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Archives for June 2016
Cubs To Designate Tim Federowicz For Assignment
The Cubs will designate catcher Tim Federowicz for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for top catching prospect Willson Contreras, who will be promoted from Triple-A prior to tomorrow’s game. Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune first reported (via Twitter) that Federowicz would be involved in the corresponding move for Contreras, and the Sun-Times’ Gordon Wittenmyer tweeted that he’d be designated for assignment.
[Related: Updated Cubs depth chart]
Federowicz, 28, has appeared in 13 games for the Cubs this season and batted .192/.222/.269 in a small sample of 27 plate appearances. He joined the Cubs on a minor league contract this offseason and has spent the past month-plus in a fairly limited role, starting just six games since being recalled from Triple-A on April 28. The longtime Dodgers farmhand and former Padre is a career .194/.245/.297 hitter in 298 big league plate appearances, though he’s had considerably more success in the minors, authoring a career .308/.382/.527 slash line in parts of six Triple-A seasons (1128 PAs).
Phillies’ Alec Asher Receives 80-Game PED Suspension
Phillies right-hander Alec Asher, who has spent most of the season with the club’s Triple-A affiliate, has been suspended 80 games for after testing positive for a testosterone-related performance enhancing drug, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). The specific substance in question, Shaikin adds (Twitter link), is Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone — the same substance for which Blue Jays first baseman Chris Colabello and Phillies reliever Daniel Stumpf each tested positive earlier this season.
Asher, 24, was acquired by the Phillies alongside Jerad Eickhoff, Jorge Alfaro, Nick Williams and Jake Thompson in exchange for Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman in last July’s blockbuster trade with the Rangers. He made seven starts for the Phillies in 2015 but struggled, allowing 30 runs in 29 innings of work. This season, he’s posted a 2.30 ERA with 5.8 K/9 against 1.2 BB/9 in 54 2/3 innings of work between the team’s Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, though he’s been on the minor league disabled list since mid-May.
Asher currently rates 26th among Phillies farmhands, per Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. He didn’t crack Baseball America’s offseason top 30, and ESPN’s Keith Law noted (Insider subscription required) that Asher profiled as a reliever when looking at the Phillies’ top prospects prior to the season. Callis and Mayo note that his ceiling is that of a back-of-the-rotation starter thanks to solid control, a low-90s fastball that can touch 95-96 and a pair of potentially average (but currently inconsistent) secondary offerings.
Cubs To Promote Willson Contreras
The Cubs will promote top catching prospect Willson Contreras before tomorrow’s game, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The team’s plan is to carry three catchers for the time being, he adds, though the team was already doing so with Miguel Montero, David Ross and Tim Federowicz on board.
[Related: Since the news of Contreras’ promotion, it has been reported that Federowicz will be designated for assignment. The new roster alignment is reflected at Roster Resource’s updated Cubs depth chart.]
The 24-year-old Contreras entered the season rated as one of the game’s top prospects in the eyes of ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 27), Baseball America (No. 67), MLB.com (No. 50) and Baseball Prospectus (No. 57). He’s shown full well why those outlets were so high on his skills this season with an incredible showing at Triple-A Iowa, where he’s batted .350/.439/.591 with nine homers and 16 doubles in 239 plate appearances this season.
Law called Contreras a “legitimate two-way threat behind the plate” in his scouting report, praising his 70-grade arm (on the 20-80 scale) and noting that Contreras had an unexpected but meteoric rise through the team’s farm rankings. Contreras, a converted third baseman, has taken to catching well and while he may be an offensive-minded backstop, per MLB.com’s scouting report, he does figure to stick behind the plate. His experience playing infield could make him a multi-position reserve while Montero is still in the fold, BA noted in their report, adding that his bat may yield more gap power than home run power.
From a defensive standpoint, Contreras has halted 31 percent of attempted stolen bases against him this season. Baseball Prospectus graded his pitch-framing efforts as below average in both 2015 and 2016, although considering the fact that catching is still relatively new to Contreras, it’s perhaps not surprising that there’s still some room for refinement in the intricacies of working behind the dish. Certainly, sharing a dugout with Montero and Ross — two of the game’s better framing catchers — could prove beneficial to Contreras in the long run.
