Minor Moves: Tomas, Oliver, Brignac, Zito

Here are today’s minor transactions from around baseball, with the newest moves at the top of the post…

• The Diamondbacks have optioned Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas, the team reports via Twitter. The club signed Tomas for $68.5MM over the offseason. He struggled both defensively and offensively this spring. A stint in Triple-A should give him time to adjust to the outfield and improve his plate approach.
• Phillies Rule 5 pick Andy Oliver has elected free agency after he was outrighted, the club announced via Twitter. The hard throwing lefty has struggled with walks throughout his career. That continued this spring with 11 walks and 22 strikeouts in 12 and two-thirds innings. The club also announced on Twitter that they reassigned catcher Rene Garcia, first baseman Russ Canzler, and infielder Cord Phelps to Triple-A.
• Marlins utility infielder Reid Brignac has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, tweets Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. In 905 major league plate appearances, Brignac has a .222/.266/.314 line.
• Athletics pitcher Barry Zito has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, tweets Jane Lee of MLB.com. The former star is working his way back from a one-year hiatus. He posted a 4.79 ERA in 20 and two-thirds spring innings. The 37-year-old struck out 14 and walked five. A former ninth overall pick of the A’s, the southpaw struggled after moving across the Bay to San Francisco on a seven-year, $126MM contract. That deal concluded after the 2013 season.
• The Red Sox have released Casey Crosby, Bryan LaHair, and Matt Hoffman per the MLB transactions page. Crosby was once a top prospect with the Tigers, but the 26-year-old lefty has yet to develop command. Lahair, 32, had a nice run with the Cubs in 2012 when he hit .259/.334/.450 with 16 home runs in 380 plate appearances. He spent the 2013 season in Japan and split 2014 between Cleveland’s Double and Triple-A clubs.
• The Phillies have released shortstop Tyler Greene according to the MLB transactions page. Greene, an 11th round pick, was once rated among the Phillies’ best prospects. He missed the entire 2014 season and has never posted a strikeout rate below 33 percent at any level.
• The Giants have released pitcher Edgmer Escalona per the MLB transactions page. Escalona pitched in parts of four seasons for the Rockies, accruing 100 innings. He has a career 4.50 ERA with 6.39 K/9 and 2.88 BB/9.
• The Cubs have released lefty pitcher Francisley Bueno according to the transactions page. The 34-year-old has pitched in parts of four season for the Braves and Royals. The soft tossing lefty has a career 2.98 ERA with 4.92 K/9 and 1.79 BB/9 in 60 innings. He’s a pure platoon pitcher.
• The Braves released former closer Matt Capps per MLB.com. The righty last appeared in the majors in 2012. He has a career 3.52 ERA with 6.53 K/9 and 1.72 BB/9. He’s thrown just 12 minor league innings over the last two seasons – both with the Indians.

• The Phillies have released right-hander P.J. Walters, according to the club’s official transactions page.  Walters was signed to a minor league deal in November.  The righty posted a 6.28 ERA over 152 career innings with the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Twins from 2009-13 and he spent last season in minors with the Jays and Royals.
• The Rays acquired right-hander Bradin Hagens from the Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter).  Hagens made his Major League debut last season, posting a 3.38 ERA over a 2 2/3-inning cup of coffee with Arizona.  A sixth-round pick of the D’Backs in 2009, Hagens has a 4.08 ERA, 1.52 K/BB rate and 6.0 K/9 over 598 1/3 career minor league innings.  He’ll report to Double-A with the Rays, Topkin notes.
• The Dodgers have acquired lefty Rudy Owens from the Athletics, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) hears from A’s assistant GM David Forst.  Owens unofficially announced the trade himself via his Twitter feed.  Owens has a 3.61 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 3.47 K/BB rate over 781 1/3 minor league innings in the Pirates’ and Astros’ farm systems, and he received his first taste of MLB action last season, making one start for Houston.
• The Mariners have released outfielder Phillips Castillo, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports (Twitter link).  Castillo received a $2.2MM bonus from the M’s when he signed with them as a 16-year-old in 2010, a price tag befitting his status as one of the international market’s top hitters of that year.  Over four seasons and 870 minor league plate appearances, however, Castillo only managed a .226/.303/.383 slash line and 20 homers, never advanced beyond the low A-ball level.