Here are today's minor moves from around the league…
- The Rangers have announced that they've agreed to terms with lefty Ryan Feierabend on a minor-league deal with a spring training invitation. Feierabend posted a 3.70 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 148 1/3 innings between two levels in the Rangers' minor-league system in 2013. He has not appeared in the Majors since he started eight games with the Mariners in 2008.
- The Marlins have outrighted Kyle Skipworth to Triple-A after he cleared waivers, according to ESPN's Keith Law (on Twitter). MLBTR was the first to report that Skipworth had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.
- The Phillies announced that catcher Sebastian Valle has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 23-year-old was designated for assignment earlier in the week to clear a 40-man roster spot for Roberto Hernandez.
- The Yankees and the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization are nearing a deal that would send infielder Yamaico Navarro to KBO, tweets Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. The Yanks inked Navarro to a minor league deal a month ago. Navarro is a career .206/.258/.267 Major League hitter.
- MLB.com's Tracy Ringolsby reports that the Rockies have signed left-hander Ryan Kulik to a minor league contract (Twitter link). Drafted by the Cardinals in the eighth round of the 2008 draft, Kulik dropped out of affiliated ball and spent the 2013 season pitching for the Camden River Sharks of the Atlantic League where he had a 5.89 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 108 innings.
- As can be seen in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, there are five players currently in DFA limbo: Eric Surkamp of the Giants, Brett Marshall of the Yankees, Trey Haley of the Indians, Chance Ruffin of the Mariners and Alex Castellanos of the Red Sox. A sixth could join that group today, once the Twins' signing of Kurt Suzuki becomes official, as Minnesota will need to clear a 40-man roster spot.
Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.
Navarro still would have to approve this type of move, correct? I mean its not a trade between two MLB teams. It just seems weird that he signs in the off season and then wants to go to Korea.
Yes, players cannot be sent out of the MLB to another country’s league without their consent.
It’s likely that he signed the deal with the Yankees, but then became aware of interest from the Korean team afterwards. I believe that happens fairly often: Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese teams are always tracking MLB organizational rosters, looking for players who may want an opportunity to play more, earn a little more, and maybe prove themselves again. But the player always has to approve the deal first.
And they all have plenty of scouts in attendance at winter league games.
Kulik is a lefty
I thought that there were clauses that prevented players from immediately being traded now right after signing contracts? Isn’t there something like a 6 month window?
I’m guessing that only pertains MLB to MLB.
I know that does not pertain to players being released from MLB contracts to play overseas. Also, there have been many cases of players being traded multiple times during one season, which would be less than a 6 month window. So, while what you said “rings a bell” as being correct in some situations to me, it definitely isn’t always the case.
An MLB Article XX-B free-agent who signs a Major League contract after 11:59 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the World Series has an automatic “no trade” right through June 15th. The player can waive this right, but if he does he can be traded only for cash and/or player contracts with a maximum aggregate value of $50,000.
Thank you. Obviously “major league contract” was the key in that sentence, at least as it pertained to Navarro.
The Rockies signed a pitcher that had a 5.89 ERA in independent league ball? Is that a head scratcher to anyone else or just me?
Just a minor league deal. Settle down there John.
I understand that he’s not slotted in the rotation. I was just confused as to why they would bother signing a player that has that high an ERA in the Atlantic League.
Take a flyer. He was out a year and then pitched in Independent. Might have stuff.
Or not. Yet, we passed on Valle? Odd.
They must like what they have. The one thing they do have some depth in the minors is C. Tom Murphy and Swanner can both swing the stick. Who knows what their evaluation of Valle was.
I was actually hoping for Skipworth more than Valle, but I guess they decided to pass on both of them.
Take a flyer. He was out a year and then pitched in Independent. Might have stuff.
he has bad numbers but a fastball that touches the low 90s and a strong curveball. projects at best to be a middle reliever, he is a lefty and there is 0 risk involved so why not. certainly nothing to get excited over however
Why does everyone think I am excited? I promise I am not a danger to myself and others. I was just asking a question about what appeared to me to be a strange signing. That’s all.
I really like Ryan Feierabend, definitely one of my favourite players even if he’s not exactly in the elite ranks. Really nice guy imo, met him at the Rangers camp last year.
Kulik was signed a month ago on 11/23 not today.
I’m pretty surprised that Surkamp and Marshall have been DFA’d. Neither looks like a superstar, but they are young, have had minor league success and recently were decent prospects. Would think there would have been some kind of trade value in them.
Is Valle related to Dave Valle?
No. Their names are not pronounced the same. SV is from Mexico.
Jerry Sands and Ryan Reid are missing from the DFA tracker. I