Because of the timing of his promotion, the most Major League service time that Contreras could accrue in 2016 would be 108 days. Even if he’s in the Majors to stay, that will leave him well shy of Super Two designation, so he should only qualify for arbitration the standard three times. As it stands, the earliest that Contreras could become eligible for free agency would be upon completion of the 2022 season.
The exact manner in which skipper Joe Maddon will work Contreras into the lineup remains to be seen. Montero has gotten base at a reasonable clip this season but his overall .210/.333/.343 batting line hasn’t lived up to expectations. Ross, on the other hand, has exceeded expectations, batting a healthy .237/.339/.409 after turning in a combined .599 OPS from 2013-15 with the Red Sox and Cubs. However, at 39 years of age, the Cubs probably weren’t planning on giving Ross a near-equal share of the playing time behind the plate, but Ross has actually logged more games than Montero this season and tallied just 11 fewer plate appearances and six fewer innings behind the dish. Adding Contreras to the mix will allow Chicago to lessen the load for the aging Ross and perhaps deliver an offensive upgrade over Montero on days in which Contreras dons the tools of ignorance.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
David Wright To Undergo Neck Surgery
The Mets announced today that third baseman David Wright will undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck. In a press release announcing the news, the Mets noted that the decision came after weeks of testing, rest and anti-inflammatory injections that were made in an attempt to alleviate Wright’s pain and improve his mobility. Wright had reportedly been mulling surgery for some time now, and recent reports indicated that the operation could come with a three-month recovery period, which could potentially bring his season to an end. Today’s press release states that a definitive timetable won’t be available until after the surgery. Wright issued the following statement on his injury:
“After trying every way to get back on the field, I’ve come to realize that it’s best for me, my teammates and the organization to proceed with surgery at this time. My neck simply did not respond to any of the treatments of the past few weeks. While incredibly frustrating and disappointing, I am determined to make a full recovery and get back on the field as soon as I can to help the Mets win. I greatly appreciate the support of my teammates and our fans throughout the last few weeks.”
Wright, 33, has played in just 37 games thus far in the 2016 season — one fewer than he played during the 2015 regular season (he played another 14 games in the postseason). The former MVP candidate has unsurprisingly seen his production at the plate suffer while dealing with back and neck injuries in the past two seasons, but he’s still posted a strong .260/.365/.436 batting line and 12 homers in the 75 games for which he’s taken the field.
Wright is earning $20MM this season in the fourth year of an eight-year, $138MM contract extension signed back in 2012. As FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported in early June (Twitter link), the Mets have insurance on the contract, which will cover 75 percent of the money owed to Wright after he misses 60 days. That’s not an insignificant sum by any stretch of the means; Wright will miss his 60th day with this current injury come July 26, after which he’ll be owed about $7.43MM for the remaining 68 days of the season. The insurance would allow the Mets to recoup as much as $5.574MM if Wright misses the remainder of the year — money that could of course be allocated to a midseason upgrade on the trade market.
In Wright’s absence, the Mets have leaned heavily on Wilmer Flores at the hot corner, and he’s responded well, hitting .320/.375/.460 over the life of 56 plate appearances. Switch-hitting Ty Kelly has also seen a couple of starts at third, and the Mets picked up a familiar face in Kelly Johnson via the trade market to add further depth at the position. With Flores performing well, the urgency for the Mets to make a significant addition is certainly lessened, though adding further depth as the summer wears on could become a possibility depending on his ability to sustain his production. Following the initial news that Wright would be out for at least six weeks, I ran through some trade options for the Mets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Injury Notes: Parra, Hill, Simmons, Billingsley
The Rockies have placed outfielder Gerardo Parra on the 15-day disabled list due to a high ankle sprain, reports MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (via Twitter). Parra will be in a walking boot for the next week, but there’s no word beyond that on the length of time the first-year Rox outfielder will miss. Parra, 29, is hitting .263 and showing solid pop (.160 ISO), but he’s drawn just four walks this season (one intentional), which has resulted in a 274 OBP — the ninth-lowest in baseball among qualified hitters. A corresponding move for Parra’s absence hasn’t been announced, but the Rockies have Brandon Barnes, Rafael Ynoa and Raimel Tapia as minor league outfield options on the 40-man roster.
