The Angels announced Tuesday that they’ve selected catcher Joe Hudson’s contract from Triple-A Salt Lake and created a spot on the 40-man roster by requesting release waivers on infielder Nolan Fontana. Additionally, the Halos called up outfielders Jabari Blash and Michael Hermosillo from Salt Lake.
Hudson’s promotion was necessitated by a pair of moves the Angels made earlier this summer — the trade of Martin Maldonado to the division-rival Astros as well as the Braves’ claim of Rene Rivera on revocable trade waivers. (The Angels opted to let Rivera and his remaining salary go.)
The 27-year-old Hudson doesn’t have the youth or track record to be deemed a prospect, but since being traded from the Reds to the Angels for cash back on June 30, he’s hit well in Double-A and Triple-A — admittedly in minuscule samples. Hudson notched a .970 OPS in seven games with the Angels’ Double-A club before moving up to Triple-A and hitting .311/.380/.478 in 101 PAs. He’s also drawn solid framing marks over the past couple of seasons in the minors and has a career 43 percent caught-stealing rate.
Fontana, also 27, was placed on release waivers after hitting .234/.397/.414 in 191 plate appearances with the Angels’ Triple-A club this season. He’s been on the minor league disabled list since late July due to a hand injury, though, and was a candidate to be outrighted off the 40-man roster following the season anyhow. The former second-round pick was once a fairly well-regarded prospect in the Astros’ system and has consistently demonstrated strong plate discipline skills in the minors.
Fontana is actually decent and the Angels have worse players on their roster. Kind of surprised.
He will be out of options next season, so he would have been DFA’d anyway. Likely the same will happen for Kaleb Cowart.
Here’s an oddity:
Rivera recently rehabbed at High-A Inland Empire, who have a GM named…….Joe Hudson.
What exactly do minor-league GMs do? The MLB team controls rosters, and the farm director would be in charge of who gets promoted and demoted, so are they more of a scout themselves?
Steve, Jeff, come in here and answer this.
Yes, likely work as eyes and ears for organizations to at least some extent. Mainly oversee fans experience, field, accommodations, etc.
Clean house 27 and not on the major league roster……..??? Not going to be
Are you speaking of Hudson or Fontana?
Both are 27 and neither were on the ML roster. Fontana will end 2018 with more MLB games too, and likely has a better chance of seeing future ML time. Not sure why Hudson is even in the organization, to be honest, and probably wouldn’t be if not for the complete lack of anything resembling depth in the system.
I think the Angels acquired Hudson to be the backup catcher in AAA behind Francisco Arcia. After they traded Maldonado and called up Arcia, Hudson became the regular starter. He’s had a decent year in the minors though.