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Minor MLB Transactions: 6/20/17

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Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around MLB…

  • The Orioles announced that they’ve selected the contract of outfielder Craig Gentry from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned first baseman/outfielder David Washington back to Triple-A in his place. Closer Zach Britton was moved to the 60-day DL to clear a spot for Gentry, though that’s a procedural move and isn’t indicative of any type of setback for Britton. Gentry, 33, played in 33 games for the O’s earlier this season, though he served primarily as a bench option and totaled just 44 plate appearances. In that time, he posted a paltry .162/.256/.270 batting line with a homer and three steals. The fleet-footed Gentry has a long track record of playing quality defense and delivering strong value on the basepaths, but he hasn’t hit much since 2013. He was hitting .275/.345/.382 through 113 PAs in Norfolk.
  • Right-hander Asher Wojciechowski cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Louisville by the Reds, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter). The 28-year-old Wojciechowski appeared in six games (four starts) for Cincinnati this season, pitching to a 6.75 ERA with an 18-to-4 K/BB ratio in 21 1/3 innings. Wojciechowski recorded just a 27.3 percent ground-ball rate, though, which proved problematic, as he was tagged for six homers in that short time. Once a well-regarded Blue Jays farmhand, Wojciechowski has 37 2/3 innings with a 6.93 ERA in the Majors. He does carry a more palatable 4.31 ERA in 426 Triple-A innings.

Giants To Sign First-Rounder Heliot Ramos

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The Giants have reached an agreement with first-rounder Heliot Ramos, reports Baseball America’s Hudson Belinsky. A high school outfielder out of Puerto Rico, Ramos will receive the full slot value of $3,101,700 that comes with the No. 19 overall selection. Their second round-pick has also agreed to terms, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link). High school third baseman Jacob Gonzalez will receive a $950K bonus that is about $170K below slot. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan, meanwhile, reports that the Giants inked third-rounder Seth Corry for $1MM — roughly $450K over his slot value (Twitter link). Corry is represented by Jon Pridie of Sosnick Cobbe Karon.

Ramos headed into the draft as the No. 26 player on the list of Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen. ESPN’s Keith Law ranked him 29th overall, while Baseball America pegged him at No. 30, and Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com ranked him 40th in the draft.

Longenhagen, Law and BA all peg Ramos as a plus runner (plus-plus, per BA’s report) with an above-average arm, which should allow him to stick in center field. And all of the above-linked reports are bullish on Ramos’ raw power. There’s some question, it seems, about his hit tool and whether he’ll make enough contact to hit consistently as a professional. He draws huge praise for his athleticism, and it’s worth noting that he’s also one of the draft’s youngest players — he’ll turn 18 in September — which offers some explanation for why he’s a bit raw at the plate. BA notes that Ramos comes from a highly athletic family, as his brother Henry reached Triple-A with the Red Sox last year (and is currently with the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate) while his other brother, Hector, plays for Puerto Rico’s national soccer club.

Gonzalez ranked 125th on MLB.com’s Top 200 and 132nd on Baseball America’s Top 500. He’s the son of former big league slugger Luis Gonzalez, though unlike his father, Jacob bats right-handed. He’s listed at 6’4″ and 210 pounds, and both scouting reports on him mention the possibility of a move to first base due to a lack of speed. Gonzalez gets good reviews for his considerable strength and raw power.

Corry, meanwhile, was 61st on Law’s list, 102nd over at BA and 105th per Callis and Mayo. The high school lefty out of Utah has a fastball that sits 89-93 mph, per those scouting reports, and he draws significant praise for his curveball as well. He was committed to attend Brigham Young University but will apparently forgo college for a seven-figure bonus.

Red Sox Place Pablo Sandoval On 10-Day DL

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The saga of Pablo Sandoval has taken another interesting turn, as the Red Sox announced today that he has been placed on the 10-day DL with an inner ear infection. The underperforming veteran has long been rumored as a candidate to be replaced, but the move at least buys the team some time to plot its next steps.

Boston also announced that righty Austin Maddox was optioned back to Triple-A. First baseman Sam Travis and infielder Deven Marrero will come up to take the open spots on the active roster.

Sandoval, 30, now owns a .212/.269/.354 slash through 108 plate appearances. That’s obviously far shy of the kind of output the Sox need from a regular third baseman. And if he’s not capable of manning that spot with some regularity, there’s not much function to keeping him around.

Of course, there’s more to it than just that. The Red Sox owe Sandoval $17MM this year, $18MM apiece in 2018 and 2019, and then a $5MM buyout on a 2020 option. While the club is obviously going to pay that regardless, it would no doubt prefer to hold out the possibility of receiving some return on its investment.