A few more injury situations worth monitoring…
- Athletics lefty Rich Hill is still about a week away from throwing off a mound, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. With his last outing having come on May 29, it seems likely that Hill will need to make at least one minor league rehab start, which could push his return back into late June or early July depending on the exact timing of his ability to throw off a mound.
- MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes that Braves right-hander Shae Simmons, who is recovering from 2015 Tommy John surgery, still doesn’t have a target date to return to the Atlanta bullpen after a pair of setbacks in his rehab. Simmons has had two bouts of shoulder discomfort, and while an MRI has revealed that the shoulder is structurally sound, he’s been diagnosed with tendinitis in his right lat muscle. The 25-year-old Simmons last pitched for the Braves in 2014 when he logged a 2.91 ERA with a 23-to-11 K/BB ratio in 21 2/3 innings.
- Right-hander Chad Billingsley acknowledged yesterday in an interview with Bruce Hefflinger of the Crescent-News that his elbow injuries may have brought his career to an end. Per Billingsley, doctors told him at the end of the season to rest his arm for seven months, but that time frame has passed and he’s still unable to throw a ball at more than 50 to 60 percent. The concern with ramping up his intensity would be that it could lead to a torn flexor tendon. “If a tendon tore it would be total reconstruction surgery,” Billingsley explained. “If that happens you start flirting with everyday life. But I’ve not totally given up. Most likely it’s career ending. The doctors don’t know anybody that has come back from it. If I do come back, it will most likely be out of the bullpen in some kind of short relief.” Billingsley pitched 37 innings for the Phillies last season but had his season cut short by a flexor strain. He also had Tommy John surgery in 2013 and a second elbow operation in 2014.
Dodgers Sign Cuban Outfielder Yordan Alvarez
JUNE 16: Baseball America’s Ben Badler has a free scouting report on Alvarez posted, though he notes that because of the 18-year-old’s lack of experience in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, his looks at Alvarez have been somewhat limited. Alvarez once had a lean build but has now filled out his 6’5″ frame and weighs in around 220 pounds. Badler notes that scouts who have seen him more praise his bat control and give him average to above-average power grades, but he’s a bit stiff and has limited flexibility at first base. The whole report is well worth a look and contains some video of Alvarez at the plate as well.
JUNE 15: The Dodgers have agreed to a $2MM bonus with Cuban outfielder/first baseman Yordan Alvarez, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports on Twitter. Because the Dodgers have already gone over well over their allotted spending pool, they’ll face a 100 percent tax on the 18-year-old Alvarez, meaning the signing will cost them $4MM in total.
Not much information is available publicly on the latest Los Angeles target on the international market. He appeared in Cuba’s Serie Nacional in 2013-14, beginning at just 16 years of age, and compiled a .279/.342/.327 batting line over 239 plate appearances.
Given his age, Alvarez is subject to international signing restrictions. That explains the timing of the move, as today marks the end of the 2015-16 international signing period, and the Dodgers are set to serve a two-year ban on $300K+ bonuses of such players in the 2016-17 class (which begins on July 2 following a two-week quiet period). The organization continues to plunk down big money on prospects out of Latin America and elsewhere, though their ability to do so for the next two years will now be significantly limited due to this past international signing period. They’ll still be able to bid on players that are exempt from bonus pools, of course, including players like Cuban third baseman Yulieski Gurriel, Cuban second baseman Jose Miguel Fernandez and others that are made available via the posting systems from Korea and Japan.
