Giants, Brewers Have Briefly Discussed Ryan Braun
JUNE 14: The Brewers and Giants have thus far had only one “minimal” discussion surrounding Braun, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal reminds that the Giants are one of six teams to which Braun cannot block a trade (along with the Angels, Dodgers, D-backs, Padres and Marlins, as Rosenthal initially reported back in March), but there are nonetheless obstacles to a deal. Chief among them is that Brewers owner Mark Attanasio is more concerned with ensuring that the Brewers receive premium talent than he is shedding a portion of Braun’s notable contract. The Giants’ farm system is considered below average in recent rankings from Baseball America (19th in baseball) and ESPN’s Keith Law (21st), so other teams may be able to offer a better package to meet those demands. Rosenthal also notes that the Giants will need to restock their bullpen after the ’16 season, and spending heavily on Braun limits their ability to do so by pushing them considerably closer to the luxury tax threshold (even with the aforementioned contracts coming off the books).
JUNE 13: With Hunter Pence on the disabled list due to a torn hamstring, the Giants are “looking everywhere” for another outfielder, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports (on Twitter). To that end, they’ve had preliminary discussions with the Brewers about Ryan Braun, according to Nightengale, though he also cautions that there’s nothing imminent between the two teams.
Braun’s name has been mentioned frequently as a potential trade candidate — he sat at No. 3 on Jeff Todd’s most recent trade candidate rankings here at MLBTR — in large part because he’s having one of the most productive seasons of his career on a rebuilding Brewers club. The 32-year-old is batting .316/.378/.541 with 11 homers, 11 doubles and five stolen bases through his first 217 plate appearances this season.
That production aside, the common consensus surrounding the controversial slugger is that the Brewers would likely have to absorb some salary in order to move him. Braun is in the first season of a five-year, $105MM contract extension that was tacked onto his initial eight-year, $45MM deal back in 2011. He’s earning $19MM this season (with about $11.5MM remaining) and is owed a total of approximately $87.52MM through the end of the 2020 campaign. From a contractual standpoint, the Giants can likely afford Braun; Angel Pagan, Santiago Casilla, Gregor Blanco, Jake Peavy, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez are all free agents at season’s end, and the team has an extremely affordable arbitration class with only George Kontos ($1.15MM in 2016) and Cory Gearrin (pre-arb) looking at raises.
That massive extension for Braun (the largest in Brewers franchise history) came before his 2011 NL MVP Award and also before a messy PED scandal in which Braun accused a test collector of tampering with his urine sample before publicly admitting to steroid use more than a year later in the wake of the Biogenesis investigation.
While Braun certainly comes with some past baggage, he’s regained much of his production and hasn’t failed a test since serving a 65-game suspension to close out the 2013 season. With both Pence and Pagan on the disabled list, the Giants have been relying on a combination of Gregor Blanco and rookies Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson to flank Denard Span in the outfield corners. None of that trio, however, is enjoying a particularly productive 2016 campaign to date. Pagan has hit well when healthy enough to take the field, but he’s also spent three weeks on the DL with a hamstring injury and missed 10 days earlier this season with that same injury.
What remains unclear at this time, though, is the Giants’ sense of urgency in getting a deal done. Pence tweeted that he underwent his operation last Thursday, and the Giants may not want to make a drastic move until having a clearer picture of his ability to return to the field. Indeed, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle notes (links to Twitter) that the Giants are hoping to hold down the fort until Pence’s return, making a more incremental trade likelier in the short-term. ESPN’s Jim Bowden discussed a Braun/Giants scenario earlier today as well (Insider subscription required), writing that it shouldn’t be a surprise if the Giants pursue Braun and linking prospects Tyler Beede and Christian Arroyo to the Brewers, though it’s not entirely clear if those names are mentioned in speculative fashion. Like Schulman, Bowden implies that a significant move for the Giants would happen at the deadline as opposed to seven weeks in advance, where we presently stand.
Nationals Agree To Terms With Comp Pick Carter Kieboom
The Nationals have agreed to terms with their first selection from this year’s amateur draft, high school shortstop Carter Kieboom, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson first reported. Bonus terms weren’t reported.
