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Archives for June 2014

Latest On Cuban Outfielder Alfredo Despaigne

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JUNE 12: Despaigne has been hit with a lifetime ban by the Mexican League, reports Badler. The news will not, however, impact any future moves by Despaigne to establish himself as a major league free agent, as MLB informs Badler that it does not have an agreement to honor Mexican League suspensions.

MAY 20: Reports out of Cuba indicate that Despaigne has returned to his home island, says Badler. A final decision on his status in the Mexican League is still pending and is now expected to take some time. Should Despaigne be hit with a suspension, he may look to follow prominent countrymen Frederich Cepeda and Yulieski Gourriel to Japan, sources tell Badler.

MAY 15, 8:31pm: Despaigne has been temporarily suspended by the Mexican League, Badler reports. The decision as to his ultimate punishment is not yet known, as the league is waiting to hear back from the Dominican government regarding Despaigne’s passport.

The Mexican League is also investigating Despaigne’s team, the Campeche Pirates, to see if anyone from the club helped him in attaining a false passport. Any individuals who helped Despaigne in the acquisition of that document could potentially face a lifetime ban from the league, though Campeche issued a statement today stating that no one from the club was involved in the scandal.

A final ruling on Despaigne’s punishment could come on Monday, according to Badler.

11:29am: 27-year-old Cuban outfielder Alfredo Despaigne, long one of the island nation’s most intriguing talents, has played this year and last in the Mexican League under special permission from the Cuban government. Now, reports suggest that he could potentially be in position to attempt to establish himself as an MLB free agent.

As Ben Badler of Baseball America recently reported, Despaigne has been playing this year under a Dominican passport dated back to April of 2013 (before his debut with Campeche last year), raising interesting questions about his status and intentions. Despaigne appeared in the Mexican League on a Cuban passport in 2013. But during the Winter Meetings in December, MLB asked the affiliated league to require a passport from a third country before employing Cuban players, owing to concerns involving the United States’ embargo against Cuba. (As Badler notes, it seems somewhat dubious that residency in another country would be seen as relevant to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control when the player retains his Cuban citizenship, as appears to be the case for Despaigne.)

The situation has only become more confusing in recent days. At the time of Badler’s initial report on Tuesday, the Mexican League said it was not investigating the situation. Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reported thereafter (Spanish language link) that Dominican officials believe Despaigne has had three false Dominican passports that were not obtained through official channels. In an updated report, Rojas says that the Mexican League is now initiating an inquiry. “At this time we are opening an investigation to determine the legality of the passport Campeche submitted to register Despaigne,” said league president Plinio Escalante. “If we find an irregularity, he will have to stop playing immediately and the club will be sanctioned.”

As Badler writes today, how the Mexican League proceeds could greatly impact Despaigne’s future. A decision is expected by the end of the week, and Badler says there are two disciplinary scenarios. On the one hand, the league could suspend Despaigne for up to seven years, which would also bar him from playing in any MLB-affiliated league for the period of the ban.

On the other, the league could simply declare him ineligible. In that case, Despaigne would still be eligible to use the mechanisms generally available to Cuban ballplayers to effect a move to the majors (convoluted and unappealing though they may be). Despaigne could hypothetically attempt to defect to Mexico, renouncing his Cuban citizenship and asking to be declared a free agent by MLB. It remains far from clear, of course, that Despaigne intends (or even desires) to make such a move, let alone that it would be successful, but Badler notes that he may now have a path to the United States that does not involve a harrowing escape from his home nation.

If Despaigne were to navigate his way to free agency, he would make for a compelling target for many MLB clubs. Badler says that the 5’9, right-handed swinging corner outfielder has a highly aggressive approach and shows 80-grade power that compares favorably to that of White Sox sensation Jose Abreu. (Additional scouting information from Badler is available here and here.) Indeed, he has posted a combined .341/.381/.578 line with 13 home runs in just 227 Mexican League plate appearances. Despaigne has racked up 45 strike outs to go with just 11 walks in that stretch, though he also has notched five stolen bases.

Diamondbacks To Sign Isan Diaz, Brent Jones

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The Diamondbacks have agreed to a below-slot bonus with competitive balance round B selection Isan Diaz, reports MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo (via Twitter). Diaz gets $750K, meaning that Arizona will save about $58.6K as against the slot assignment for the 70th overall choice.

Diaz, a high school middle infielder who had been committed to Vanderbilt, was viewed as a fifth-round talent by observers like Baseball America and MLB.com. The latter outlet’s Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis explained that he is expected to shift to second base, but has an excellent left-handed bat and solid defensive skills. But ESPN.com’s Keith Law placed Diaz within his top 100 available prospects (at the 90th slot).