Top 15 Trade Candidates
MLBTR’s top trade candidate series hits its third week as we reach the middle of June, and we’re beginning to expand the list as the market gains shape. The James Shields trade hasn’t worked out yet for the White Sox, but Chicago still profiles as an early buyer. Might other teams join them in seeking reinforcements sooner than later?
As for this list, we’re not just ranking players by skill alone; we’re looking at overall asset value and trade likelihood. To assess trade value, we’re starting with overall on-field value — with a premium on an ability to make an impact in the current season — and then adjusting for contract and market factors. With contenders’ needs in relatively sharp focus, limitations such as future contract status, age, and niche role (platoon bats, relief-only pitchers) tend to have less of a drag on value — though obviously they still matter quite a bit. With regard to the likelihood of a swap, the focus is on potential selling teams’ motivation to deal, with contract status, near and long-term roster fit, and overall competitiveness all weighing heavily. Some teams simply aren’t in a position at present where it makes sense to include their top potential trade chips, but that will evolve over the coming weeks.
Injuries again had an impact; here’s this week’s list:
1. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Brewers — Still good, still available … at a steep cost. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently looked at the potential suitors for a player who might be not only the best, but also the most interesting trade chip on this summer’s market.
2. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers — With Rich Hill hitting the DL and falling off of this list for the time being, Braun moves into the second slot. Some may quibble with this placement, citing the big contract — not to mention the fact that GM David Stearns says “there is no motivation for us to move … an elite-level player.” But reports suggest there’s been at least some chatter involving Braun, who could be the highest-performing hitter available.
3. Jay Bruce, OF, Reds — The division-rival Brewers are giving signs that they’ll wait to see how the market develops with their best chips, but one wonders whether Cincinnati could act more quickly with Bruce’s value on the ascent. Defensive limitations remain a concern, but teams in need of a boost on offense will take a hard look at the 29-year-old.
4. Danny Valencia, 3B, Athletics — This placement feels high, and maybe it is. But Valencia has carried a 1.000+ OPS in both May and June. And he brings a serviceable (albeit below-average) glove at both third base and the corner outfield. With just $3.15MM owed to Valencia in his second-to-last season of arbitration eligibility, he’s a pretty nice piece who could fit on a lot of contending clubs.
5. Arodys Vizcaino, RP, Braves — Vizcaino has shown some cracks in his most recent work. In 3 1/3 innings over four appearances since June 7th, he has surrendered three earned runs on four hits and five walks while recording four strikeouts. That’s not enough to set off any alarm bells, but it’s worth watching how he bounces back.
6. Fernando Abad, RP, Twins — Abad just keeps humming along, and could see some save opportunities as Minnesota struggles to find reliable late-inning relief work. He’s as cheap as they come ($1.25MM) after signing a minor league deal, and can be controlled for another season via arbitration.
7. Julio Teheran, SP, Braves — With Teheran now laying down an impressive run of results, the focus is less on his ability than it is on the market. Atlanta won’t just settle for the best offer for the righty, who is cheap and controllable for years to come, but will set a high price and see if it’s met. As the rest of this list shows, there isn’t much in the way of quality starting pitching available; a club with a present need and future interest could conceivably be enticed to meet the ask.
8. Fernando Rodney, RP, Padres — Though he hasn’t pitched much of late, it’s no longer possible to ignore Rodney’s brilliance thus far. The walks (4.0 BB/9) are still a concern, but Rodney is inducing grounders at a career-best 61.2% rate and is generating swinging strikes at a solid 11.6% rate. The fastball still averages better than 95 mph. Plus, he’s owed just $1.6MM this year — though incentives will drive that up — and can be kept for 2017 at a floating rate that could be quite reasonable if things continue in this direction.
9. Sean Doolittle, RP, Athletics — After some struggles early, Doolittle has regained his fastball velocity, with the results catching up as batters can’t. He is controllable through 2020 on a fairly meager guarantee, so he’s no certainty to be dealt, but the A’s could choose to cash in on the 29-year-old, who now owns a 2.45 ERA with 11.9 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 on the year. Those are the kinds of numbers that could motivate a contender to part with some serious value, though health remains a long-term concern.
10. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds — After three straight seasons of defensive excellence and subpar hitting, Cozart has run up a .271/.312/.475 batting line with 18 home runs in 437 plate appearances over the last two seasons. He’s earning less than $3MM in 2016 and will be eligible for a final trip through arbitration next year, so Cinci doesn’t need to make a move. But with Jose Peraza returning to the majors, it’s possible to imagine the Reds looking to get something out of the player who might end up being the most appealing shortstop available at the deadline.
11. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies — The Rox have gone on a nice little run in the last week, reducing their trade likelihood for the time being. Gonzalez would look like a clearer trade piece for most organizations, but it’s still all but impossible to gauge Colorado’s willingness to move the big-swinging 30-year-old.
12. David Hernandez, RP, Phillies — Signed to a $3.9MM deal after dealing with injuries in recent years, Hernandez has made good on the Phillies’ hopes. Over 30 1/3 frames, he owns a 2.37 ERA with 11.9 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9. His 14.2% swinging strike rate is in line with his career-best 2012 season. You could argue for Jeanmar Gomez, Hector Neris, or Andrew Bailey to represent a surprising Phils’ pen on this list, and all are also plausible candidates in their own right, but Hernandez has the best mix of performance and likelihood of being dealt. (Gomez and especially Neris come with future control, while Bailey hasn’t been as good as the others.)
13. Jon Jay, OF, Padres — Seems like every time we talk about a team with an outfield need, Jay is one of the first names mentioned. He’s something like this trade season’s Gerardo Parra. Jay is a quality left-handed hitter who has never carried much of a platoon split, is capable of providing solid defense up the middle or in the corners, and is owed a reasonably $6.85MM this year before hitting the open market.
14. Melvin Upton, OF, Padres — Though he’s scuffled a bit in the month of June, Upton still looks like a useful fourth outfielder who can play any position on the grass. His wheels and defense are an asset for a contending team, and San Diego has good reason both to open a roster spot for younger options and to offload some of its remaining obligations to Upton.
15. Jeremy Jeffress, RP, Brewers — Jeffress is in the mist of a third straight season of sub-3.00 ERA work, so perhaps he was too slow to make this list and rates too low on it. But while he’s still generating a good swinging strike rate (11.6%) that’s in line with his work last year, Jeffress isn’t even striking out seven batters per nine and has never been elite in that department. He does have an impressive and consistent groundball percentage that sits just under 60%, but that arguably makes him more of a very good setup man than a shut-down closer. If the market views him as the former rather than the latter, Milwaukee may not be sufficiently motivated to deal him with three years of control remaining.
Keep reading for more names that were considered …
Rockies Designate Jose Reyes For Assignment
The Rockies announced today that shortstop Jose Reyes has been reinstated from the restricted list and designated for assignment. Reyes, 33, has been on a minor league rehab assignment after completing a 52-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy but will not get the chance to suit back up for the Rockies, who acquired him in last summer’s Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster as a means of offsetting some of Tulo’s salary for the Blue Jays.
Reyes was arrested in Hawaii on Halloween last year and had charges of domestic abuse filed against him by his wife, though he ultimately plead not guilty, and the charges were dropped shortly before a criminal trial was to occur on Opening Day. Nevertheless, commissioner Rob Manfred saw enough evidence to punish Reyes with a suspension that ran through the end of May and cost him two months of his salary, or roughly $7.09MM.
In Reyes’ absence, the Rockies saw Trevor Story emerge as a unequivocally superior option at shortstop. The power production of Story, who is batting .265/.318/.553 with 17 homers, paired with Reyes’ on-field struggles and off-field baggage, created what would appear to be an easy decision for the Rockies. Colorado had reportedly had some trade talks regarding Reyes, and GM Jeff Bridich in late May wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of moving him, all of which pointed to the possibility that Reyes had played his last game as a member of the Rockies, which is now indeed the case.