Indeed, there seems to be a sense within the organization that there’s still some glimmer of hope for Sandoval after he worked hard to get in shape over the winter and showed well this spring. And it’s not as if the in-house replacement options are terribly appealing, either. Marrero will likely pair with Josh Rutledge at third, at least once Dustin Pedroia is able to return at second, while Travis will offer an alternative another right-handed bat for the first base/DH mix.

Phillies Designate Jeanmar Gomez, Michael Saunders

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The Phillies made a rather dramatic roster move today, announcing that righty Jeanmar Gomez and outfielder Michael Saunders have been designated for assignment in one fell swoop. Lefty Hoby Milner and outfielder Cameron Perkins have had their contracts purchased.

While there were never realistic hopes of contention in 2017, the Phillies’ worst-in-baseball 22-and-46 record nevertheless represents a considerable disappointment. These two veterans are hardly the only poor performers, but their pronounced struggles were increasingly hard to ignore.

Still, it’s a bit of a stunner to see the move take place. Gomez was the Phils’ closer for the bulk of 2016 and is earning a cool $4.2MM with one more year of arb control remaining. And Saunders landed in Philadelphia over the winter on a $9MM guarantee. The Phils were hoping they had scored a bargain when his market failed to develop, but will instead punt on the rest of that deal — including the rights to an $11MM option for 2018.

It’s never easy to give up on such highly paid players, but Philadelphia no doubt felt some pressure to shake things up. And the writing seemed to be on the wall for these players, whose continued presence might only have taken opportunities from younger options.

In the case of Gomez, 29, a poor finish last year has carried over — and then some. He has had some strong years in the past, despite frequently lagging peripherals, but currently owns a 7.25 ERA on 31 hits (including seven home runs) in 22 1/3 innings. Though Gomez is generating far more swings and misses than usual, to go with his typically strong groundball rate, he’s also backing himself into a corner with a career-low 53.0% first-pitch strike rate.

The developments are yet more surprising with regard to Saunders, 30, who was streaky but generally quite good in 2016. He’s slashing just .205/.257/.360 with six home runs through 214 plate appearances on the season thus far. Though his .245 BABIP suggests some misfortune, Saunders is also making a lot of soft contact and has seen his typically solid walk rate dive to 6.1%.

As for the newcomers, the 26-year-old Milner gets his first call-up after failing to crack the Indians’ roster as a Rule 5 pick. he has posted a 2.60 ERA with 27 strikeouts and just four walks over 27 2/3 innings at Triple-A. Perkins, also 26, has previously failed to master the highest level of the minors. But the former sixth-round pick is carrying an excellent .298/.388/.476 slash through 241 plate appearances there this year.

Marlins Agree To Terms With First-Rounder Trevor Rogers

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The Marlins have agreed to terms with first-round pick Trevor Rogers, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (Twitter links). The high school southpaw will take home a $3.4MM bonus, so long as his physical checks out.

With the move, Miami will save $475,800 against the slot allocation of the 13th overall draft selection. It’s not yet clear just how the team will utilize those savings. Interestingly, all the team’s remaining picks from the first ten rounds went to collegiate players, though some appears to be ticketed for 11th rounder Dakota Bennett.

Coming into the draft, there was a split of opinion on Rogers. ESPN.com’s Keith Law ranked him the 15th-best player available, citing his long frame and big stuff. Others were less bullish; Baseball America had him at 31st on its board, for example. For one thing, Rogers is already closing in on his twentieth birthday; for another, he has not always shown up in game action as much as might be expected.

Braxton Garrett To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Top Marlins prospect Braxton Garrett is undergoing Tommy John surgery today on his left elbow, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports on Twitter. The southpaw recently was diagnosed with a partially torn UCL.

The seventh overall pick in last year’s draft, Garrett entered the year with consensus top-100 billing. He showed well in 15 1/3 innings this year at the Class A level, pitching to a 2.93 ERA with 16 strikeouts against six walks, before being sidelined.

That’s difficult news for a Marlins organization that is in need of future rotation assets and is generally regarded to have one of the game’s worst farm systems. It also marks the second consecutive season in which the club’s consensus top prospect has required Tommy John surgery. A year ago, right-hander Tyler Kolek (the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft), also suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgery. He’s yet to return to the mound in 2017 after missing the entire ’16 campaign.

Check Out Hoops Rumors For NBA Draft Coverage

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The 2017 NBA playoffs were somewhat anticlimactic, but the rumor mill has been out of control in the week since the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in the Finals last Monday.

