Here are Friday’s minor moves from around the game…
- The Rangers have inked a minor-league pact with right-hander Brandon Cumpton, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning news (Twitter link). Arm troubles have limited the 29-year-old of late, but he did return to professional action in 2017 after a two-year hiatus. Over 37 1/3 innings, Cumpton pitched to a 3.86 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9.
- As Cumpton leaves the Pirates organization, two other right-handers are on their way in, according to John Dreker of Pirates Prospects. Tyler Jones and Bo Schultz have each joined the Bucs on minor-league arrangements, per the report. The former will be looking to crack the majors for the first time. He has often produced quality strikeout rates in the upper minors but only managed a 4.38 ERA in 63 2/3 innings at Triple-A last year with the Yankees organization. As for Schultz, the former Blue Jays reliever will be looking to return from Tommy John surgery. Schultz turned in a useful 2015 season but faltered in the ensuing season — he worked to a 5.51 ERA in his 16 1/3 MLB innings — before going under the knife.
- Righty William Cuevas will join the Red Sox organization on a minor-league pact, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. The 27-year-old has spent the bulk of his career in the Boston organization but played elsewhere in 2017. He worked to a 4.85 ERA in 104 Triple-A frames in 2017, with 7.0 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9. Cuevas has twice cracked the majors, but only briefly.
- Yet another right-handed hurler, Preston Guilmet, is heading to the Cardinals on a minors deal, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. He’ll get a spring invite and can earn at a $600K rate in the majors. The 30-year-old Guilmet has seen parts of three seasons in the majors but only has 23 career innings at the game’s highest level. He has put up some interesting results of late, though, posting a 2.77 ERA with 10.8 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9 in 68 1/3 Triple-A frames in 2016 before heading to Japan and running a 3.62 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in his 54 2/3 innings for the Yakult Swallows (over four starts and 28 relief appearances).
Earlier Updates
- The Tigers have agreed to a minor league deal with former Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma, reports SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (on Twitter). Kozma, 30 in April, split the 2017 season between the Rangers and Yankees organizations and logged 51 plate appearances in the Majors, though he batted just .111/.200/.178 in that small sample. Long considered an excellent defender with a light bat, Kozma is a career .215/.282/.285 hitter in parts of six MLB seasons but also comes with a career +11 Defensive Runs Saved mark and +9 Ultimate Zone Rating in 1450 innings at shortstop.
- The Braves announced yesterday that right-handed reliever Luke Jackson cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett. Once a well-regarded prospect in the Rangers system, the now-26-year-old Jackson posted an ERA north of 6.00 and walked 16 batters in 24 1/3 innings with Gwinnett last season. He actually performed better in the Majors, logging a 4.62 ERA in 50 1/3 frames, albeit with pedestrian averages of 5.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 with a 45.2 percent grounder rate. Jackson does have a history of missing bats in the upper minors and did average 94.7 mph on his heater last year while running up a 10.2 percent swinging-strike rate, so there’s some hope that he could yet figure things out.
Jackson looks like if he spent some time taking care of his body, he could be a lot better. First, I’ve seen many videos of him during practices where he looks lazy af. 2nd the guy didn’t have the best control of his body during his delivery. Maybe some physics conditioning could change that. Shows you how far a god gifted cannon of an arm can take you
I somewhat agree..From what I noticed, he really struggled repeating his delivery, and he struggled with his landing spot…Personally, I’m not sure if his conditioning, or lack thereof, played a role in that, but he could certainly benefit from some time in AAA working on those two aspects of his mechanics…
Also, it seemed like Jackson was getting used quite a bit in unfavorable match-ups both in the Majors and in AAA..Idk, that could have just been the games I actually watched him pitch..Or he could have been really misused…Either way, he has quite a bit of work to do heading into spring training, IF he’s even going to sniff getting a look at the bullpen..!!
The problem withJackson: He got Coached!!!
Thank you Johnny Superscout
Blah! Blah! Blah!
Wish the best for Pete Kozma he is a defensive wizard, he just couldn’t keep up with his bat.
That picture looks like Had on Marquis.
Jason Marquis.
Please…as a Tiger fan…..could we at least sign one player this off season that I can get slightly excited about – would that be asking too much?
I wouldn’t count on it…maybe a chance on a buy low and have high reward kind of guy that use to be good. Full rebuild mode is not going to be fun. Hopefully some players step up and have a surprise year.
Hey, Kozma hit .378 last season
…..oh, wait that was his OPS
Man, Pete Kozma’s one season as a regular – 2013- is one of the worst imaginable offensive seasons of all time. 217/275/273. The defense is good but that line is atrocious; pitchers hit better than that.
Remember Stephen Drew with the Yankees?
Pete Kozma and Tyler Green we’re both drafter in 1st Round by the Cardinals. Pete Kozma(1st Round 2007 Cards)
Ave .215 AB 666 OBP .282 SLG .285
Tyler Green (1st Round 2005 Cards)
Ave .224 AB 675 OBP .289 SLG .356
Both Busts!!
You don’t understand the term rebuild
Kozma is a great signing if you need him for one AB vs. the Nationals.
Lol
All I can say about kozma is at least he got to play in the WS!
Thanks to his team Not Him!
Kozma most certainly did help the Cardinals get to the World Series in 2013. His defensive play was near the top of MLB for the season, and he was 1st in double plays for all teams. Cardinals pitchers loved having him behind them on the field and their ground-ball rate was 3rd in MLB, I believe.
All I said was at least he got to play in the World Series, because he probably won’t be there again unless he makes the tigers and turns his career around. Maybe I should have been more clear about that It was a team effort.
I was replying to matanzas1962 who said he was there because of the team and not him.
Ok
If I recall correctly, Kozma caught the infamous “infield fly” in the first ever WC game in Atlanta. I was there. I did NOT throw anything in the field!
He actually didn’t catch it. Neither did veteran left-fielder Matt Holliday who had run toward it into Kozma’s peripheral vision as if he was going to catch it. The ball dropped to the ground, therefore the infield fly rule for the out.
That’s right. I guess I meant he was the one going for it. Very strange play and call. Strange game altogether. Frustrating loss.