As teams and agents look to wrap up their business before the holiday season, there’s no shortage of minor league deals being wrapped up. Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- Backstop Rob Brantly is in agreement on a minors deal with the Braves, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). The 28-year-old won’t have a shot at a MLB roster spot out of camp, barring an injury to Tyler Flowers or Kurt Suzuki, but he could be the first line of depth behind that duo. Brantly has received only brief MLB action over the past several seasons. He spent most of the 2017 campaign at Triple-A with the Reds and White Sox organizations, where he posted a solid .293/.352/.443 slash in 321 plate appearances.
- Also agreeing to a minor-league pact is righty Pedro Beato, who Heyman tweets will remain with the Phillies. Beato, 31, returned to the majors in 2017 with the Phils for the first time since 2014. He only received a single appearance, though. In 55 2/3 innings at Lehigh Valley, Beato posted a 2.75 ERA — his third-straight season with excellent results at the highest level of the minors. Of course, Beato also averaged a less-than-dominant 6.8 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9, with his success coming in no small part due to some batted ball fortune (.233 BABIP, 5.2% HR/FB rate) that he likely would not carry with him to the majors.
Earlier Updates
- The Nationals agreed to terms with right-hander Jeff Ames, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). Ames, 26, was the 42nd overall pick in the 2011 draft but has yet to crack the majors. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2017, working to a 3.98 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 in 63 1/3 innings.
- The Orioles announced minor league pacts with lefties Jayson Aquino and Andrew Faulkner, right-hander Tim Melville and first baseman Aderlin Rodriguez. Aquino, Faulkner and Rodriguez will be returning to the organization, while Melville will be joining the team for the first time. The 25-year-old Aquino has tossed 15 2/3 innings with the O’s over the past two seasons but struggled to a 6.32 ERA in that time. He does have a 4.02 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in parts of two Triple-A seasons. Faulkner, 25, logged a 2.79 ERA in 38 1/3 Triple-A innings with 8.1 K/9 last season but also averaged 5.6 walks per nine innings. Rodriguez, meanwhile, hit .279/.341/.471 with 22 homers in Double-A this past season, albeit at the age of 25 (older than much of the competition he was facing). The 28-year-old Melville has just 14 2/3 MLB innings on his resume and has been hit hard in that time. However, he also logged a 2.95 ERA with 8.5 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9 in 12 starts (13 total appearances) with the Triple-A affiliates for the Twins and Padres last year.
- The Brewers announced that they’ve signed right-hander Radhames Liz to a minor league contract. Liz, a hard-throwing 34-year-old, has seen more time in the Korea Baseball Organization and Nippon Professional Baseball than in the Majors in recent years. He didn’t pitch in 2017 but has allowed just two runs in 35 1/3 innings during the Dominican Winter League this offseason. He’ll compete for a bullpen spot in Spring Training.
- Infielder Josh Rutledge has agreed to a minor league deal (and, presumably, a Spring Training invite) with the Giants, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. Rutledge has spent the past three seasons in the Red Sox organization and picked up 118 PAs with Boston this past season. He’s batted just .252/.319/.313 in 259 plate appearances across those three seasons but has played second base, shortstop and third base in the Majors (plus a brief 13-inning cameo at first base).
- Right-hander Anthony Bass announced (on Twitter) that he’s latched on with the Cubs. Assuming it’s a minor league pact — the Cubs themselves have yet to announce the signing — he’ll head to Spring Training and vie for a job in the ’pen. Bass was hit hard in 5 2/3 frames with the Rangers last year — his first MLB action since 2015 after spending the 2016 campaign pitching in Japan. Bass had a 4.14 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 75 1/3 Triple-A innings with Texas last year and has experience both as a starter and a reliever.
- Outfielder Shane Peterson has landed with the Padres on a minor league pact, as per the team’s Triple-A broadcaster, Tim Hagerty (on Twitter). A career .254/.319/.359 hitter in 322 MLB plate appearances, Peterson brings an excellent .296/.374/.474 career Triple-A slash to the Padres organization. He’ll turn 30 in February and can handle any outfield spot
Damn… I was really hoping the Sox would re-obtain Rutledge. Not the best overall player but he is a great club house presence and his teammates love him. He posts funny stuff all over instagram too LOL but I know, I know… what goes on, on the diamond is more important!
In the MLB The Show games from 3-4 years back, Rutledge had an “A” potential grade and almost always ended up ~95 rated overall after a few years of sim. He was the stud SS on each of my teams
I wonder if major-league scouts take that into consideration
Online prostitution should be banned from this site
Reminds me of in MVP Baseball 05, Josh Willingam was rated similarly and if you had him in career mode he’d end up usually putting up HOF numbers.
MVP Baseball 05 with Manny on the cover – one of the best baseball games of all time
LOVED that game!!
I think that’s one thing we can ALL agree on. IVE GOT A FUNNY LITTLE FEELIN
One thing I’ll never forget is the CPU generated minor leaguers. Once I was fortunate enough to call up ICHIRO SABATHIA.
Not for that game, but for 2K I would always download rosters this other guy would make…Dude was LEGIT!! lol…He also probably had WAY too much time on his hands, but regardless, he made the game AWESOME!!
He would re-do the ML rosters to make them up to date and more realistic. BUT not only would he do the Major League rosters, he would also do the Minor League rosters for EVERY TEAM!!
And I’m not just talking about putting their names in there, he would put in all the correct information, their pitch types, correct potential based off of scouting reports, and their realistic attributes…
Plus, he would make updates to the rosters every two weeks for ra tings purposes..Or anytime a trade was made, he would send out an update the following day!!