Just one week into the offseason, names like Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, and Kristaps Porzingis have surfaced in trade rumors, and the Paul George sweepstakes are well underway — Indiana’s star forward informed the Pacers he intends to leave in 2018, with an eye toward the Lakers. Oh, and did we mention the first overall pick in this Thursday’s draft has already been traded?

Over at Hoops Rumors, we’ve published our 2017 NBA mock draft, and we’ll be keeping tabs on every trade rumor reported leading up to – and during – Thursday night’s draft. Be sure to check out Hoops Rumors and follow @HoopsRumors to keep up with what’s rapidly becoming a wild NBA offseason.

Brewers To Sign Tom Wilhelmsen

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The Brewers have agreed to a minor-league deal with veteran righty Tom Wilhelmsen, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. He’ll head to the team’s top affiliate.

As McCalvy notes, Wilhelmsen has an interesting history already with the Milwaukee organization. The Brewers drafted him and welcomed him back after an extended stint away from the game.

Of course, the now-33-year-old Wilhelmsen has never suited up for the Brewers at the game’s highest level, instead plying his trade in the majors elsewhere over the past seven seasons. If he wants to do so now, he’ll need to earn his way back up.

Wilhelmsen became available when he was released recently by the Diamondbacks. He has seen his swinging-strike rate drop all the way to 6.2%, with 17 strikeouts and 12 walks through 26 1/3 innings. But the veteran is still popping 95 with his fastball and getting grounders on about half of the balls put in play against him.

For Milwaukee, it certainly makes sense to add some cheap depth given the club’s recent bullpen struggles. Wilhelmsen will cost only the league minimum during any time he spends in the majors, as the D-Backs will continue to pay the remainder of his $1.25MM salary for the season.

Draft Signings: Reds, Brewers, Yankees, Tigers

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Here are some of the day’s notable draft signings:

  • The Reds have agreed to terms with three of their top four picks, according to reports from MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (on Twitter) and Jim Callis (also via Twitter). 32nd overall selection Jeter Downs and 38th pick Stuart Fairchild have both signed for at-slot bonuses, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). Downs, a high-school shortstop, will receive $2,084,400 to forgo his commitment to the University of Miami. The MLB.com prospect team was the only one to place him inside the top 50, at #37, citing his solid all-around profile and rising status entering the draft. Fairchild, a junior outfielder out of Wake Forest, will take the $1,802,800 slot money. ESPN.com’s Keith Law was the highest pundit on Fairchild, ranking him 31st among eligible players while noting his strength and potential ability to remain in center field as a professional. Meanwhile, third-round pick Jacob Heatherly will land well over the $743,900 slot value of the 77th overall pick. The prep lefty will take home a $1,047,500 bonus, per Callis.
  • Brewers second-rounder Caden Lemons has struck a deal with his new team, he tells Kyle Parmley of the Vestavia Voice. The Ole Miss commit elected to turn pro for a still-unreported bonus amount. Lemons was taken 46th overall, a pick that comes with a $1,493,500 allocation. Entering the draft, the righty was ranked as high as 52nd overall. He received that grade from ESPN.com’s Keith Law, who cites Lemon’s projectability as well as concerns about his ability to stick in the rotation with a slight build.
  • The Yankees are in agreement with their second-round pick, righty Matt Sauer, pending a physical, MLBTR’s Steve Adams reports on Twitter. Bonus terms remain unknown at this time, but the 54th overall pick comes with a $1,236,000 allocation. Sauer, a California high-schooler who had been ticketed for the University of Arizona, drew top-thirty billing from MLB.com, Baseball America, and Fangraphs. While Sauer’s big fastball and slider point towards significant upside, the analysts agree he’ll need to work on a third offering to make it in a MLB rotation.
  • Tigers second-rounder Reynaldo Rivera is in agreement on a $850K bonus, Callis tweets. That’ll save the organization nearly $300K against the slot value to utilize on other players. Rivera, a power-hitting first baseman from Chipola Junior College, did not draw any top-100 prospect tabs but did land in the 150th place on MLB.com’s board.
  • Diamondbacks supplemental second-round choice Daulton Varsho will receive the slot value of $880,100 that comes with the 68th overall pick, Callis reports on Twitter. The Wisconsin-Milwaukee backstop, who’s the son of former big leaguer Gary Varsho, was the last player to reach the top 100 on Baseball America’s ranking.
  • In bonus news, the Rays gave second-round pick Michael Mercado $2,132,400, Callis tweets, which is well over the $1,714,500 bonus allocation for the 40th overall pick. His signing had previously been reported. Angels second-rounder Griffin Canning will indeed receive the slot value of $1,459,200, Callis tweets, as had previously been suggested.

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