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Reds, Zack Godley Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Reds have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran right-hander Zack Godley, reports Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). The team has not yet announced the deal, although the Sports Pro Services client will presumably be in big league camp whenever it’s up and running.

Godley, 31, was a regular on the D-backs’ staff from 2015-19, peaking with a 155 innings of 3.37 ERA ball during the 2017 season. From 2017-18, he was a consistent member of the Arizona rotation, compiling 333 1/3 innings of 4.10 ERA ball with a 24.7% strikeout rate, a 9.4% walk rate and a 51.6% grounder rate. He averaged just shy of six frames per outing in that time and looked to have more or less laid claim to a spot in the Diamondbacks’ rotation.

A disastrous 2019 season, however, saw Godley designated for assignment late in the year. After posting an ERA north of 6.00 in 76 fames with Arizona, Godley landed in Toronto and had a nice run out of the bullpen to close out the season. He’s since had brief stints with the Red Sox and Brewers, though his time in Boston was derailed by a flexor strain. He appeared in just two games with Milwaukee last season, allowing six runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Godley has a 4.92 ERA in 568 2/3 innings, though fielding-independent metrics are generally a bit more bullish (4.29 SIERA, 4.34 FIP). He also carries a career 3.85 ERA in 159 innings of Triple-A ball.

The Reds’ current rotation doesn’t offer a lot of opportunity beyond a potential shot at the fifth spot — not with Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle and Vladimir Gutierrez all staking claim to starting jobs. However, Cincinnati is widely expected to listen to trade offers on each of Gray, Castillo and Mahle after GM Nick Krall spoke of a need to “align our payroll to our resources” early in the offseason. The Reds reportedly engaged in trade talks surrounding all three prior to the lockout (although it seems quite unlikely that the entire trio would be moved).

Even if a spot or two does open up in the Cincinnati rotation, Godley would face plenty of competition. Lefty Reiver Sanmartin had a big year in Double-A/Triple-A and fared well in his MLB debut late in 2021. Right-hander Riley O’Brien had a decent showing in Triple-A last year himself and is already on the 40-man roster. Top prospects Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo are expected to have a chance at making their big league debuts this coming year as well, and the Reds have invited Ben Lively, Connor Overton and Brandon Bailey to Spring Training as well (although Bailey is still recovering from last February’s Tommy John surgery).

Red Sox Sign Tyler Danish To Minors Deal

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The Red Sox have signed right-hander Tyler Danish to a minor league contract, Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors reports (Twitter link).  The contract contains an invitation to Boston’s big league Spring Training camp.

Danish recently took part in a chat with MLBTR readers, discussing his career and some of the ins and outs of being a professional ballplayer.  As Tim wrote at the time, Danish “expects to sign with an MLB team within the next week or so,” and that deal has now come about with the Red Sox.  Since Danish was a minor league free agent, the lockout didn’t prohibit him from signing.

A second-round pick for the White Sox in the 2013 draft, Danish posted a 4.85 ERA over 13 innings for Chicago, pitching in parts of the 2016-18 seasons.  This represents his only big league experience, as subsequent minor league contracts with the Mariners (prior to the 2019 season) and Angels (last May) didn’t result in another call to the Show.  In between those stints in affiliated ball, Danish also pitched for teams in the independent Atlantic League and American Association.

As Danish noted during his chat, he “kinda broke my whole delivery down and almost rebuilt it from the ground up” in 2020, resulting in some interesting numbers during his season in the Angels’ farm system.  Mostly a grounder-specialist for the bulk of his career, Danish still posted a 47.1% grounder rate over 60 1/3 innings with Triple-A Salt Lake in 2021, but he also had a strong 25.8% strikeout rate. 

Danish also improved his control, though became a little more susceptible to the long ball, with nine home runs allowed over those 60 1/3 frames.  He’ll now get a chance to catch on with the Red Sox in Spring Training, with seemingly a decent chance at winning a job given the unsettled nature of the Boston bullpen.

Nationals, Logan Verrett Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Nationals are in agreement on a minor league contract with right-hander Logan Verrett, per the team’s official transactions log. He’ll add some additional depth both in the rotation and the bullpen this coming season.

Verrett, 31, has spent parts of three seasons in the Majors, appearing with the Rangers, Mets and Orioles between the 2015-17 seasons. He’s totaled 150 innings at the sport’s top level, working to a 4.62 ERA with a 17.7% strikeout rate, a 9.5% walk rate and a 43.7% ground-ball rate. He also spent the 2018 season with the KBO’s NC Dinos, where he made 29 starts but struggled with a 5.28 ERA in 155 frames.