The Rockies will have 10 days to trade or release Reyes, though I can’t imagine why they’d waste any time in putting him on release waivers, as they’ve had ample opportunity to work out a trade to this point but had no success. While Colorado saved the aforementioned $7.09MM of Reyes’ $22MM salary due to the suspension, they’ll still pay him $14.9MM this season overall. There’s about $13.1MM of that sum remaining through season’s end, and the Rox will owe him $22MM next season as well in addition to a buyout of $4MM on his 2018 club option.
Other clubs around the league will have the opportunity to sign Reyes for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum once he does clear release waivers — clearly, no team will claim him and that exorbitant salary — though doing so will obviously come with myriad public relations concerns as well as questions about his ability to perform on the field. Despite the offense-inducing nature of Coors Field, Reyes posted just a .259/.291/.368 in 208 plate appearances with Colorado following last year’s trade, and he’s no longer defensively capable of playing even an average shortstop.
Draft Signings: 6/16/2016
There are a lot of notable draft deals to work through from the last two days. Among them:
- Blue Jays second-rounder Bo Bichette announced that he’s signed a deal, which Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets is for a $1.1MM bonus. A son of long-time big leaguer Dante Bichette, the high-school shortstop landed above the $978,600 value at the 66th overall pick. Fellow second-rounder J.B. Woodman inked for $975K, Callis adds on Twitter. An outfielder from Mississippi, he also will deliver some savings to Toronto. The 57th selection came with a $1.124MM slot value. The Jays also added third-round pick Zach Jackson, Callis tweets. The Arkansas righty signed for $540K, leaving the team with $45,100 in savings.
- Another second-round pick who’s ready for a minor league assignment is C.J. Chatham, who goes to the Red Sox for $1.1MM, per MLB.com (via Twitter). Chosen 51st overall, the Florida Atlantic shortstop rated just outside the top 100 per Baseball America. His signing saves the club $132,800 against the slot value.
- The Brewers agreed with second-rounder Lucas Erceg for $1.15MM, Callis reports on Twitter. The Menlo College third baseman rated 47th on the draft board of ESPN.com’s Keith Law. He was taken 46th overall, which came with an allocation of $1,386,900.
- The Twins are in agreement with second-rounder Ben Rortvedt on a $900K bonus, per another Callis tweet. Minnesota saves $241,600 against the slot value while adding the Wisconsin high school backstop. Cotillo tweets that Twins third-rounder Griffin Jax, a righty from the Air Force Academy, has agreed to an at-slot, $645.6K bonus.
- The Dodgers agreed to a $590,800 bonus with second-round pick Mitch White, MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets. The Santa Clara righty ended up going for over $400K less than the 65th pick’s pool allocation, so Los Angeles can put that money to work in other areas.
- Rays third-round choice Austin Franklin signed for a $600K bonus that falls a bit shy of the $676,200 slot value, Callis tweets. Franklin is a high-school righty out of Florida.
- The Royals have an above-slot deal with third-rounder Khalil Lee, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets, though the exact bonus isn’t known. Taken with the 103rd selection, the Virginia high school outfielder rated 121st on BA’s board.
- The Athletics have locked up third-rounder Sean Murphy for an at-slot, $753,100 bonus, Callis tweets. Baseball America had rated him 63rd among draft-eligible prospects, but Oakland got him with the 83rd pick.
- Bryson Brigman appears to be in agreement with the Mariners for $700K, just under the $708,200 slot value, per a tweet from Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. A shortstop from the University of San Diego, Brigman went 87th overall.
- The Giants have given an at-slot, $625,900 bonus to Heath Quinn, Callis tweets. The power-hitting Samford outfielder was taken with the team’s third-round selection.
- The Cardinals signed fourth-rounder Jeremy Martinez, a catcher from the University of Southern California, for $600K, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. That lands over the $421,600 allocation that came with the 136th selection in the draft.
- Brewers fourth-round selection Corbin Burnessigned for a slot bonus of $536,400, Callis tweets. A righty from St. Mary’s, Burnes took the 57th slot on the Baseball America draft chart on the basis of improving velocity and the possibility of sticking as a starter.