The club has also added fourth-round pick, Brent Jones, for $350K, tweets Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com. That falls $82.3K below the assigned slot for the 120th overall selection, which combines with the savings on Diaz to free about $141K to put towards other selections.

Athletics Sign Daniel Gossett, Three Other Picks

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The Athletics have reached deals with four of the club’s ten first-round selections, reports MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo. Among them is second-round (65th overall) choice Daniel Gossett, who gets a $750K bonus that falls $123K under the assigned slot value.

ESPN.com’s Keith Law was the most bullish draft observer with respect to Gossett, a junior righty from Clemson. Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com had him at 87th on their board, noting that Gossett’s relatively slight frame has led to questions about whether he can stick in the rotation.

Three other arms made up the rest of the signings. Fourth-rounder Jordan Schwartz gets $175K, a $110K savings as against the 132nd overall choice’s $385K slot value. Schwartz, a Niagara junior, was listed much later on Baseball America’s prospect rankings (376th). Meanwhile, agreements with ninth-rounder Mike Fagan ($20K bonus vs. $143.3K slot) and tenth-round selection Corey Miller ($15K bonus vs. $137.6K slot) also freed up cash.

All told, Oakland has opened up about $478.9K through these signings. The club entered the draft with a relatively paltry $4.78MM in available pool space.

That represents .

Pirates To Sign Second-Rounder Mitch Keller

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TODAY: Keller will receive a $1MM bonus, tweets MLB.com’s Jim Callis. That means that Pittsburgh will have to account for a $113.2K overage, which is less than the team saved in signing first-rounder Cole Tucker.

YESTERDAY: Second-round draft selection Mitch Keller tells Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register that he’s agreed to terms with the Pirates and will travel to Pittsburgh tomorrow and sign a contract on Friday. The assigned pick value for the No. 64 overall selection is $886,800, according to Baseball America.

Keller, a high school right-hander out of Cedar Rapids, Ia. and North Carolina commit, ranked 65th among draft prospects according to ESPN’s Keith Law, 69th according to Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com and 76th according to Baseball America. According to those scouting reports, Keller’s stock rose this spring as his fastball added some velocity, and he now sits in the low 90s, touching 94-95 mph on occasion. He also has a curveball that’s better at present than his changeup. Law notes that he has a real chance to have two plus pitches (his fastball and curve), giving him a floor of a high-leverage reliever and the ceiling of a No. 3 starter.

Keller tells Birch that the decision between signing and attending UNC was difficult, but he feels he made the right choice and that beginning his pro career is a “dream come true.” Birch writes that Keller finished his final season at Xavier High School — the same school that produced big league outfielder Ryan Sweeney — with a 1.72 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings.

The Pirates have the ability to above slot to sign Keller, if necessary, due to the fact that first-round pick Cole Tucker signed for about $125K below slot, agreeing to a $1.8MM bonus on Monday. Keller’s older brother, Jon, is a right-handed pitcher in the Orioles’ system.

Draft Signings: Austin, Mardirosian, Ramos, Stokes

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We’ll keep track of the day’s notable draft signings right here, with slot information courtesy of Baseball America:

  • White Sox fourth-rounder Brett Austin agreed to a $450K bonus that is about $35K below slot, reports MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter link). Austin, a catcher out of NC State, caught Carlos Rodon in college, whom the Sox selected with the No. 3 overall pick. The $35K savings on Austin’s bonus covers the slight discrepancy between third-rounder Jace Fry’s $760K bonus and the $726K slot value.
  • Jim Callis of MLB.com reports that the Reds have agreed to a well-above-slot deal with seventh-round selection Shane Mardirosian (Twitter link). The high school infielder out of California received a $350K bonus despite the fact that the No. 215 slot’s assigned value was $173K. Callis describes him as a “sparkplug” with speed and a line-drive swing.
  • Though bonus amounts are not known for all players, the White Sox have reached agreement with all of the players selected in the draft’s first ten rounds except for third-overall pick Carlos Rodon, tweets Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago, which has an overall available pool of just over $9.5MM, had already reached agreement with both of the high-school players it took from among those picks: second-rounder Spencer Adams (who reportedly signed at slot) and tenth-rounder Jake Jarvis (who was said to be a hard-sign choice).
  • The Mets have agreed to sign their second pick (the 84th overall choice), high school shortstop Milton Ramos, tweets Cotillo. His third-round slot carries a $651.7K allotment, though it’s not yet clear whether the bonus falls at, above, or below that mark. Known for his advanced glove, Ramos landed at 46th on MLB.com’s pre-draft ranking and had been ticketed for Florida Atlantic University.
  • The Brewers have agreed to sign fourth-round choice Troy Stokes for $400K, reports Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com (via Twitter). Milwaukee will get to apply $49.3K towards other picks, as the 116th draft slot carried a $449.3K pool figure. Stokes landed at 316th on Baseball America’s list of the 500 best draft prospects.
  • Rockies fourth-rounder Wesley Rogers (113th overall) has agreed to a $360K bonus, tweets Cotillo. That represents a savings of $100.5K against the slot assignment. Rogers, a JuCo outfielder, did not crack any of the major top draft prospect lists.
  • The Blue Jays have agreed to terms with third-rounder Nick Wells, reports Tariq Lee of the Washington Post (h/t to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun). Wells, a Virginia high school lefty who had been committed to the College of Charleston, will receive the full slot value of the 83rd overall pick ($661.8K). He landed at 119th on Baseball America’s list of the top available prospects.
  • Click here to review MLBTR’s coverage of the flurry of recent draft signings. Remember that you can always find that category tag (“2014 Amateur Draft Signings”), and many more, right below the post.