Most recently, Verrett was with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021, pitching 114 innings of 4.74 ERA ball while showing outstanding command (3.4% walk rate) and a below-average strikeout rate (18.6%). He’s had issues keeping the ball in the yard in the Majors (1.50 HR/9), and that was again an issue for Verrett in Tacoma last season (1.82 HR/9), but that standout walk rate was his lowest since 2012 — his first professional season after being taken by the Mets in the third round of that summer’s draft.

Verrett has appeared in parts of five Triple-A seasons and has a 4.51 ERA through 412 2/3 innings in what has typically been a very hitter-friendly setting. The Nats have plenty of need for some upper-level depth, as their current rotation is lacking in certainty. Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin give them a pair of high-priced, high-profile arms in need of a bounceback in 2022 (Strasburg health-wise, Corbin performance-wise).

Behind that duo is top prospect Josiah Gray, who was acquired in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner blockbuster last summer. Right-hander Joe Ross is a solid option if healthy, but his 2021 season ended with a slight UCL tear in August (which did not require surgery). Swingmen Erick Fedde and Austin Voth, 2021 minor league signee Josh Rogers, 35-year-old journeyman Paolo Espino and prospect Joan Adon are among the next options up on the 40-man roster, while Jefry Rodriguez gives them another somewhat experienced non-roster invitee to camp. The Nats surely hope that 2020 first-rounder and top prospect Cade Cavalli will be ready sooner than later, but the 23-year-old struggled in six Triple-A starts late last year after breezing through Class-A Advanced and Double-A.

Rockies Sign Zach Neal, Dillon Overton To Minors Deals

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The Rockies have signed right-hander Zach Neal to a minor league contract, according to an announcement from his representatives at MSM (Twitter link). Colorado has also agreed to a minors deal with southpaw Dillon Overton, according to the team’s transactions log at MLB.com.

Coincidentally, both pitchers have logged their most significant MLB experience to date with the 2016 A’s. Neal tossed 70 innings over 24 appearances (including six starts) that year, working to a 4.24 ERA. That decent run prevention came with a complete dearth of strikeouts, though, as Neal fanned just 9.6% of batters faced. His lack of swing-and-miss caught up to him the following season, and the University of Oklahoma product worked 15 2/3 MLB frames between the A’s and Dodgers over the next two seasons.

Neal made the jump to Japan over the 2018-19 offseason, signing with the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball. He’s spent the past three seasons there, posting a cumulative 4.49 ERA in 272 1/3 innings. Neal’s strikeout rate in Japan was still low (12.4%), but he only walked 5.6% of opponents. Neal also demonstrated elite control in his big league time (2% walk rate) and owns a 4.25 ERA over parts of five seasons at Triple-A.

Overton has 47 2/3 big league innings under his belt, appearing with the A’s, Mariners and Padres from 2016-17. He’s been tagged for a 9.13 ERA over that stretch, but he owns a 4.58 mark in four Triple-A campaigns. Also an OU graduate, Overton has a similar profile to that of Neal. He’s only punched out 12.1% of big league opponents but has a minuscule 4.8% career walk rate. The southpaw spent the 2021 campaign with the Rakuten Monkeys of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League, pitching to a 3.75 ERA in 57 2/3 innings there.

Twins, Daniel Gossett Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Twins have inked Daniel Gossett to a minor league contract, according to the team’s transactions log at MLB.com. It’s unclear whether the 29-year-old will receive an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Gossett appeared in the big leagues with the A’s between 2017-18. Oakland selected the right-hander in the second round out of Clemson in 2014, and he was ranked among their top 30 prospects in each of the three years preceding his debut. The bulk of Gossett’s MLB action came in his rookie season, when he made 18 starts and worked 91 1/3 innings. The South Carolina native made only five big league starts the following year and underwent Tommy John surgery that August.

Between his two big league seasons, Gossett posted a 5.91 ERA/4.90 SIERA over 115 2/3 frames. He demonstrated strong control (7.6% walk rate) but also didn’t miss many bats (16.3% strikeout percentage) and struggled significantly with the home run ball. The elbow procedure cost Gossett all of 2019, and he didn’t pitch in 2020 owing to the cancelation of the minor league season. He spent last year with the Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate, posting a 4.22 ERA over 98 innings but with subpar strikeout and walk rates (19% and 10.8%, respectively).

The Twins have very little stability in their starting rotation at the moment. Bailey Ober earned a spot with a quality rookie showing, and Minnesota bought low on Dylan Bundy after a tough 2021 campaign. Top prospect Joe Ryan looks to have the inside track on a season-opening spot as well, but the Twins will likely have to add a couple starters whenever the lockout concludes. Having not pitched in the bigs since 2018, Gossett seems likelier to open the season with Triple-A St. Paul than to break camp with the big league club.

Orioles, Shed Long Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Orioles are in agreement with free agent second baseman Shed Long on a minor league contract, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (Twitter link). Long was outrighted off the Mariners’ 40-man roster and elected minor league free agency at the end of the season, making him eligible to sign a non-roster deal during the lockout.

