The Angels have claimed infielder Andrew Velazquez off waivers from the Yankees, per announcements from both teams. New York added that catcher Rob Brantly has been outrighted to Triple-A. He’s no longer on the 40-man roster and will be able to elect minor league free agency.
Selected to the Yankees’ roster in early August, Velazquez became something of a fan favorite down the stretch thanks to his Bronx roots and solid glove at shortstop. Well-regarded as he was by the fanbase, Velazquez didn’t offer his hometown club much with the bat. He hit just .224/.235/.358 in 68 plate appearances, and that’s actually a bit better than the .156/.257/.219 line he posted for three teams from 2018-20.
To his credit, the 27-year-old Velazquez is coming off a much better .273/.362/.451 showing over 306 Triple-A plate appearances. He offers a capable glove throughout the infield and could factor into an uncertain middle infield mix in Anaheim if he sticks on the roster all winter.
Brantly played in six big league games this past season, his seventh year logging at least minimal MLB action. The 32-year-old backstop hit a strong .289/.379/.456 in Triple-A this year and should attract interest from other clubs on minor league arrangements if/when he elects free agency.
Man.
I got a late start going through all the articles due to spending the morning on the Mississippi. I absolutely cannot keep up with all that is happening this afternoon.
Cashman is busy today. I wish he would have kept Allen though.
I’d say Cashman has been the opposite of busy. Seems like everyone he took off the 40 has been claimed: so there’s interest in them. You’d think that he’d have been at least been kicking the tires on some trades for some low A guys with at least some chance of contributing one day; rather than just giving everything away. I see it as low effort.
Well, the Reds apparently couldn’t trade Miley, @elmedius. So I don’t see a whole lot of interest in our roster flotsam.
He’s always working the phones, as do all GMs. These players are all fungible. Teams know they can claim them for free. Every year, Cashman picks up players like Velazquez, or makes a minor trade to back fill a potential position shortage, but then they’re gone after the season. You’ll see the Yankees pick up players similar post the Rule 5 draft. People here will scream dumpster diving. Then they’ll claim Cashman is negligent when he cuts them a year on. I liked the Velazquez story, but a story isn’t worth a 40-man roster spot.
Flotsam: interesting, I learned a new word today.
I spend a lot of time on water.
I was torn between “flotsam” & “jetsam”. Jetsam would have been better now I think about it.
I agree. Yankees cutting Velasquez, Allen, and Locastro so they can protect younger players from rule 5 draft coming in early December.
Sure is, @Joe. Hell, the entire league is. I will forget half this stuff by Monday, man. Same take on Allen. He definitely gave us a spark when we needed one.
I’m perfectly fine with this as long as we get Iglesias in return (via FA).
NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Jose? Heh.
Anyway. I do wonder what Cash’ll do with our pitching. Just running both – or either – unit back would be justifiable. But Iglesias would create a ferocious bullpen, @Clipper. A Big Three end game fused to a copycat 7+ pen a la the ’19 A’s.
That would be both a regular & postseason force.
I’m setting my bullpen sights lower than that.
But Iglesias to this ‘pen would certainly be a boss move, man. The concept is growing on me.
I’d love it, but wouldn’t be at all surprised if we end up with Jose….
As you’ve pointed out on numerous occasions, Cashman does love his bully arms.
Ya know, something I’ve thought about is keeping Gleyber at short but giving him a defensive caddy like Simmons. Might be a decent way to stopgap until/if Volpe &/or Peraza is ready.
Man. You guys would hate me as a GM.
That would be one helluva bullpen though.
We made a move!
and a ‘why?’ move!
Hey, when you need content you take what you get.
it feels like he’s having a hard time getting ok from arte on extending iglesias..
The money would be better spent getting 3 RPs. Then add two more.
What good is the ninth when you can’t get there.
And the Angels don’t need a no nothing shortstop.
For real, @Halo.
The kid provided a spark for us. & he’s a local kid. But. Valezquez is not your solution at short. & I say this as a fan of him.
The Angels just used a spot on the 40 man roster for a more suspect than prospect shortstop.
It’s early. But I’ll leave it at that.
There’s a very good chance this guy never even makes it to Spring Training. He is simply a depth player– if he sticks. And he’d be at triple-A.
One would think Iglesias should absolutely be priority 1 for the Angels
why?
Cue the “but can he pitch?” clown car
Good defense but he can’t hit.
The Jeff Mathis of infielders
Hank Conger ain’t no slouch either.
Interesting. We have infield depth so who are we ditching to make room?
Definitely a player Yankees should of kept. I’m not sure where all this great infield depth is. First Estrada and now Velasquez. Hometown kid should of stayed home
I’m talking about our (the Angels) infield depth. We have enough so I wonder where he will fit in. Someone will have to go.
Prov356: Any idea who they may trade from their IF? And, you think Velasquez will start for you all? He’s a great kid, fiery attitude, good defense, good speed, and switch-hitter. Honestly, I would’ve much rather kept him than Wade. Not sure if Cashman adopted Wade or something, but he’s got a death grip on him.
Ultimately, he won’t fit in. Maybe he gets stashed at triple-A as an emergency fielder. With the Angels offense there could be 2-4 week stretch due to injury where they could absorb his anemic bat with his stellar defense. Strictly a depth piece that might not make it to spring training depending on the rest of the winter acquisitions.
Hey Clipper – I would guess Rengifo. We keep collecting solid defenders with mediocre bats so it’s really a trade off. I hope the plan isn’t to trade Fletcher regardless of what pitching we would get in return. The Angels defy common sense in their decisions so anything can happen. We will all be scratching our heads again in February as the “strategy” unfolds with little improvement to the pitching staff. They’ll acquire a couple of bounce back hopefuls with bloated ERAs but focus on their spin rate or some other useless minutiae that means nothing just to try to convince the fans they improved the pitching.
