Notable International Signings: 7/2/19
The 2019-20 July 2nd international signing period is officially underway, though it’s not exactly laden with suspense. Teams have long since lined up deals with newly eligible teenage players, so the news today largely represents confirmation of what was anticipated. Still, it’s a day of no small moment, particularly for the young men embarking upon professional careers.
Let’s round up some of the most notable signings of the day. Throughout, we’ll be citing to the reporting of Baseball America (signings tracker; scouting links) and MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (Twitter feed; rankings) along with analysis from Fangraphs. You can find each team’s total bonus pool and other information on the process right here. Check the above links for further information and other signings. Here are a few key deals:
- Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees: Everyone’s top target is reportedly holding strong on his commitment to go to the Bronx. The deal is said to be for $5.1MM, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com, with an announcement expected this evening. Dominguez is a switch-hitter who’s said to possess five-tool ability. The Fangraphs team is sufficiently impressed to run him all the way up to the #61 overall MLB prospect ranking right out of the gates (via Kiley McDaniel, on Twitter). The Yanks also have struck a $1.2MM deal with outfielder Jhon Diaz, Sanchez tweets. He was the 18th-rated player on the MLB.com board but ran all the way up to #7 at Fangraphs.
- Robert Puason, SS, Athletics: Another player who’ll command about $5MM, Puason is a toolsy shortstop with big upside. He was said to have a deal in place with the Braves before that team was slapped with international sanctions. It’s worth noting that the Atlanta organization wasn’t actually punished for agreeing to terms early (though that widespread practice is officially forbidden) but rather for structuring a group deal with Puason’s trainer, as Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper explains on Twitter.
- Luis Rodriguez, OF, Dodgers: The value on this one is unknown, but BA’s Ben Badler has photographic evidence of the signing (Twitter link). Rodriguez gets top-three billing from Fangraphs. The Los Angeles club is also in agreement with righty Kristian Cardozo, who’s also considered one of the thirty best players available.
- Bayron Lora, OF, Rangers: Baseball America has made this connection for some time; Sanchez tweets that it’s a $4.2MM deal for the slugging prospect. Shortstops Maximo Acosta and Zion Banister are also members of the Texas signing class. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter) has the former at $1.6MM and the latter at $835K. As he notes, the Texas organization will need to acquire some added pool capacity to make the math work.
- Erick Pena, OF, Royals: This is another signing called in advance by the BA crew. Sanchez has the bonus at $3.8MM (Twitter link). FG labels Pena “a well-rounded outfielder with considerable physical projection.”
- Ronnier Quintero, C, Cubs: Occupying the #6 spot on the boards of both Fangraphs and MLB.com, Quintero will follow Willson Contreras from Venezuela to the Chicago organization. The Cubbies also have a deal with fellow top-ten-ish prospect Kevin Made, a shortstop. Sanchez puts the Quintero deal at $3MM and Made’s mark at $1.7MM. Another Venezuelan backstop, Brayan Altuve, will cost the Cubs another million bucks, seemingly setting up the organization for a search for some added pool money.
- Roberto Campos, OF, Tigers: The Detroit organization popped for a hefty $3MM to secure the services of the Cuban outfielder, per Badler (via Twitter). Campos defected in somewhat dramatic fashion several years ago at just 13 years of age. He wasn’t listed among the best prospects, but Chris McCosky of the Detroit News indicates on Twitter that the Tigers like his bat quite a bit.
Several other well-regarded prospects also secured bonuses of $2MM or more, per Sanchez and/or Badler:
Brewers Sign Drew Smyly
The Brewers announced today that they have signed southpaw Drew Smyly to a minor-league deal. He had previously been designated for assignment and then released by the Rangers.
Smyly is due $7MM in total this year, but that cost will all be borne by the Texas organization except for any pro-rated portion of the league minimum that Smyly may command if he’s called up. It’s essentially a zero-risk roll of the dice for the Milwaukee outfit. The southpaw will jump into the club’s Triple-A rotation, per GM David Stearns (via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, on Twitter).
The once-strong starter is still only thirty years of age — he just celebrated his birthday, in fact — but hasn’t turned in a healthy and effective campaign in quite some time. He was good in limited action in 2015, struggled through thirty starts in 2016, and then missed all of the ensuing two seasons.
Smyly was able to take the mound this year after a lengthy rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. And he had his fastball back at his typical ~91mph level. But Smyly was having no success fooling big league hitters, who banged 19 home runs in his 51 1/3 innings. He carries an 8.42 ERA with a 52:34 K/BB ratio on the season.