He is the younger brother of Spencer Kieboom, a 25-year-old catching prospect who’s also in the Washington system. The younger Kieboom followed his brother to Marrietta, Georgia’s Walton High School. And he, too, committed to Clemson University, but won’t join him in attending.
It’s an open question whether Kieboom can stick at shortstop for the long run, though expectations are that he’d be a quality defender at third regardless. And his bat could be good enough to carry him at the corner infield, with observers giving him high marks for instincts, bat speed, coordination, and approach at the plate.
In the aggregate, ESPN.com’s Keith Law rates Kieboom as one of the thirty best draft-eligible prospects. Other outlets aren’t quite as enamored, with Baseball America placing him 44th and MLB.com giving him #45 billing.
The Nationals have a $2.066MM allocation for the 28th overall slot, which was used to take Kieboom. Washington also had the next choice, which it used on University of Florida righty Dane Dunnning, who is still pitching in the NCAA tournament.
The club didn’t have much of a need for cost savings, as it selected just one high-schooler in the first ten rounds: southpaw Jesus Luzardo, who was plucked in the third round. The Nats gave up their first-round selection by signing Daniel Murphy.
Knocking Down The Door: Bregman, Healy, De Leon, Renfroe, Lively
This is the debut of my weekly “Knocking Down the Door” series here at MLBTR. The purpose is to identify players in Triple-A or Double-A who are doing everything in their power to earn a big league call-up in the very near future.
For the most part, I’ll try to include players who could make a significant impact soon after arriving to the majors, if not right away. So unless it’s a really slow week for potential impact prospects, I will not be telling you about the pending arrival of the next great middle reliever, spot starter or fourth outfielder.
Here are five players to keep an eye on …
Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros (Double-A Corpus Christi): The Houston Astros might be the most disappointing team in baseball. And while the next Carlos Correa probably isn’t waiting in the wings—check back in another decade or so—it’s possible that Alex Bregman can give them a much-needed spark before their season goes completely down the drain.
Correa did make a quick stop in Triple-A before he was called up to the majors last season, but the fading Astros might not be able to wait much longer on the 22-year-old Bregman if they think he can help them out.
The 2nd overall pick in the 2015 draft, Bregman has been a man among boys in Double-A with a 1.007 OPS to go along with 13 homers and more walks (27) than strikeouts (20), which is a good sign that he can handle himself against big league pitching. He’s only played seven games at third base, although a move from shortstop shouldn’t be a difficult transition.
Ryon Healy, 1B, Oakland Athletics (Triple-A Nashville): The A’s have plenty of incentive to continue giving at-bats to Yonder Alonso, who was acquired in the offseason for All-Star candidate Drew Pomeranz, and Billy Butler, who is in year two of a three-year, $30MM deal.
But at some point very soon, they’ll need to move on from at least one of the two—Alonso does have 13 hits in his last eight games to boost his OPS to .642; Butler is coming off of a three-hit game that increased his OPS to .683—and reward first base prospect Ryon Healy for the damage he’s done to Double-A and Triple-A pitching this season.
The 24-year-old Healy has nine hits, including three homers, in his last 22-at-bats to give him an overall slash line of .343/.404/.615 in 60 games between the two levels.
Jose De Leon, SP/RP, Los Angeles Dodgers (Triple-A Oklahoma City): After a breakout season in 2015, Jose De Leon has fallen a bit off the radar due to multiple injuries that have limited him to only three Triple-A starts this season.
While this makes it unlikely that he’ll be able to make an impact in the Dodgers’ rotation anytime soon—he’s made a pair of three-inning starts since returning from the disabled list earlier this month—the 23-year-old right-hander is an intriguing option for a bullpen that does not have a reliable power arm to bridge the gap to closer Kenley Jansen.
In 11 innings, De Leon has allowed three earned runs on four hits with three walks while striking out 21 batters. Sounds like a power arm to me.
Los Angeles Dodgers Depth Chart
Hunter Renfroe, RF/LF, San Diego Padres (Triple-A El Paso): Top outfield prospect Hunter Renfroe is doing his part to earn a big league promotion with a robust .598 slugging percentage after recently belting his 13th and 14th homers of the season. Now he just needs general manager A.J. Preller to do his part and create a spot for him.
