Here are Friday’s minor moves throughout the league…
- Joining the Reds on minors deals are outfielders Mason Williams and Rosell Herrera, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer was among those to report on Twitter. Once seen as one of the game’s better overall prospects, the 26-year-old Williams has seen scant action in the majors over the past three seasons — all with the Yankees, his only professional team to this point. At the highest level of the minors last year, Williams posted a .263/.309/.318 batting line and swiped 19 bags over 437 plate appearances.Herrera, 25, has himself received top prospect billing in the past and is also something of a change-of-scenery candidate (in his case, from the Rockies). He just wrapped up his first season at Triple-A, slashing .278/.351/.394 with twenty steals over 363 plate appearances.
- The Mets have struck a minors pact with southpaw Matt Purke, the team announced. Purke, 27, was considered a significant amateur prospect but has never fully found his niche at the game’s highest levels while dealing with numerous injury issues. He cracked the majors in 2016 with the White Sox, but did not return last year even as the Chicago organization cycled through a number of arms. Purke arguably turned in his best work in the upper minors, though, working 65 2/3 frames of 3.84 ERA ball over 48 innings while compiling 11.0 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9.
- Right-hander Angel Nesbitt has been hit with a 50-game PED suspension, Emily Waldon of The Athletic tweets. Nesbitt received a 24-game run in the majors in 2015 with the Tigers, but hadn’t made his way back and struggled in limited action in 2017. He is a minor-league free agent, meaning he’ll serve his penance upon signing with a new organization.
Earlier Updates
- The Blue Jays announced last night that they’ve brought back former first-round pick Deck McGuire on a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training. Toronto selected McGuire, now 28 years of age, with the 10th overall pick back in 2010. The former Georgia Tech star tore through Class-A Advanced with the Jays but began to struggle upon reaching Double-A and was ultimately traded to the A’s for cash considerations in 2014. McGuire has since pitched in the upper levels of the Dodgers and Cardinals systems, and in 2017 he made his big league debut with the Reds after turning in a terrific season in Double-A. McGuire tossed 168 innings with a 2.79 ERA, 9.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 for Cincinnati’s Pensacola affiliate, and he impressed in a brief sample of MLB innings as well. Through 13 2/3 frames with the Reds, McGuire allowed four earned runs (2.63 ERA) on 10 hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts.
- Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times tweets that the Dodgers are closing in on a minor league deal with left-hander Manny Banuelos. The 26-year-old Banuelos was once one of the most prized prospects in the Yankees’ farm system before elbow problems slowed his career. Banuelos had Tommy John surgery back in 2013 and has since undergone a second elbow operation to remove bone chips. His lone season with MLB experience came in 2015 when he tossed 26 1/3 innings with the Braves. Banuelos spent the 2017 season with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate and struggled to a 4.93 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 4.6 BB/9 in 95 innings. It’s perhaps worth noting that he spent the bulk of 2017 as a reliever (nine starts, 30 relief outings) — his first career season working primarily out of the bullpen.
Sorry to post this here, but I just want to make sure, has the free agent destination game started?
Not really.
I like the Manny move. Good guy to take a no risk gamble on.
Manny Banuelos is the reason you trade prospects when you have the chance to get young, cost-controlled players, no matter what the cost.
You had Wilson as Mason’s last name in his section, btw
Here’s to hoping Mason does well for the Reds…
Wow! Love the Reds’ minor league signings thus far. Mantiply, Williams and Herrera all bring solid upside. Good gambles.
Until you see them play. They’re non-prospects now.
Williams is a non-prospect. He has promise but his ceiling is a 4th.
Here’s the thing about the other 2:
Mantiply just came back from TJS and quietly killed it in Scranton. With the fluid BP picture in Cincy, good chance we see him at some point. Middle Relief/ Low set-up is the ceiling.
Herrera is weird. Most players stall out when they advance levels, but Herrera improves as he ascends. He looked like a rookie league release in 2014 and has since made himself a non-roster invitee. He’s versatile, fast and a solid contact hitter. I think he’s coming off the bench in June with the possibility to play himself into a larger role.
Mason Williams is a nice buy-low. I don’t think Yankees let him go if they didn’t have a glut in their OF. (Gardner Judge, Hicks, As always, Ellsbury is the overpaid 4th. Clint Frazier’s currently their #5 OF.
“While not a power hitter, his speed and steady contact rate produced a .263/.309/.318 batting line over 437 plate appearances in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, including two home runs, three triples and 19 stolen bases.” link to mlb.nbcsports.com
He has a .281/.313/.391 line with one homer in 68 plate appearances.
Had a brief cup of coffee with the Yankees each of the last 3 seasons.
2017: Hit .250 (4-for-16) 1 RBI, 3 Runs and 2 Stolen bases 5 games.
He’s a former top-100 MLB prospect, ranking top 75 in MLB in 2014 by MLB.com. (Fun fact: Gary Sanchez was ranked 47 that year lol )
link to m.mlb.com
I wish Mason Williams nothing but success. He’s never played a full season in the MLB before, so I hope they give him significant at bats.
The .281/.313/.391 line with one homer in 68 career plate appearances are career MLB numbers. (never played full season)
Anyway, Mason Williams is worthy of a shot. Good luck, Mason.
I like the McGuire signing. Worst case scenario is he throws innings in Buffalo. Best case is he continues his success from everywhere he pitched last year and contributes quality innings to both Buffalo and Toronto
Yep. McGuire allowed those 4 runs (and 2 unearned) in one appearance last hear, and went scoreless in his other 5 appearances.
Not sure if he burned an option last year, but he is controllable through arbitration through 2021, and he should have at least 2 options left. If he has a good Spring, we should see him at least as part of the taxi squad nest year. God forbid we need a start from him, because that would mean huge holes in the starting staff.
McGuire is just that taking a flyer on depth. The Jays know him and it is a good AAA move. It won’t make or break anything having him on the MLB staff. I hope this is a start to bigger and better acquistions for the Jays prior to the start of 2018.
And, yes, there are huge holes in the Jays starting staff as of this moment in time. If they don’t get a sure #1 and #3, you’ll see the holes bigtime as the season unfolds[again].
He was never optioned in 2017. Was signed then DFAed.
I’d like to see Mason Williams pitch to Carlos Santana. He brings Classical Gas.
Well done sir!
Wow I forgot all about Mason Williams. I hope he does well in Cincy!
MLB.com’s 2014 #75 ranked prospect in all baseball… What could that have gotten us… lol
I do hope he does well with the Reds too.
The issue with Mason Williams hasn’t been his performance when he’s given a chance it’s always been his injuries and his ability to stay on the field. Best of luck to him.
I was really hoping Matt Purke was going to able to land on the white sox roster next spring. He would’ve had a good shot competing with the likes of fry and bummer for left handed relievers. Hope he has a good career with he mets!