West Notes: Astros, Martin, Rangers, Crouse, Dodgers, Lamet
Astros right-hander Corbin Martin, who suffered a “potentially serious” elbow injury while pitching in Triple-A, will receive a second opinion “early next week,” according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Rome adds that Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow doesn’t expect Martin to pitch “any time soon,” which certainly is not a promising indicator for the club, though there’s no timetable as of yet. Martin, regarded as baseball’s 48th-best prospect according to MLB.com, debuted earlier this season and enjoyed an impressive debut outing, though he wasn’t able to find much success after that, leading to his demotion to the minors. With Brad Peacock on the injured list and Martin, Framber Valdez, and Collin McHugh all disappointing in their auditions for the final spot in the starting rotation, the scuffling Astros will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching options.
Here’s the latest news from out West…
- Following the season, Rangers prospect Hans Crouse will undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. However, Grant adds, Crouse will continue to pitch at the Class-A level. Crouse, just 20 years old, is ranked as the Rangers’ best prospect and tabbed by MLB.com as the 63rd-best across baseball. A glance at his minor-league numbers suggest that Crouse has performed just fine despite the injury, but it’s certainly a situation worth monitoring for a promising young starter.
- A couple of injured Dodgers are progressing in their recoveries, reports the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett on Twitter. David Freese and A.J. Pollock will each take live batting practice today, with Corey Seager a possibility to join them. Per Plunkett, Freese should rejoin the team this week, with Seager and Pollock due to start rehab assignments in the near future. Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times adds (via Twitter) that Pollock is aiming for a return immediately following the All-Star break.
- Padres starter Dinelson Lamet is slated to make his long-awaited return to the team in the coming days, writes Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The right-hander hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2017, when he flashed tantalizing stuff in his debut season and subsequently missed the entire 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He has made six rehab starts this season—three in Single-A ball and three at Triple-A—throwing as many as 85 pitches, a mark that should govern his workload for the Padres down the stretch. The dynamic 26-year-old would boost the Padres rotation, which could be doubly important as Chris Paddack, the team’s best starter, faces questions about his workload.
Rangers Release Josh Fields
The Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville has released reliever Josh Fields, per the Pacific Coast League transactions page. Fields lasted a little over a month and a half with the Rangers, who signed him to a minor league contract May 11.
Fields will now seek his fourth organization of 2019. The Dodgers released the 33-year-old in March, and he opted out of a minors pact with the Brewers before signing with the Rangers. As you’d expect, this has been a year to forget for Fields, owner of a bloated 6.57 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 over 24 2/3 innings in Triple-A ball.
Fields’ minor league difficulties this season have come as a surprise considering his recent MLB output. Just last year, he put up a 2.20 ERA/3.62 FIP with 7.24 K/9 and 2.41 BB/9 over 41 innings with the Dodgers. Fields was able to limit home runs despite seldom generating ground balls, though that hasn’t been the case this year. Minor league hitters have already gone deep against him nine times – five more long balls than he allowed with Los Angeles in 2018.
Current issues notwithstanding, Fields has carved out a credible pro career as a reliever. At this point, though, the right-hander might be best known for his part in a trade that will go down as a heist for the Astros. Back in August 2016, Houston sent Fields to LA for a 19-year-old first base prospect named Yordan Alvarez. Now 22, Alvarez is an elite prospect who has toyed with major league pitchers during his first 65 career plate appearances this season.
Injury Notes: Hendricks, Pence, Haniger, Treinen, A. Wood
The Cubs lost left-hander Cole Hamels to the injured list Friday, but there’s better news regarding fellow rotation stalwart Kyle Hendricks. The righty, who has been out two weeks because of shoulder inflammation, could return to the Cubs’ rotation as early as the upcoming week. It’s possible Hendricks will skip a rehab start and slot back into the team’s starting staff Tuesday, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. If that happens, the Cubs could get two Hendricks starts before the All-Star break. That would be a boon for NL Central-leading Chicago, whose rotation looks especially shaky at the moment without Hamels and Hendricks. Both starters have enjoyed terrific seasons thus far, with Hendricks having pitched to a 3.36 ERA/3.48 FIP and posted 7.64 K/9 against 1.63 BB/9 in 88 1/3 innings.
More on a few other injured notables…
- Rangers designated hitter/outfielder Hunter Pence will embark on a two-game minor league rehab stint beginning Monday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. Barring setbacks, Pence will return to the Rangers on Wednesday. Pence has been out since June 17 with a right groin strain, but the stunning start the revived 36-year-old jumped out to before then earned him his fourth career All-Star nod. Thanks in no small part to Pence, who’s raking at a .294/.353/.608 clip (142 wRC+) with 15 home runs over 215 plate appearances, Texas owns a 46-37 record and a 1 1/2-game lead on the AL’s last wild-card spot.
- Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger won’t return until sometime after the All-Star break, manager Scott Servais announced Saturday (via Greg Johns of MLB.com). The Mariners had been hopeful Haniger would come back a bit before then, but the ruptured testicle he suffered June 6 will ultimately keep him out at least five weeks.
- Athletics closer Blake Treinen is on track to come off the IL on Wednesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com tweets. In the meantime, Treinen’s likely to pitch a rehab game Monday. The A’s placed Treinen on the shelf last Saturday with a right shoulder strain, continuing a disappointing campaign for the 30-year-old. Arguably the majors’ premier reliever in 2018, Treinen has recorded a pedestrian 4.08 ERA/4.11 FIP with 9.17 K/9, 5.35 BB/9 and a 43.2 percent groundball rate in 35 1/3 innings this season.
- Reds lefty Alex Wood has dealt with multiple setbacks in his recovery from a back injury, an issue that has stopped him from pitching in the majors this year. But he’ll make another attempt to progress toward a rehab assignment, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer relays. Wood plans to throw off flat ground Sunday, and the Reds will determine his next step thereafter. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed, hopeful that it wasn’t too big of a setback for him,” manager David Bell said of the latest setback Wood suffered earlier this week.
Rangers Sign Austin Bibens-Dirkx
The Rangers have reunited with right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx on a minor league contract, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. Bibens-Dirkx will take the ball for their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville on Saturday.
The well-traveled Bibens-Dirkx was previously a member of the Rangers organization from 2016-18, but knee surgery last September helped hasten his departure. Texas outrighted Bibens-Dirkx in early November, leading him to pursue a free-agent opportunity with the Uni-President Lions of the Taiwan-based Chinese Professional Baseball League. The 34-year-old returned stateside earlier this month to tend to his pregnant wife.
While Bibens-Dirkx turned pro way back in 2006 when the Mariners drafted him in the 16th round, his lone major league experience has come with the Rangers. He put up a 5.27 ERA/5.63 FIP with 5.59 K/9 and 2.68 BB/9 over 114 1/3 innings with the club during the prior two seasons. Bibens-Dirkx has mostly served as a reliever in the majors, whereas the majority of his recent Triple-A frames have come as a starter. He owns a 5.25 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 across 466 career innings at the minors’ highest level.
Rangers Claim Jesse Biddle
The Rangers have claimed left-hander Jesse Biddle off waivers from the Mariners, according to announcements from both clubs. Texas transferred Jeffrey Springs from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster.
The 27-year-old Biddle is a former first-round pick who bounced back from injuries to give the Braves a strong season in the bullpen in 2018 (3.11 ERA, 9.5 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, 55.6 percent grounder rate in 63 2/3 innings). The 2019 season, however, has been a nightmare for the hard-throwing southpaw. In 22 2/3 innings between Atlanta and Seattle, Biddle has been pummeled for a 7.54 ERA. His strikeout, walk, home-run, ground-ball and swinging-strike rates have all gone in the wrong direction, with his control being particularly problematic; Biddle has walked 17 batters, hit another, and thrown seven wild pitches thus far in ’19.
That glut of red flags notwithstanding, Biddle is still a 27-year-old lefty who averages better than 94 mph on his heater and has some very recent success on his resume. Hard-throwing lefties who can miss bats and generate grounders in bunches are hard to come by, making Biddle an interesting reclamation project even if this year hasn’t been at all encouraging.
Rangers Notes: Deadline, Pence, Cabrera
The Rangers continue to defy the odds and rack up victories. Winners of three straight, the team’s 43-36 and in a three-way tie with Cleveland and Boston for the American League’s second wild-card spot. Because of their unexpected success, the Rangers may end up as buyers prior to the July 31 trade deadline. General manager Jon Daniels recently discussed the club’s mindset leading up to the deadline with ESPN Dallas 103.3, per the Dallas Morning News. While Daniels indicated the Rangers’ main focus is on building a successful team for the long haul, he admitted that “you can’t ignore the fact that it’s fun every night at the park.” With that in mind, Daniels added Texas will “be very open-minded” when trade season begins in earnest, saying: “We’re not going to set any limits on this team, but we’re also not going to do anything to take shortcuts and endanger what we feel is a really bright future for the club. We’re just going to try to be smart about it. See what opportunities are out there — how do we get better both now and in the future? Bottom line, this club’s done a lot of good things. They’re a lot of fun to watch, certainly would like to support them if we can.”