Preller has his work cut out for him as he works the phones and tries to find takers for outfielders Matt Kemp and Melvin Upton Jr. and at least some of the remaining salary due on their contracts. Trading free agent-to-be Jon Jay, who is having a nice bounce back season, shouldn’t be difficult. It should only take one trade, though, for the 24-year-old Renfroe to get the call, where the big league coaching staff will hopefully introduce him to something called “plate discipline.”
Renfroe’s Kemp-esque 7-to-45 walk-to-strikeout ratio is a concern. However, in what should be a rebuilding season, it would be great if a key part of the team’s future can get regular at-bats against big league pitching.
Ben Lively, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (Triple-A Lehigh Valley): It’s Zach Eflin who is getting the call tomorrow to replace the injured Vince Velasquez, but it could’ve easily been Ben Lively or Jake Thompson. All three are pitching well. In fact, it was pretty much a coin toss between Lively and Thompson for this highly-coveted spot on the “Knocking Down the Door” list. With the 24-year-old Lively being nearly two years Thompson’s elder, I’m giving him the nod.
Acquired from the Reds for Marlon Byrd two offseasons ago, Lively has really stepped up his game after not making much of an impression in his debut season with the Phillies. After posting a 4.13 ERA in 25 Double-A starts in 2015, the 6’4″ right-hander has put himself on the prospect map with a 1.94 ERA, 2.6 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9 in 13 starts between Triple-A and Double-A. He’s also 10-0, which is probably meaningless, but impressive, nonetheless. Maybe he’s one of those guys who “just knows how to win.”
Reds Agree To Above-Slot Bonuses With Taylor Trammell, Chris Okey
The Reds have struck deals with two key picks from the recent amateur draft, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter links). Cincinnati has agreed to terms with competitive balance selection Taylor Trammell and second-rounder Chris Okey.
Trammell went 35th overall, but landed a bonus commensurate with his pre-draft standing. The high school outfielder from Georgia gets $3.2MM, well north of the $1,837,200 pick allocation.
Baseball America rated Trammell the 13th-best prospect available this year, citing his top-tier speed, quality bat, and growing power. There’s plenty of athleticism and, per BA, growing translation of the tools. Other outlets are less bullish on the two-sport athlete, however; MLB.com ranked him 32nd, while Keith Law of ESPN.com was far less bullish, placing Trammell down in the 44th slot.
Okey is another highly-regarded player who got something extra for waiting for Cinci to pull the trigger. He’ll take down $2MM after being chosen with the 43rd overall pick, which came with a $1,497,500 slot value.
The Clemson backstop received the highest grades from the MLB.com team, which placed him at #46 among eligible prospects. He doesn’t truly stand out in any particular area, per the report, but has solid overall abilities both at and behind the plate. The other prospect evaluators cited above generally concur, placing him in the fifties entering the draft.
The Reds reportedly saved $1,562,900 on its signing of second overall pick Nick Senzel, as against the funds available for his slot. But with the new commitments, Cincinnati is now just over $300K in the hole — which it ought to have little trouble covering with later bonuses. Of course, teams can also go up to 5% over their total pool — given Cincinnati’s league-leading $13,923,700 total pool, that’s an additional $696,185 of wiggle room — without sacrificing a future pick.
Giants To Sign Ruben Tejada To Minors Deal
The Giants have inked infielder Ruben Tejada, Connor Grossman of KNBR reports. It’s a minor league deal for the 26-year-old.
Tejada was recently cut loose by the Cardinals, who had signed him to a $1.5MM deal as they looked to fill in at shortstop. Previously, Tejada was tendered a contract by the Mets but then released before his $3MM deal became guaranteed. They owe him $491K after that move.
For San Francisco, Tejada provides another middle infield option for the organization. He’s a steady but unexciting player who generally rates just below average at the plate and with the glove at short. He struggled early in St. Louis, slashing just .176/.225/.235 over forty trips to the plate.
Rangers Place Yu Darvish On 15-Day DL
The Rangers have placed star righty Yu Darvish on the 15-day DL with ongoing shoulder and neck issues, per a team announcement (via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, on Twitter). Reliever Alex Claudio will take his place on the active roster.
Darvish had only just returned from a Tommy John rehab stint, providing Texas with an ace-level arm as it seeks to capture the AL West. The 29-year-old was excellent in three starts, allowing just five earned runs and a dozen hits over 15 2/3 innings, with 19 strikeouts against six walks.
