Some recent minor moves from around baseball:
- The Orioles are re-signing righty Marcos Diplán to a minor league contract, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). He’ll receive an invitation to big league Spring Training. Diplán made his first 23 big league appearances this past season, working 30 frames of relief. The 25-year-old managed a respectable 4.50 ERA, but that came with an unimpressive 19.5% strikeout rate and an elevated 12.2% walk percentage. The O’s outrighted Diplán off the 40-man roster after the season, but he’ll return to the organization and look to pitch his way back onto the big league club next spring.
- The Reds agreed to a minors pact with righty Connor Overton yesterday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided (on Twitter). The 28-year-old made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in August, then landed with the Pirates via waivers the following month. Between the two clubs, he tossed 15 1/3 innings of 4.70 ERA ball with roughly league average strikeout and walk numbers. Overton had a great showing with the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, posting a 2.03 ERA in 57 2/3 frames — working mostly out of the bullpen.
- The Cubs reached agreement on a minor league deal earlier this week with catcher Tyler Payne, per a report from Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). Payne made his big league debut on the final day of the regular season, going hitless in two plate appearances. Chicago outrighted him off the 40-man roster after the season but they’ll bring the 29-year-old back to bolster their organizational depth behind the plate. The right-handed hitting Payne posted a .231/.291/.363 line over 234 plate appearances with Double-A Tennessee this year.
Nice to see Diplan back with the birds.
Dang, kinda sad we lost Connor Overton. Dude has a wicked change-up.
yeah, looks like a possible late-bloomer.
Yeah, but it is what it is. Pirates needed to make room for about the dozen prospects they still need to add to the 40-man roster. Push came to shove.
A 29 year old in AA. Is this the high end free agent Jed Hoyer said they were going to spend big money on?
No
Yes. The Cubs like 29-30 year old rookies. This guy will add to their core.
If you are 29 and at double A, maybe you aren’t major league material!
Most catchers in the minors aren’t signed because they have a chance at the majors. They are signed because you need someone to catch all those pitchers.
These are called spring training back lot players…