Here are the latest minor moves from around the game, all from Baseball America’s Matt Eddy unless otherwise credited…
- Leonys Martin is now a free agent, as he elected to hit the open market after being outrighted off the Cubs‘ roster last week. The veteran outfielder is looking to rebound from a rough 2017 that saw him post just a .513 OPS over 138 PA with the Cubs and Mariners, though Martin was still an above-average defender in the outfield.
- The Royals re-signed right-hander Seth Maness to a new minor league deal. Maness elected to become a free agent last month after K.C. outrighted him off its 40-man roster. A workhorse out of the Cardinals’ bullpen in his first three seasons, Maness has been limited to just 41 1/3 IP over the last two seasons thanks to a torn UCL, though he opted for an innovative “primary repair” procedure that allowed him a much quicker return to action than the usual 12-15 month timeline for Tommy John surgery.
- Catcher Tim Federowicz chose to become a free agent after being outrighted off the Giants‘ 40-man roster. Federowicz hasn’t hit much (a .558 OPS) over 318 career MLB plate appearances, though he has a very impressive .304/.374/.503 slash line over 1654 PA at the Triple-A level.
- The Braves released right-hander Armando Rivero. Atlanta chose Rivero in last year’s Rule 5 Draft but Rivero missed the entire season due to shoulder problems. The Braves outrighted Rivero off their 40-man roster last month, so the Cubs officially declined the opportunity to take the righty back. Rivero has a 2.70 ERA, 12.4 K/9 and 2.83 K/BB rate over 220 career innings in the minors, all as a reliever in Chicago’s system.
- Catcher Erik Kratz elected to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A, the Yankees announced earlier this week (via Twitter). Kratz spent much of 2017 at Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate before being acquired by New York on August 31 to add some catching depth to the expanded September rosters. Kratz only appeared in four games as a Yankee, but it officially made him a veteran of six different teams over parts of eight MLB seasons. The 37-year-old has a .203/.250/.366 slash line over 649 career plate appearances in the bigs.
Since it’s only a matter of money the Yanks should be all over Leonys Martin, especially if he’s open to competing in spring training but agreeing to go to AAA if he can’t win the 4th OF spot. Of course that’s assuming the Yanks can move Ellsbury’s contract, give the CF job to Hicks and appropriately decide that Frazier needs to get everyday at bats if he’s not going to be a starter in 2018. I see the OF as Gardner/Hicks/Judge. Maybe Frazier can be part of some OF/DH rotation? They can decide not to sign a DH this winner and let their be a 4 man DH rotation between the 3 OF and Hicks.
Keep dreaming.
Martin will be the Giants starting CF.
We have no room in the outfield for Martin. He would be behind Judge, Gardner, Hicks, Ellsbury, and Clint Frazier. If anything he’s organizational depth in AAA
Yea what’s up with that? There’s such a logjam of OF’s as is evident to all Yankee fans. Quite a good problem to have..
Martin to the Rays for 4/20.
I wouldn’t guarantee him that kind of money. He just came off of a $4 mil per deal and he passed thru the waiver wire with zero interest show. I’m sure he can be had for a 1 year deal with options.
Seems like anybody in a position like Federowicz(success at AAA, no clear shot at MLB job) should look to make some money in Japan or Korea, maybe parlay that into an MLB contract in 2-3 years.
Any knowledge as to why when I click on someone’s name it doesn’t take me to their reference page in the app anymore? Am I the only one this is happening to?
Me too. For a while now. Sent message and never received a response.
Fed, ex.
The Giants are interested in Leonys Martin. If it can play center and moves, they are interested.
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