Minor Moves: Rowland-Smith, Hill, Marmol, Pina

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Here are the day’s minor moves:

  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that the Blue Jays have released left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith from Triple-A Buffalo (Twitter link). The Australian lefty worked his way back to the Majors earlier this season with the D’Backs — his first big league action since 2010. After being released by Arizona, Rowland-Smith caught on with the Jays and allowed eight runs in 14 innings with a solid 11-to-3 K/BB ratio.
  • The White Sox have acquired righty Shawn Hill from the Blue Jays, according to the International League transactions page. Hill, 33, has seen time in seven MLB seasons, working to a 4.69 ERA in 242 innings, almost entirely as a starter. He last reached the majors in 2012 with the Jays, when he made his first and only relief appearance. Hill made three starts for the Expos back in 2004, and had his best season with the Nationals in 2007, when he worked to a 3.42 ERA in 97 1/3 frames.
  • Reliever Carlos Marmol has been placed on the restricted list by the Reds after leaving the club without permission, according to Jamie Ramsey, the club’s Assistant Director of Media Relations (Twitter link). Marmol came to Cincinnati recently on a minor league deal after he was released by the Marlins, and had allowed three earned runs (with six walks and six strikeouts) through just 3 2/3 frames at Triple-A.
  • The Tigers have acquired catcher Manny Pina from the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later, according to the MLB transactions page. Detroit has released fellow backstop Luis Exposito in a corresponding move, via the International League transactions page. Pina, 27, has had two brief MLB stints with the Royals. He is hitting .267/.337/.413 through 83 plate appearances at Triple-A Tacoma. Exposito is also a 27-year-old with minimal MLB experience under his belt; he owns a .177/.252/.313 line in 107 plate appearances for Toledo.
  • Brian Barden will continue his career with the indy league Somerset Patriots, reports ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). The 33-year-old infielder has seen action in four MLB campaigns with the Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Marlins, most recently in 2010. He spent last year at Triple-A for the Dodgers before moving to the Mexican League at the start of 2014.
  • MLBTR’s DFA Tracker shows six players in limbo: Jordan Pacheco (Rockies), David Huff (Giants), Jason Kubel (Twins), Trevor Cahill (Diamondbacks), and Wilton Lopez (Rockies).

NL West Links: CarGo, Winkler, Street, Billingsley

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Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez had a tumor removed from his left index finger Tuesday, writes Nick Groke of the Denver Post. Head athletic trainer Keith Dugger tells Groke that a biopsy will be performed on what they’re hoping is a benign tumor, adding that such a finding isn’t necessarily uncommon. MLB.com’s Thomas Harding writes that Gonzalez could miss as much as five weeks after having what Dugger described as a “fatty mass with tentacles” removed. Here’s more on the Rox and their division…

  • The Rockies have had injury problems of late, with Michael Cuddyer, Jordan Lyles, Eddie Butler, Boone Logan, Nolan Arenado, Tyler Chatwood and Brett Anderson all on the DL (in addition to Gonzalez), but they’re not done with bad news on that front. Groke’s colleague Patrick Saunders reported this morning that top pitching prospect Daniel Winkler is heading for Tommy John surgery. The 24-year-old Winkler — a former 20th-round gem in the draft — had posted a 1.41 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 70 innings at Double-A Tulsa this season.
  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick spoke with Padres closer Huston Street about the possibility of being traded this summer — a concept that is far from foreign to Street. “I’ll give the same answer I have year after year,” Street told Crasnick. “I have no control over it. I don’t have a no-trade clause, so there’s nothing for me to consider.” Street added that he likes the group in San Diego and doesn’t want to be traded, believing they can win there. Crasnick notes that his $7MM salary and $7MM club option are affordable enough that teams will have interest, but not so steep that the Friars feel they have to move him.
  • Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley had another setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and is expected to be reevaluated by the team doctor, reports Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Billingsley recently hit 93 mph in a rehab outing, but he felt weakness in his surgically repaired elbow following a 31-pitch bullpen session yesterday.