And if one of the team’s top 20-25 (can’t remember exactly) prospects hadn’t made it to Single A yet, he would go ahead and put them on the Single A roster…Since the game only had AAA, AA, and A…
That dude made the game and franchise mode A MILLION TIMES BETTER FOR ME!!!
The only downside was when the following year’s game came out, he would immediately get it that day, and abandon the previous game…
Although, it wouldn’t take him but maybe 2-3 days for the new game to be out before he would already have ALL the rosters updated, all the players updated, with more realistic batting stances, pitching styles, and their attributed..Along with ALL the minor league rosters and players created and very realistic!!
Heck, the dude was a thousand times better than the actual 2K people in charge of the updates!! lol
How he was able to know so much about every team and every team’s prospects is beyond me..He would even get the batting stance correct for a 25 year old, single A player, that was nothing more than an organization filler…I mean, he was just absurdly accurate with every single player, from every single team…He would even put some Cuban and Japanese players as free agents…lol
Probably googled or YouTubed their stances. Most cameras in MILB are from beyond so pretty easy to replicate. I would love this guy when I was younger cause I was obsessed with knowing every player, obscure as can be.
If only the rule 5 draft hasn’t already passed.
It’s a shame he’s not one of Francona’s buddies. rutledge is many times better than Michael martinez, whom the tribe signed weeks back to a milb deal and is nearly useless with the glove and bat, but is one of francona’s buddies which over ride’s his deficiencies.
Rutledge can hit pretty well when healthy and isn’t all that bad at 2b and 3b.
They could pick him up via rule 5 again
Sorry it already happened lol
Well, like all mlb teams, the orioles need to add minor league depth – it’s what you do this time of year… But I am a bit surprised they haven’t found a piece or two or major league signings to fill in the rotation. Then again, I’m not surprised at all… It’s the orioles lol. Atleast my Phillies are improving 🙂
Liz lighting up the winter leagues and getting a spring training invite; as a Pirate fan, I’ve already seen this movie.
It’s like he got a new Liz on life again…
Pun accepted.
I like how Bass announced that he signed with Cubs on Twitter and it immediately makes its way on here. The Cubs FO hasn’t announced anything on it yet but as long as some dude puts it on Twitter than its official…
It was on Chicago’s website YESTERDAY. mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-sign-anthony-bass-to-minor-… WHie not confirmed by the team, I believe you can see that as assurance.
Quick someone grab the ointment, we got a 3rd degree burn ova here!!
Why wouldn’t an announcement by a player or his agent be reliable?
Man, the fact that you would get this upset over a minor league signing of Anthony Bass is baffling to me. Who cares, for real?
Ohh but it certainly matters!! We can’t have any nonsense like that on this site…That is just unacceptable on every level, not to mention the lack of professionalism is beyond absurdity
How dare everyone here not double or triple check with the Cubs first! I mean, did anyone even ask Jon Heyman before “reporting” this so called “signing.”
I might expect this from yahoo sports, or especially bleacher report, but not here!! Come on, that is just pure laziness, I mean what is the world coming to these days….SMH
Rutledge sounds like a nice pickup for the Gmen. They need an upgrade in middle infielder back up department.
I liked Rutledge on the Sox. Good organizational soldier. Great hair. Can hit a little, too. Plays a bunch of positions, none very well.
You want to talk about good hair!?!
Josh Rutledge does not even have the best hair in his own house!! You cannot forget THE Laura Rutledge..
She is such a beautiful woman, she is extremely smart, she is absolutely hilarious, and has a great sense of humor..Plus the great hair too lol…But wait, there is more…
ANNND THENN, to top it off, she is a GREAT, top notch analyst/commentator, often seen/heard on the Paul Finebaum show..Love listening and watching those two, great show…But yeah, Josh Rutledge is a lucky man, she is an angel!!
I agree. Laura Rutledge is a beautiful person inside & out. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet her a few times & she’s always very friendly
You’re my favorite poster on these boards. Merry Christmas.
I notice that the team with on of the worst farm systems (so far) has signed next to nobody in their minors (SF). Makes no sense. They should be the most active in minor signing. Anyone know why??
Farm Systems get better through draft. Not minor league free agents.
Beato also had 33 saves in Lehigh Valley last season, a franchise record. That at least deserves a mention. He may not be a full-time big leaguer at this point of his career, but he isn’t a bad insurance policy to have in AAA to be able to call up in case of injury
Nice little signing of Beato.
Radhames Liz Pirates legend.
Braves could trade with Giants \\\\\\\\\\\\\Newcombe,Muller,Pache,Kazmir and Demeritte FOR Baumgardner,Panik, and Melancon! Sign T.Frazier(25mil.–2yrs.) Trade with Rays=====Swanson,Folty,Wentz,Vizcaino,B.Wilson,Pederson and Ruiz FOR Archer and Colome! Rotation==MadBum,Archer,Gohara,Teheran,Fried,,,,,,,,,Bullpen Colome,Minter,Melancon,Sims,Lindgren,etc. LINEUP===================== Inciarte(CF),Albies(SS),Freeman(1B),Frazier(3B),Acuna(RF),Panik(2B),Adams(LF),Flowers(C) PLAYOFFS?????
I thought for sure this was one of those money scamming ads.
Trade with Padres;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;Demeritte,Muller,Hursh,Weigel,Cumberland and R.Sanchez+Ruiz For Headley,F.Cordero and M.Diaz. Then Trade with Fins//////////Allard,I.anderson,Wisler,B.Wilson and A.Seymour+F.Tarnok FOR Yelich