Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the game…
- The Mets have signed right-hander Zach Lee to a minor league contract, as first reported by MetsMerized’s Michael Mayer (on Twitter). The once-vaunted pitching prospect was involved in one of the more lopsided swaps in recent memory, going from Los Angeles to Seattle in a straight-up deal for Chris Taylor. Lee, now 26, spent the 2018 season in the Rays’ system, where he split the year between Double-A and Triple-A and posted a 3.65 ERA with 6.6 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 in 145 2/3 innings. However, as has been the case throughout his career, he was terrific in Double-A (career 3.22 ERA in 282 1/3 innings) but clobbered in Triple-A (5.20 ERA in 550 2/3 innings).
- Corner infielder D.J. Peterson has been granted his release by the Reds to pursue other opportunities, tweets C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. Peterson, the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft (by the Mariners), was once considered to be among the game’s elite prospects. Multiple outlets considered him to be among the game’s top 100 prospects in 2014-15, but his bat stalled in the upper minors. Peterson hit .249/.318/.418 in parts of three Triple-A seasons and posted a similarly pedestrian .262/.315/.431 slash in parts of four seasons in Triple-A. It’s not clear what’s lined up next for him, though as a corner bat with some pop, he could draw interest overseas.
- The Pirates have agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Steven Baron, per John Dreker of PiratesProspects.com. Baron, who just turned 28, has gone 1-for-16 in a minuscule sample of six big league games. He’s a career .252/.309/.331 hitter in parts of four Triple-A seasons, though, and has thrown out 43 percent of would-be base thieves in his minor league career. He’s also drawn consistently excellent marks for his pitch-framing abilities and above-average marks in terms of pitch blocking, per Baseball Prospectus.
- The Brewers announced that they’ve signed right-hander Chris Dula to a minor league contract. The 26-year-old hasn’t pitched in affiliated ball since 2016, when he was with the Rangers, but has spent the past couple of seasons on the indy circuit and gained some notoriety for a fastball that reaches 102 mph. As one might expect, control issues are a significant factor with Dula, but the Brewers will take him on as a project, presumably in the lower to middle levels of their minor league system, in hopes of harnessing his premium velocity.
Lee and Peterson are good examples of why just being a prospect means nothing.
I came here to post the same thing
Lee and Peterson were never more than fringe top 100 prospects
Some fans treat similar fringe guys as sure-things and “untradable”
Never heard of any of these bozos.
Thats ok they’ve never heard of you either.
Not even Lee?
Didn’t Zach Lee tour with Ozzy for a while?
Or did he host a scary TV show for kids?
forwhomthe joshbelltolls – if you had post these as 2 separate post i would have given you 2 upvotes – you’ll have to settle for one and a job well done
Same here! You are also dating yourself by remembering Zacherle!!
Remember seeing him on AB filling in for Dick Clark. Hosting Chiller Theater on WPIX. Early rock DJ on WNEW FM.
Manhattan TV & radio was where it was at in the ’60s.
It’s Zakk Wylde but close enough.
lol – i thought he was referencing jake lee – ozzy guitarist for ultimate sin tour
You’re right! Never thought of that. I was fixated of the Zach name.
Actually, I only know of him because of Howard Stern talking to Robin and Jackie (which does date me) about him and then him appearing once on their show.
I combined their names. That was the joke.
FWIW, Zach Wylde’s versions of Jake E Lee’s songs are so much better. Live version of “Shot in the Dark” makes the studio seem like elevator music.
Totally off topic but more related to MLB, do you remember Corey Hart’s coming to bat song when he was with Milwaukee? Bonus points for the singer.
Hint here: youtu.be/X2LTL8KgKv8
Jackie could be grating….but when he got going…he would crush.
and people have heard of you? Id rather be a no name player who barely makes spring training, than some jerk off commenting on these “bozos” on a thread
Dula could be are next Axford, Henderson, or Turnbow. What do think ? Have him a couple cheap years and then let other teams have him when he becomes expensive.
Stubby, possibly Or maybe Johnny Hellweg. Either way not really risking a whole lot.
Lee made $3m getting drafted or more.
Can’t call these guys bozos if you haven’t got skills to play.
Lee was one of the top qb recruits in the nation and had committed to LSU before being drafted in the first round and signed by the Dodgers.
I’ve heard of 102 mph…I believe it’s generally a good thing, especially when it’s almost free…
One of the Wilpons’ favorite phrases…”almost free”. Other favorites include: “league minimum”, “former All-Star…”, and of course…”insurance money.”
Probably one of the worst trades Dipoto made. Taylor became a good player.
At the time, I actually thought the Mariners won that trade. I thought Taylor would just be a utility infielder, and I thought Lee just needed a change of scenery.
…..going from Seattle to Los Angeles in a straight-up deal for Chris Taylor…..
Actually, that is backwards.
Lee went to Seattle and Taylor went to the Dodgers
Hind sight is always 20 20. At the time chris Taylor looked like another failed Seattle middle infielder like nick Franklin and brad miller.
I seriously thought he would be in japan by now. I’m mean getting dfa by the padres a few years back and he was straight up awful
Wow, that 2013 mlb draft only had one all star selection the first round, if your name wasn’t Kris Bryant or Aaron Judge you were either a bust or AAAA player.
Corey knebel ?
Cody Bellinger
Marco Gonzalez is pretty good too.
Trevor Williams pirates, Tyler O Neil cardinals, Tony Kemp astros, Trey Mancini Orioles,
The 2013 had a lot of good players. I wouldn’t say elite or HOF but good players.
Lee went to Seattle and Taylor went to the Dodgers. not the other way around as the story has it “going from Seattle to Los Angeles in a straight-up deal for Chris Taylor”
good example as to why you sell high on prospects if you can get proven mlb players
Taylor wasn’t proven
im aware. i meant in general, sitting on prosects and hope they develop is not a proven strategy
Yeah the cubs shouldnt have waited on Bryant Baez Contreras schwarber.
Astros shouldnt have set on Bergman correra Springer.
Rockies should trade Rogers now instead of holding on to him as arrenados replacement.
Clearly mistakes. But trading eloy Jimenez and cease for Quintana was the right move.
Teams who don’t spend like padres athletics etc. They have to wait on prospects for financial reasons.
I remember all of the hype around Lee. He was expected to go play football at LSU and everyone said that we only drafted him because Frank McCourt didn’t have any money and they knew he wouldn’t sign with any team lol.
This shows how poorly the Mariners have been at evaluating talent. 4 of the 5 players mentioned in this are ex-Mariners (everyone except Dula).
Yawn