The disabled list placement isn’t necessarily a grave concern in and of itself, as the team will understandably be cautious with its prized righty. But the nebulous injury concerns that have led to it could be a major problem. It’s unclear at present what the timeline and prognosis is for Darvish.
Depending upon how things play out, Darvish’s injury status could impact the trade deadline. Texas was already said to have some interest in looking at controllable starters this summer, and the impetus could grow if Darvish misses a significant amount of time.
Angels Designate Kyle Kubitza
The Angels have designated third baseman Kyle Kubitza for assignment, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter link). He was the club’s seventh-ranked prospect in the estimation of MLB.com, but lost his 40-man spot as the team continued to cycle through pitching.
Kubitza, who’ll soon turn 26, got a taste of the majors last year but struggled in 19 games of action. The former third-round pick had been productive in the lower minors, and showed fairly well last year in his first taste of the hitter-friendly PCL, but he’s off to a tepid .253/.349/.366 start in 2016.
While roster pressures are always tough, it’s somewhat surprising to see the Halos compelled to part with a decent prospect here. The team’s new leadership, under GM Billy Eppler, obviously didn’t quite see eye to eye with its prior front office. Former GM Jerry Dipoto had sent well-regarded young lefty Ricardo Sanchez to the Braves to add Kubitza back before the 2015 season.
Angels Designate David Huff, Select Al Alburquerque
The Angels made a series of roster moves involving their oft-rotated pitching staff. As MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez first suggested (Twitter links), the team will designate lefty David Huff for assignment and place righty Cory Rasmus on the 15-day DL, clearing active roster spots for right-handers A.J. Achter and Al Alburquerque.
Huff, 31, surrendered ten earned runs in just 5 1/3 frames over two starts, allowing 13 hits and four home runs along the way. He had been tasked with stepping into the rotation while the club awaits Tim Lincecum, who is expected to be ready for major league action this weekend.
Achter has provided 11 1/3 innings of 4.76 ERA pitching on the year to the Halos’ pen, but this’ll be the first shot for the veteran Albuquerque. He has thrown 21 2/3 frames at Triple-A on the season, working to a 2.49 ERA with 10.4 K/9 with 4.2 BB/9.
Dodgers Release Carl Crawford
The Dodgers have released outfielder Carl Crawford, as MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick tweets. Recently designated for assignment, Crawford obviously did not draw any interest on the waiver wire.
Crawford is still owed $35MM or so on the ill-fated contract he first signed with the Red Sox, after all, and there was no chance that was being taken over by another organization. That cash will remain on the Dodgers’ books, with other teams free to add Crawford at the league minimum rate.
Though the waiver clearance was fully expected, it would be surprising if there isn’t at least some interest in the 34-year-old veteran. He has struggled this year, and continues to deal with a variety of maladies, but Crawford still owns a useful .278/.320/.400 batting line in over 1,000 plate appearances over his four seasons in Los Angeles.
That’s solid league-average hitting, which is all the more appealing when combined with his other skills. Crawford continues to move well on the bases when healthy. And he’s long been viewed as a quality outfielder. The recent returns from defensive metrics aren’t as promising, but he’s only been seen as a negative in a small and injury-riddled sample.
The fleet-footed Crawford certainly isn’t the player he once was, but as an essentially free asset he makes for an interesting addition to the open market. Organizations interested in a left-handed-hitting outfielder could do a lot worse, at a much higher cost, so he could be pursued relatively broadly for a just-released player.
Yankees Designate Layne Somsen For Assignment
The Yankees announced that they’ve designated right-hander Layne Somsen for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for first baseman Ike Davis, whose previously reported Major League deal is now official.
The 27-year-old Somsen was claimed off waivers from the Reds in late May and assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He’s posted a combined 1.44 ERA with 10.4 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9 in 25 innings between the Triple-A affiliates for New York and Cincinnati and also made his big league debut for the Reds this season, surrendering five runs in 2 1/3 innings. A 22nd-round pick by the Reds in 2013, Somsen has a strong 2.42 ERA in 189 2/3 career minor league innings to go along with a 193-to-77 K/BB ratio.