NL Central Notes: Pirates, Martin, Mills, Cubs, Marmol

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The Pirates announced today that Francisco Liriano has been placed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. Liriano joins ace Gerrit Cole on the market and gives Pittsburgh’s rotation a very different look than it had at the end of the 2013 season when that duo was teaming up with A.J. Burnett to shut down opposing lineups. ESPN’s Jayson Stark spoke with officials from several other teams who expect the Bucs to try to trade for a starter with Cole and Liriano now on the shelf (Twitter link).

Here’s a bit more on the Pirates and the rest of the NL Central…

  • Pirates president Frank Coonelly told Joe Starkey of 93.7 The Fan and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the team’s level of interest in re-signing Russell Martin is “very high” (Twitter link). Of course, that doesn’t mean the Pirates will be able to afford Martin, who is coming off a strong season and hitting .269/.409/.394 in 30 games this year.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Brewers lefty Brad Mills can opt out of his minor league deal on Sunday and is having a strong season at Triple-A. Mills has pitched to a 1.57 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 69 innings of work. Rosenthal wonders if the veteran 29-year-old could be of interest to teams looking for a starter.
  • Cubs GM Jed Hoyer spoke with David Kaplan of CSN Chicago (Twitter link) and said it’s “likely and definitely possible” that the team will spend on veteran players in free agency this offseason. Said Hoyer: “We need to add veterans to the kids that are coming.”
  • Earlier today, the Reds placed Carlos Marmol on the minor league restricted list after he left the team without permission. MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo spoke with Marmol’s agent, Paul Kinzer, about the move (All Twitter links). Said Kinzer: “He decided to take a break and just focus on getting back on track. He’s still healthy and should still be in his prime. His velocity was still in the mid-90’s. I don’t believe the Reds want to release him. He wants to get his confidence back and take a break mentally.”

Rangers Sign Luis Ortiz

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WEDNESDAY: The Rangers announced that they have officially signed Ortiz. Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest tweets that Ortiz’s bonus is $1.75MM, which is very slightly below the $1.76MM slot value.

MONDAY: The Rangers have reached agreement on an approximately $1.76MM bonus with first-round choice Luis Ortiz, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Ortiz is scheduled to finalize his deal and take a physical in the next two days.

That figure is the slot value for the 30th overall choice, where Ortiz was taken. Grant adds that the team has also reached agreement for an unreported sum with third-round pick Josh Morgan (who came with a $550.1K slot).

Ortiz, a high school righty out of California, came in as MLB.com’s 24th best draft-eligible prospect while landing at 28 on Baseball America’s list. But Keith Law of ESPN.com saw things rather differently, placing Ortiz at tenth in his final rating. Law explains that Ortiz had returned well from an early-season forearm  strain and could be a nice get for a team (like Texas) at the back of the first round.

The best news for the Rangers is that they appear set to draw the high-upside righty away from Fresno State without borrowing against the team’s overall pool. Texas agreed to an over-slot deal earlier today with second choice (59th overall) Ti’quan Forbes and did the same recently with fourth-rounder Brett Martin. The Rangers’ total available pool, assuming it inks all its picks from the first ten rounds, is $4.82MM.

Yankees Acquire David Huff, Designate Wade LeBlanc For Assignment

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6:11pm: The Yankees officially announced both moves, noting that the team sent cash considerations to the Giants in exchange for Huff.

5:52pm: The Yankees have acquired left-hander David Huff from the Giants and designated fellow lefty Wade LeBlanc for assignment in order to create roster space, according to Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal (on Twitter). Huff had been designated for assignment by the Giants last week. He will be with the Yankees for tonight’s game.

This will mark Huff’s second stint with New York, as he finished the 2013 campaign in Yankee pinstripes. Huff posted a 4.67 ERA with a 26-to-8 K/BB ratio in 34 1/3 innings for the Yanks last season and found himself traded to San Francisco in exchange for cash considerations in late January. With the Giants, Huff pitched to a disappointing 6.30 ERA with 11 strikeouts and six walks in 20 innings. He did manage a career-best 50.7 percent ground-ball rate in his 20 innings with San Fran, in part due to the introduction of a cut-fastball into his repertoire.

LeBlanc pitched just an inning for the Yankees, allowing two runs in his lone appearance. He’s allowed six runs in 7 1/3 innings this season between the Angels and Yankees, and he has a career 4.56 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 35.4 percent ground-ball rate in 424 1/3 innings between the Padres, Marlins, Angels, Yankees and Astros.

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