool as opposed to this year's, as the agreement was in place prior to June 15.

Cespedes' signing is still contingent on Major League Baseball's investigation into his age and identity, according to Badler, who offers the following take on the 18-year-old left-hander:

"[Cespedes] has a lanky, long-armed frame at around 6-foot-4, 195 pounds with the physical projection to easily add at least 25 pounds and build on his low-90s fastball, with a curveball and a changeup rounding out his arenal."

International free agency is in a "closed" state until July 2. Badler reported back in April that the Rangers will have just over $1.9MM to spend in international free agency for the 2013-14 period, so signing Cespedes just under the wire is certainly significant for GM Jon Daniels and his staff, as his bonus represents nearly 40 percent of that pool.

Mets Sign Second-Rounder Andrew Church

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Baseball America's Jim Callis reports (on Twitter) that the Mets have signed second-round pick Andrew Church for $850K. That signing bonus is well below the assigned pick value of $1,138,800 reported by Baseball America back in April. Church is advised by Paul Cobbe and Jonathan Pridie of Sosnick & Cobbe.

Church, a high school right-hander out of Nevada, ranked 75th among draft prospects according to ESPN's Keith Law (Insider subscription required). Baseball America had the 6'1", 185-pound hurler ranked 89th on their Top 500. Law called Church "more arm strength than polished product, sitting 90-94 with some late life up," but noted that he doesn't have great command and has limited feel for his curveball and slider.

Saving roughly $300K on Church will help the Mets to compensate for the record-setting $550K bonus that the team gave to 11th-round selection Ty Bashlor – $450K of which will count against the team's bonus pool.

Tigers Sign Comp Pick Corey Knebel

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The Tigers have signed competitive balance pick Corey Knebel for the full slot value of $1,433,400, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America. Callis adds that Knebel's fastball can reach as high as 98 mph, and he also features a hard curveball. The right-handed reliever out of University of Texas is advised by Excel Sports Management.

Knebel ranked as the draft's 47th-best prospect according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. Baseball America had a similar line of thinking, ranking Knebel 48th on the Top 500. ESPN's Keith Law wasn't as big of a fan, but Knebel still cracked his Top 100, ranking 95th. Mayo calls Knebel the best Longhorns closer since Huston Street and adds that he has the "give me the ball" mentality you want to see out of a high leverage reliever.

The Tigers acquired the 39th pick in the draft when they swapped competitive balance picks with the Marlins in last season's Anibal Sanchez trade.

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