Minor MLB Transactions: 5/19/17

Here are today’s minor moves from around the game…

• The Brewers announced before this afternoon’s game that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Paolo Espino from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned left Brent Suter to Triple-A. The 30-year-old Espino is making his Major League debut today against the Cubs after spending parts of 11 seasons in the minors. This year in a tough Colorado Springs environment, he’s pitched to a 2.54 ERA with a 40-to-5 K/BB ratio through 39 innings. Espino has a career 3.54 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 in 465 2/3 Triple-A innings.

Earlier Moves

• The Marlins have announced that infielder Steve Lombardozzi cleared waivers and was sent outright to their Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. The veteran could have rejected the outright assignment in favor of free agency but accepted and will continue on in New Orleans in hopes of earning another big league look. The  28-year-old Lombardozzi appeared in just two games with the Marlins and went hitless in eight at-bats. He’s a career .260/.292/.333 hitter in parts of six Major League seasons (this year included).
• MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports that the Brewers are wrapping up a deal with 17-year-old international free agent Ernesto Martinez Jr. (Twitter links). A first baseman/outfielder out of Cuba, Martinez will receive a fairly sizable $925K bonus when the deal is complete. Sanchez notes that Martinez Jr. is a left-handed hitter and thrower that is also capable of pitching. As MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy points out (also via Twitter), that bonus will be almost entirely covered by the $885K slot that the Brewers received when trading right-hander Damien Magnifico to the Orioles.