We’ll track the day’s minor moves in this post:
- The Reds have reached a minor league agreement with utilityman Phil Gosselin, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reports (Twitter link). The 29-year-old Gosselin divided last season between the Pirates and Rangers organizations, hitting an ugly .146/.180/.188 over a small sample of big league PAs (50). While Gosselin was also ineffective at the Triple-A level (.260/.299/.326 in 292 PAs), he’s not far removed from a useful two-year showing in the majors. From 2015-16, Gosselin combined for 1.4 fWAR on the strength of a .280/.340/.411 line in 358 trips to the plate with the Braves and Diamondbacks.
Earlier updates:
- The Phillies have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed reliever Steve Geltz, Cotillo tweets. Geltz worked exclusively with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2017 and posted a 2.67 ERA, 9.67 K/9 against 4.00 BB/9 and a 37.1 percent groundball rate over 27 innings. The 30-year-old previously saw major league action with the Angels (2012) and Rays (2014-16). Across 104 1/3 big league frames, Geltz owns a 4.23 ERA to accompany 8.54 K/9, 3.71 BB/9 and a 28.8 percent grounder mark.
- Infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. is joining the Red Sox on a minor league deal, per Cotillo (Twitter link). De Jesus, 30, has past experience with the Boston organization, having been a member of it in 2012 and ’14. More recently, he spent last season with the Brewers’ Triple-A club and batted a robust .345/.407/.488 in 466 trips to the plate. He hasn’t been nearly as successful across 545 major league PAs with the Dodgers, Red Sox and Reds, having slashed .242/.303/.327.
- The Cardinals have added backstop Steven Baron on a minors pact, according to MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter). (As she also notes, and we covered previously, the club also added catcher Francisco Pena.) Baron, 27, was the 33rd overall pick in the 2009 draft, but he has never hit much at all in the minors and has only minimal MLB experience. Still, he’ll represent another upper-level depth option for the Cards, who’ll become his first organization other than the Mariners. Baron spent most of 2017 at Triple-A, where he slashed .256/.339/.329 in 187 plate appearances.
Maybe this will jump start the market
Cards have to be the favorites in the Central now.
No way it’s still the cubs
The reds are the favorites! They just implanted Votto with Hamilton’s legs so they can score all their runs via walks now. The remaining parts are competing for a spot in the rotation.
Umm I’m pretty sure that was a load of sarcasm
Love it
Why all of the catchers all of a sudden? Maybe they are going to trade Kelly?
Nah, Molina’s older and injury risk increases with age (especially for a Catcher) and Kelly’s unproven. Its always nice to have some extra insurance.
I am afraid that the Cards are going to deal Kelly for a pitcher. And to me, this will compound the mistake they made when they signed Yadi to that extension.
They are paying Yadi an obscene amount of money to play in decline.
Yadi is worth every penny of that deal!
Your on drugs.
Your high as hell…. please get off of whatever your on!!! I would have let Molina walk after this year, and yes I’m a Cards fan before you ask.
He was a backup in AAA last year. It’s probably what he’s doing again until Knizer gets to Memphis.
No. You can never have too many catchers during Spring Training. It’s just a usable guy that will never see the majors.
This^
It is common practice to load up on minor league non-roster invitees at catcher for Spring Training duty.
They didn’t have a 3rd catcher capable of being available on the 40 man. We knew they would be signing a few minor league catchers like this.
Kelly seems better on defense than he was the previous year. However, he’s never proven he can hit major league pitching over the past 2 years. That is beginning to be a big concern for the organization.
My sentements exactly
Amazing De Jesús was not called up with those stats
Steve Jeltz and Ivan de Jesus in one post… must by 1984
Dodgers suck
Most World Series teams do
They didn’t win it
I guess pena gets the starting job for memphis, and he will be the 3rd catcher. Baron will serve as backup for pena and knizner, who will come to memphis at july.
I like this move. It says this organization is committed to putting a winning team on the field in the minors and they are not willing to bankrupt the organization doing it. Now if they would be willing to do the same at the MLB level.
MILB TRADE RUMORS
DeJesus will compete for 2b duties while Pedroia rehabs. Holt and Marco Hernandez in the mix too. Wouldn’t mind seeing Hernandez get the job. 10th best prospect in the system now according to Baseball America. Sweet swing—like Cano. Didn’t get enough AB’s last year before he hurt his shoulder playing 3b.
Ivan Dejesus. I guess you have to fill your minor league rosters with a certain amount of players. On the bright side, he was an up and coming marginal prospect in 2011’ish.
Book it Ivan is going to be a big help to the Red Sox to fill in at 2nd. He is going hit just a late bloomer. He will make it difficult to keep him out of the line up