Long was a well-regarded prospect coming up in the Reds’ farm system. A left-handed power bat, he posted above-average offensive numbers up through Double-A. Most evaluators were never enamored with his defensive ability, but he looked like a possible bat-first regular at the keystone. The Mariners acquired Long over the 2019-20 offseason as part of the three-team trade that sent Sonny Gray from the Yankees to Cincinnati.

The following season, Long had a fairly promising debut showing. He hit .263/.333/.454 over his first 168 MLB plate appearances, albeit with unimpressive defensive marks and batted ball metrics. That was enough for Long to open the 2020 campaign as Seattle’s starting second baseman, but his past two seasons have been plagued by injury. He played for much of that season with a stress fracture in his right shin, eventually undergoing surgery in September.

Unfortunately, the procedure didn’t work as planned. Long continued to experience inflammation in the area in 2021, delaying his season debut until early June. He played for a bit more than a month, struggling to post serviceable numbers, before winding up back on the injured list in early August. Long spent the reason of last season on the shelf, and Seattle cut him loose at the end of the year.

Altogether, he owns just a .216/.284/.376 line over 417 MLB plate appearances. It seems fair to assume he hasn’t been completely healthy in either of the past two seasons, though, making this a reasonable flier for the O’s to take. Long is still just 26 years old, and he can be controlled for four seasons if he earns a spot on the roster and finds his stride at the plate.

There should be plenty of opportunity for him to do just that if he shows well in Spring Training. Rougned Odor is currently pencilled in as the second baseman in Baltimore. He’s coming off a third straight well below-average showing, so the O’s probably aren’t wedded to Odor playing on an everyday basis. Long also has some experience in left field and could compete for a spot as a multi-positional bench bat, although it seems unlikely he’d take much playing time from Austin Hays in the grass.

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/16/22

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Major League transactions remain frozen while the lockout drags on, but minor league transactions are still allowed — and the many independent leagues throughout the country are still up and running. It’s common for former minor league and major league players alike to suit up for teams on the indie circuit, regularly using them as a catapult back into affiliated ball. Here’s a quick look at a couple former big leaguers who’ve signed on with independent teams over the past week…

  • Former White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson has signed on with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old’s last big league action came with the ChiSox in 2019, when he appeared in 54 games and batted .229/.293/.285 through 157 trips to the plate. Tilson, a 2011 second-round pick of the Cardinals, originally landed in Chicago in a trade that sent lefty reliever Zach Duke to St. Louis. It was a dream scenario for the Illinois native and childhood White Sox fan, who debuted with his hometown club just two days after the trade. Unfortunately, Tilson tore his hamstring during his MLB debut and required season-ending surgery. That’s a particularly problematic injury for a player whose speed was his top tool. Tilson, who swiped 46 bags in 134 Double-A games back in 2015, has stolen just 36 bases over his past 298 professional games since that surgery. He spent the bulk of his 2021 season with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, where he hit .296/.361/.404 in 232 plate appearances. Overall, he’s a .246/.311/.290 hitter in 279 Major League plate appearances.
  • Right-hander Rob Whalen signed with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League, per the team. The former Braves and Mariners right-hander briefly retired a couple of years ago but returned to professional ball in 2020 when he signed a minor league pact with the Mets. That deal effectively went up in smoke when the Covid-19 shutdown prompted teams throughout the league to release the majority of its minor league signees due to the lack of a minor league season. Whalen pitched with the Wild Things last season as well, parlaying a strong 15 1/3-inning showing into a minor league deal with the Twins. He struggled with Minnesota’s Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, however, yielding 23 runs in 24 innings during his first stint in affiliated ball since 2018. Whalen has just a 5.75 ERA in 36 big league innings, but he sports a 3.73 ERA as a minor leaguer. Back in 2018, Whalen spoke with FanGraphs’ David Laurila about his battles with anxiety and depression, which prompted his brief retirement, and the importance of prioritizing mental health and seeking help when needed.

Matt Shoemaker Signs With NPB’s Yomiuri Giants

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FEBRUARY 15: Shoemaker’s deal with Yomiuri is now official, according to an announcement from his representatives (on Twitter).

FEBRUARY 5: According to a Japanese-language report from Sports Hochi, Matt Shoemaker is nearing agreement on a deal with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (h/t to Sung Min Kim). If finalized, it’d be the first career stint outside of North America for the client of Beverly Hills Sports Council.

Shoemaker has pitched in the majors in each of the past nine seasons. He broke in with a one-start cameo for the Angels in 2013 but was a regular member of their starting staff over the next few years. Shoemaker worked 135+ innings every year between 2014-16, posting quality mid-rotation numbers throughout that run. Unfortunately, the righty dealt with recurring health issues over the next few seasons. He underwent surgeries to address nerve issues in his forearm during both 2017 and 2018 before suffering a season-ending ACL tear five starts into the 2019 campaign.