I’m not cynical.
Good (sometimes better than good) defense at several positions, including the two biggies (SS and CF)….decent speed, switch hitter….always thought he was the perfect 26th man…..useful guy.
IMO if Yankees don’t sign Seager the Yankees could of had Velasquez and Wade platoon at SS until Volpe is ready
That means they could of had the worst starting ss combo in baseball, if that happened.
So basically wave a white flag for two years waiting for an A ball prospect to what? Be the next Jeter? Or the next prospect who never made it?
No serious contender would plan on those two as a SS tandem.
Just NO.
I’m still waiting for Chance Adams, Albert Abreu, Deivi Garcia, and Clarke Schmidt to come up and dominate MLB as the best starting pitching staff of all time.
Can’t miss – all of them.
Samuel, are you serious? I am guessing not. It is the Yankees way to hype their prospects, but i think each of the ones you mention have good arms but flaws as well. Not sure i see anything but a bunch of #3-5 starters among them. I think if they turned Abreu into a full time reliever he could set up for Chapman.
His comment was obvious sarcasm about overhyped prospects who flame out.
@mlbnyyfan What if they never get ready which isn’t a far stretch. Velasquez and Wade would be an atrocious SS tandem offensively. Then in two or three years, you’ll need to trade a Garcia or Gil to get a league average starting shortstop.
Yeah.
Put me down as a “no” for that too. I’d rather run Galvis, Villar, or Simmons out there if that was what it came down to.
Nice story. Good glove and speedy feet but only a utility infielder. Wonder if his means they are going all out at SS. If they were going for a stop gap SS you would have thought, they would have kept Velasquez as mlbnyyfan alludes to above. If they spend big at SS just hope they have enough money left to help at Catcher, 1B, and CF.
They better. If they don’t and they get Simmons Cashman should be fired in the spot. Then DFA Simmons before he hits .080 again.
I watched a lot of Orioles games in 2020 and when Velasquez was on the field I thought he was a pretty decent player if he was able to play. Velasquez did decent with his time in NY. The Angles may have found their starting shortstop for 2022 today.
Eh. He’s gotta be a better hitter than his stats show from 2021.. but if he can manage to hit better than Iglesias, then its a sneaky steal.. I just hope they do go after someone else.
Dude, Velasquez is not going to be a $200MM payroll team’s starting shortstop. He is strictly a depth piece to be stored in the minors.
The Angels should double down and grab Vince Velasquez will he’s available.
Could be some upside here? As a Jays fan, nice to see the Yankees losing some pieces, even if they’re not major.
I enjoyed him in his cup of coffee here but he has no real offensive upside at all
Refsnyder is available. Cashman should pick him up to go with Odor and Joey Gallo.
Cash should also grab that future hall of famer Blake Swihart
Angels just got their SS for next season…
If he is their starting shortstop next year, they better have other options available.
Mayfield was a solid defender as was Rengifo, but like Valasquez, their bats were below average. I would choose Mayfield and trade Rengifo if that’s the plan.
Cash is clearing the 40 man so he can protect as many minor leaguers as possible. They lost too many last yr in Rule 5 draft.
Ooooh look how lovely comment section littered with Yankee discussions on an Angels thread lmao.
Considering a (now) former Yankee is involved in the article why are you surprised ?
I didn’t realize this was a proprietary domain. We are baseball fans. We are not required to be angels fan to post here.
L O L
Heck, the Tigers traded with the Reds for catcher Tucker Barnhart, and I had to go down 30 or 40 posts to comment on what the Tigers were doing.
Yankee fans are pretty much the same as their team – it’s all about them. The only reason other teams in MLB exist is for them to send players to the Yankees (unfortunately MLB bylaws have changed to level the playing field and large market teams need to outwork and outthink the FOF’s of other markets – of course Theo Epstein wants to be Commissioner….he can’t go back into a FO and outspend other teams to win).
NYC is a sports crazy town. So are Boston and Chicago. But Boston and Chicago fans understand how the games of their teams are played, and respect other teams and their players. Derek Jeter appeared to be the only Yankee leader that understood how to play the game to win, how to respect their opponents, and how to be gracious with opposing fans. As Peter Gammons (Boston based national writer and Red Sox homer once put it – “It’s hard to dislike the Yankees with Derek Jeter on the team”)…..and for years now Yankee fans show up on here and belittle his accomplishments.
“derek Jeter appeared to be the only Yankee leader that understood how to play the game to win”
Hahahaha. Seriously? What a shame they won all those championships and yet never had someone who knew how to win.
Damn if they did they could have won as many as the Tigers
So Barnhart gets traded and it’s a bad thing that 30 Yankee fans know enough about other players around the league to recognize he would have been an upgrade over Sanchez?
I can’t understand the mentality of thinking you are entitled to a private conversation of like minded fans on a public forum.
I cant imagine being butt hurt if fans of other teams comment on articles about yankee players.
And nice generalization making the assumption that millions of fans are all the same and speak in unison.
Samuel
Love Derek Jeter!!! Great player and a class act. Yes Yankee fans think and root for their team. Do you root for your team some of the time, and other teams some of the time, so you won’t be accused of thinking only of your team?
Frankly, with all due respect you don’t sound like much of a fan. Yes I root with passion and without wavering. I can’t say I think of other teams, no I am loyal to my team!
I think everyone is dumber from reading your silly comment. Especially at the end when you state fans in Boston understand the game! Lmao your bias is deafening.
Blanca – Actually the article tags include the Yankees so when you click on the Yankees, this article pops up. We welcome our Bronx brothers and sisters to the discussion.
This article comes up when you click on “Yankees Rumors”.
WHY?!
Claim pitching, pitching and more pitching…