Minor MLB Transactions: 4/18/17

Here are the latest minor moves from throughout the game, all from Baseball America’s Matt Eddy unless credited otherwise…

• The Phillies announced on Tuesday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. He’ll fill the roster spot of Howie Kendrick, who has been placed on the 10-day DL with a right abdominal strain. Leiter, a 22nd-round pick by the Phillies back in 2013, is the son of former Major League pitcher Mark Leiter and the nephew of former All-Star pitcher Al Leiter. He opened the season in Triple-A Lehigh Valley — his first experience at that level — and has worked to a 3.38 ERA with 8.4 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 across 445 1/3 innings as a pro.

Earlier Moves

• The Dodgers signed righty David Hale to a minor league deal.  Hale previously inked a minors contract with the Braves during the offseason but was released during Spring Training.  The right-hander spent much of 2016 pitching in the Orioles’ minor league system after being claimed off waivers from the Rockies in April.  A ground-ball specialist, Hale owns a 4.48 ERA, 6.0 K/9 and 1.94 K/BB rate over 178 2/3 career IP with the Rockies and Braves.
• The Marlins signed lefty Daniel Schlereth to a minors deal.  Schlereth, taken by the Diamondbacks with the 26th overall pick of the 2008 draft, posted a 4.35 ERA over 93 relief IP with Arizona and Detroit from 2009-12 and hasn’t been back to the majors since, pitching for six different organizations in the last four seasons.
• The Reds released right-hander Carlos Portuondo after just one relief outing for their Double-A affiliate.  Portuondo was notably acquired as part of the Brandon Phillips trade this winter, coming to the Reds along with southpaw Andrew McKirahan and $1MM in salary relief.   Portuondo’s release leaves the Reds with even less to show for the former All-Star second baseman, though it was clear that the deal was a case of Cincinnati simply wanting to move on from Phillips to create room for Jose Peraza at second base.