After returning to make six starts with the Blue Jays during the abbreviated 2020 schedule, the Michigan native signed a one-year deal with the Twins last offseason. The stint in Minnesota didn’t go well, as Shoemaker’s strikeout rate tumbled to a career-worst 14.1% while he struggled mightily to keep the ball in the yard. He was outrighted off the Twins’ 40-man roster in early July and released from Triple-A St. Paul a month later.

Late last season, Shoemaker hooked on with the San Francisco Giants on a minors deal. He fared better over nine appearances (eight starts) with their top affiliate in Sacramento. His 4.83 ERA there isn’t eye-catching, but Shoemaker both quieted his home run concerns and posted plus strikeout and walk numbers (26% and 4.3%, respectively). Nevertheless, he didn’t get a big league call with San Francisco and elected minor league free agency after the season.

Presuming a deal gets completed, Shoemaker will head to Japan owner of a 4.24 ERA/4.03 SIERA across 662 2/3 major league innings. He’ll likely take on a key rotation role with the Tokyo-based club, which has also landed recent big leaguers Gregory Polanco and Matt Andriese this winter. Shoemaker turned 35 years old in September, but given his lengthy track record, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him reappear on the MLB radar next offseason if he performs well in Japan.

Felix Doubront Signs With Mexican League’s Saraperos De Saltillo

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Former big league southpaw Félix Doubront has signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League, according to an announcement from the team (on Twitter). It’ll be Doubront’s second career stint with the Saraperos, for whom he made 17 starts in 2019.

Doubront, now 34 years old, split the 2019 season between the Saraperos and the Pericos de Puebla. After not pitching in 2020, he made the jump to Taiwan last offseason. The Venezuela native caught on with the Uni-President Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. He went on to have a fair amount of success there, posting a 3.42 ERA across 84 1/3 innings, offsetting a lack of swing-and-miss (19% strikeout rate) with plus control (6.5% walk percentage).

In addition to his time in Mexico and Taiwan, Doubront spent the 2018 campaign in the Korea Baseball Organization. He’s better known to fans in the United States for the big league stint that predated those jumps to various foreign professional leagues. A well-regarded prospect during his days in the Red Sox’s farm system, Doubront got to the majors in 2010. He spent the next three-plus seasons with Boston, working as a regular member of the starting rotation for the Sox in both 2012 and 2013.

Doubront was solid in the latter season, pitching to a 4.32 ERA over 162 1/3 frames for the eventual World Series champions. He got off to a rough start in 2014, though, and he was traded to the Cubs at that summer’s deadline. Cut loose by Chicago after the year, he split the following season with the Blue Jays and A’s but struggled at both stops. He hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since then, and he rejoins the Saraperos owner of a career 4.89 ERA/4.23 SIERA in 513 2/3 MLB innings.

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/15/22

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Major League free agency remains in a transactions freeze, but teams are still inking players to minor league pacts as we await a new collective bargaining agreement. Here’s a quick look at a couple former prospects of note who’ve agreed to deals in recent days…

  • The Phillies signed former Red Sox prospect and Philadelphia native Josh Ockimey to a minor league contract, as announced by Ockimey himself (on Twitter). The 26-year-old slugger was Boston’s fifth-round pick back in 2014 and consistently ranked among the organization’s top 25 prospects at Baseball America throughout his time there, peaking at No. 10 in the 2016-17 offseason. A left-handed-hitting first baseman, Ockimey posted solid numbers up through Double-A before beginning to struggle in Triple-A. He’s still drawn his walks (16.6%) and hit for power (.221 ISO) at the minors’ top level, but Ockimey’s 31.4% strikeout rate in Triple-A has contributed to a .214/.349/.435 overall slash line in 933 plate appearances there. He’ll give the Phillies some additional depth at first and at designated hitter — assuming the universal DH is implemented after the lockout, as expected.
  • Catcher Chris Betts is headed to the Dodgers on a minor league contract, per the transactions log at MLB.com. The 24-year-old was the No. 52 overall pick by the Rays back in 2015 but missed his first full season after requiring Tommy John surgery. He ranked among Tampa Bay’s top prospects at Baseball America up until the 2018 season but has struggled to stay healthy throughout his pro career. Betts appeared in a career-high 110 games with the Rays’ Class-A affiliate in ’19, hitting .210/.333/.400 in 472 plate appearances. He appeared in just 27 games and tallied only 89 plate appearances in 2021, but he’ll give the Dodgers a once well-regarded catching prospect to stash in the middle levels of their system in 2022, if healthy. Betts drew praise for his bat speed and raw power back when BA ranked him as the 2015 draft’s No. 28 overall prospect, but he’s a project for the Dodgers at this point.
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