More from Arlington…
- Outfielder/designated hitter Hunter Pence is eligible to come off the injured list Thursday, but that won’t happen, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Pence is dealing with a Grade 2 right groin strain that could shelve him into the start of next week, Grant suggests. The benefit of Pence’s continued absence is that the Rangers won’t have to option or designate another player they like when he returns, as Grant notes, but they’d still welcome back the resurgent 36-year-old’s bat. Left for dead after two bad seasons with the Giants, Pence signed a minor league contract with the Rangers over the winter and has since turned back the clock. He’s slashing a stupendous .294/.353/.608 (142 wRC+) with 15 home runs in 215 trips to the plate.
- Infielder Asdrubal Cabrera is one player the Rangers could drop when Pence comes back, Grant observes. Jettisoning Cabrera would be a surprising move on the Rangers’ part, especially considering he’s on a guaranteed $3.5MM salary, but Grant doesn’t rule out it occurring sooner than later. Cabrera, who’s serving a three-game suspension stemming from an altercation with an umpire, hasn’t delivered much on-field value when he has played this season. The 33-year-old switch hitter’s off to a .231/.312/.409 start (83 wRC+) in 279 PA and has accounted for minus-5 Defensive Runs Saved as the Rangers’ primary third baseman. The Rangers could replace Cabrera with Logan Forsythe, who has been the better of the two in 2019.
Minor MLB Transactions: 6/25/19
Keeping track of Tuesday’s minor moves from around baseball…
- The Padres announced that right-handed reliever Kazuhisa Makita has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Double-A Amarillo. This is the second time the Padres have outrighted Makita, which gives him the right to elect free agency, but that would mean leaving what’s left of his $1.9MM salary on the table. The Padres inked the Japanese submariner to a two-year, $3.8MM contract entering 2018, but it hasn’t worked out for either side thus far. The 34-year-old Makita struggled in the majors last season and hasn’t pitched in the bigs at all in 2019. Makita has instead worked at the Double-A level, where he has put up a 3.82 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 37 2/3 innings.
- The Marlins have released righty Ben Meyer, Wells Dusenbery of the Sun Sentinel tweets. To this point, Meyer has spent his whole career with the Marlins since they chose him in the 29th round of the 2015 draft. The 25-year-old’s nightmarish production in the majors in 2018 and with Triple-A New Orleans this season sealed his fate with the organization. In his MLB debut last year, Meyer registered a 10.42 ERA/6.42 FIP with 4.26 K/9 and 6.63 BB/9 over 19 innings. Meyer then notched a 7.43 ERA/6.90 FIP with 9.0 K/9 against 5.57 BB/9 in 63 Triple-A frames this season before Miami said goodbye to him.
- The Rangers’ top affiliate in Nashville has released infielder Nolan Fontana, per the Pacific Coast League transactions page. Texas was the third AL West organization for the 28-year-old Fontana, a 2012 second-round pick of the Astros who also played for the Angels. Fontana racked up his only 35 major league PA with the Angels from 2017-18. He has hit .230/.350/.357 in 1,639 PA at the Triple-A level.
Rangers Activate Joey Gallo
The Rangers announced that they’ve activated outfielder Joey Gallo from the injured list. Gallo went on the IL on June 2 with a left oblique strain.
Texas posted a 13-9 record without Gallo, which is an excellent outcome considering his importance to the team. The 42-36 club is sitting a game back of an American League wild-card spot as it gears up for Gallo’s return.
While Gallo was a 40-home run hitter in each of the previous two seasons, the 25-year-old has truly busted out in 2019 with an exemplary .276/.421/.653 line and 17 home runs in 214 plate appearances. Among those who have amassed at least 200 PA this season, Gallo ranks fifth in wRC+ (168) and eighth in fWAR (3.2). Although offense is Gallo’s calling card, his defense shouldn’t be overlooked. Gallo has helped drive up his value this season with six Defensive Runs Saved and a 5.4 Ultimate Zone Rating across 394 innings divided between center and left field, making him one of the game’s top all-around players.
The Rangers deployed only Danny Santana and Delino DeShields in center during Gallo’s absence, while Santana, Hunter Pence, Shin-Soo Choo and Willie Calhoun handled left. Santana helped fill Gallo’s void of late by going on a hot streak, and DeShields has also performed better recently. Meanwhile, Pence, Choo and Calhoun have held their own at the plate this year over disparate sample sizes. Pence is unavailable at the moment, though, having gone to the IL on June 16 with a strained groin.