Minor MLB Transactions: 1/3/19

Here are Thursday’s minor moves from around the game…

Latest Updates

• Per a team release, the Mets have signed OF Rymer Liriano and reliever Arquimedes Caminero to minor league deals and invited both to Spring Training. Liriano, 27, was a former highly-rated prospect in the Padres system, but slumped badly upon his promotion to Double-A in 2012. In 167 career plate appearances with the Pads and White Sox, the Dominican-born outfielder has put together a .220/.293/.287 (66 wRC+) line, with just two home runs and a 31.7% strikeout rate. He appeared in 65 games for Triple-A Salt Lake last season, slashing .268/.343/.523 in the hitter-friendly PCL. Caminero, 31, was a big part of the 2015 Pirates bullpen, posting a 3.62 ERA/3.80 FIP in a robust 74 2/3 IP for the club. He also has big-league time with the Marlins (’13’-14) and Mariners (2016), and all told has a 3.83 ERA, 8.3 K/9, and 4.01 BB/9 in 155 career IP. Caminero spent the last two seasons with Japan’s Yomiuri Giants, where he scuffled last season following a strong debut showing in 2017. The Dominican-born righty returned to the U.S. last August to undergo what seemed to be a minor elbow procedure, per the Yomiuri club.
• Per Robert Murray of The Athletic, the Mets have also agreed to a minors pact with right-hander Casey Coleman. Coleman, 31, has appeared in parts of four MLB seasons with the Cubs and Royals, most recently in 2014. He’s spent much of the last four seasons in AAA with a number of clubs, working primarily as a reliever. The 6-foot righty has been blistered in his last two trips through the PCL, working to a 6.75 ERA/5.19 FIP with the Astros in ’17, and a 6.91 ERA/5.11 FIP with the Cubs last season. In 177 2/3 career MLB innings, Coleman has posted a 6.23 K/9 against 4.51 BB/9, but has been able to induce grounders at an above-average rate. Per Murray, the deal includes an opt- and buyout clause for Korean and Japanese teams.
• Per a team release, the Red Sox have invited righty Domingo Tapia to Spring Training. Tapia, 27, was a once-promising Mets farmhand who was eventually moved to the bullpen after serious command issues as a starter from 2012-14. Most recently of the Reds organization, the Dominican-born hurler worked to a respectable 3.47 ERA/4.06 FIP for Triple-A Louisville last season, though his peripherals (6.43 K/9, 3.71 BB/9) were hardly encouraging.

Earlier Moves

• The Dodgers have signed right-hander Markus Solbach to a minor league contract, as announced by Solbach’s team in the Australian Baseball League, the Adelaide Bite (Twitter link). The German-born Solbach has previously spent time in the minor league ranks with the Twins and D-backs in addition to four seasons pitching on the independent circuit (CanAm and Frontier leagues). This winter, the 27-year-old has turned in a ludicrous 0.43 ERA and a 55-to-7 K/BB ratio in 41 2/3 innings in the ABL. However, he hasn’t pitched in affiliated ball since notching a 3.56 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 through 65 2/3 frames with Arizona’s Class-A Advanced affiliate. Originally signed by Minnesota as a 19-year-old out of Germany, Solbach has pitched professionally in parts of eight seasons and generally demonstrated strong control with less-impressive strikeout numbers. He’s posted a cumulative 3.30 ERA, 6.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 733 pro innings, though he’s never pitched above the Class-A Advanced level for an MLB organization.