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Indians Acquire Marc Rzepczynski

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The Indians have announced the acquisition of left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from the Cardinals in exchange for minor league infielder Juan Herrera. RzepczynskiRzepczynski will report to Cleveland tonight, and a 40-man roster move will be made to accommodate the team's new addition.

Rzepcynzski, 27, was optioned to Triple-A Memphis at the end of April after a rough start to the season. In Memphis, he posted a 3.33 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 44 innings of work — a significant improvement from the 7.84 ERA he's posted at the Major League level this season. Rzepcynski was recalled recently and has made a pair of July appearances for the Cardinals.

Rzepcynski, whose nickname is "Scrabble" (for obvious reasons), has been effective against left-handed hitters throughout his career, holding them to a .224/.298/.310 batting line over parts of five big league seasons with the Blue Jays and Cardinals. St. Louis acquired him in the 2011 Colby Rasmus trade. He is earning just $1.1MM in 2013 and can be controlled via arbitration through the 2015 season.

Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti said recently that his club has been on the lookout for bullpen arms that can retire left-handed hitters, and Rzepczynski fits that bill at a much lower cost than Javier Lopez and Josh Outman, both of whom also drew interest from Cleveland, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link).

Herrera, 20, is batting .275/.366/.369 in 39 games for short-season Class-A Mahoning Valley. The Dominican native did not rank among Cleveland's Top 30 prospects, according to Baseball America.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was the first to report the agreement (on Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Indians, Red Sox Interested In Josh Outman

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TUESDAY: The Red Sox are also interested in Outman, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.  Outman would be an odd target for the Sox, in my opinion, given that they're flush with left-handed relievers.

MONDAY: The Indians have held serious talks with the Rockies about pitcher Josh Outman in their pursuit of a lefty reliever, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Outside of a couple of Triple-A stints, Outman has compiled a 4.50 ERA, 9.7 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 0.47 HR/9, and 46.8% groundball rate in 38 relief innings for the Rockies.  Lefties have hit .218/.274/.303 in 84 plate appearances against the 28-year-old this year, and Outman has struck out almost 36% of them.  Drafted by the Phillies in the 10th round in '05, Outman went to Oakland in the '08 Joe Blanton deal.  The Rockies acquired Outman and Guillermo Moscoso for Seth Smith in January 2012.  The Rockies, currently six games out, would have to decide whether they could part with Outman, who is under team control through 2015.  The club also has southpaws Rex Brothers and the recently-recalled Jeff Francis in its bullpen.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Sale, Tribe, Royals

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Much of the chatter from the AL Central has centered around Jake Peavy of the White Sox. You can catch up on Monday's Peavy rumors here, but there's still plenty of other trade talk surrounding the division. Here's the latest out of the AL Central with less than 48 hours until the trade deadline…

  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post spoke with Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski, who told Sherman that the club's acquisition of Jose Veras earlier today will likely be the lone move he makes prior to the deadline (Twitter link).
  • Meanwhile, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Tigers have maintained trade dialogue with the Giants, even after the Veras acquisition.
  • The White Sox are still telling teams that ace Chris Sale is not available in trades, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • MLB.com contributor Joel Hammond conducted a Q&A with Indians GM Chris Antonetti regarding the upcoming trade deadline. Antonetti conceded that the bullpen needs to get better at retiring left-handed batters and also discussed how changes in the newest CBA have impacted the summer trading process. Antonetti told Hammond that August might now represent a better opportunity to acquire players, as there will be more separation from bubble teams who aren't sure whether to buy or sell in July.
  • Jeffrey Flanagan of FOX Sports Kansas City examines the roadblocks that would get in the way of the Royals acquiring Howie Kendrick or Erick Aybar from the Angels. Both members of the Halos' double-play tandem are reportedly on the market, and either could fill the Royals' gap at second base. However, the prospect price tag and salary implications are difficult to overcome, Flanagan notes.
  • The Royals scouted the Twins in their recent series against the Mariners, according to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Berardino doesn't list specific names, but remember that Twins GM Terry Ryan didn't mind dealing within the division last summer when he sent Francisco Liriano to the White Sox.

Indians Looking For Relief Help

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The Indians are looking for lefty relief help, tweets MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Rich Hill is the only lefty reliever on Cleveland's active roster, and he has struggled this season, posting a 6.51 ERA and 5.5 BB/9, albeit with 11.7 K/9. The Indians haven't had much better luck this season with fellow lefty relievers Nick Hagadone, Scott Barnes and David Huff. Here's more out of Cleveland.

Pat McManamon of FOXSportsOhio.com confirms that the Indians are looking for relief help, particularly of the left-handed variety, but says not to expect much beyond that. McManamon reports that GM Chris Antonetti is pleased with the Indians' starting pitching, offense and defense, which only leaves the bullpen as a possible spot to upgrade. Antonetti remains open to a bigger trade, but he is unlikely to trade a young talent like Francisco Lindor or Danny Salazar, and he says he "feel[s] good about the group of guys that we have."

Antonetti also notes that it's a tough market for buyers, according to McManamon. "[Y]ou could make the argument that there are 24, maybe 25 teams that are buying or at least holding onto players," Antonetti says. That's particularly problematic for the Indians, since one of the few clear sellers (the White Sox) is in the Indians' division, and two other potential ones (the Twins and Royals) are as well. Those teams might not want to trade within the AL Central. Antonetti says it might actually easier to make deals in August, despite the barrier of the waiver process, because more teams will realize that they're out of the race by then.

Prospect Rumor Roundup: Early Draft Returns

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The 2013 amateur draft is now fully in the rearview mirror and a new wave of talent has filtered into the professional ranks. Some of the '13 draftees have been riding the buses for more than a month now, while others have only recently pulled on their spikes. Below is a look at first round picks who are off to impressive starts with their new organizations. Standard warnings about reading too much into small sample sizes apply.

Mark Appel, RHP, Astros (1st overall): The top selection in the 2013 draft has made four starts in the minors and has already earned a promotion, moving from the New York Penn League to the Midwest League. Despite a bit of a layoff between the college season and his first pro appearance, the Stanford alum has displayed good control with just one walk in 13 innings while striking out 13 batters. Curt Rallo, writing for MiLB.com, recently caught up with Appel and spoke to him about the adjustments he's making as a professional baseball player.  

Kohl Stewart, RHP, Twins (4th): The highest drafted prep product, 18-year-old Kohl has acclimatized well to his new life as a pro ball player. Stewart, a Texas native, features a 1.80 ERA with nine strikeouts in 10 innings of work over four appearances (two starts). 

Clint Frazier, OF, Indians (5th): The 18-year-old Frazier is stinging the ball through his first 18 pro games. He's hitting more than .300 with nine extra base hits. On the down side, he's whiffed 24 times, including nine strikeouts in his last four games. Clearly, he has some further adjustments to make if he hopes to see continued success on the diamond.

Hunter Dozier, SS, Royals (8th): The Royals' first pick received a lot of attention for being an overdraft so the club could later afford pitcher Sean Manaea, who slipped out of first round consideration due to injury concerns. Dozier, though, is making the decision to pick him eighth overall look inspired. He has an .856 OPS and 20 of his 37 hits have gone for extra bases during his time in the Pioneer League. Dozier has also walked more than he's struck out (19-16). His first professional baseball club, the Idaho Falls Chukars, recently published an audio Q&A with the first rounder.

D.J. Peterson, 3B, Mariners (12th): Peterson was promoted from the Northwest League to the Midwest League on Tuesday and he will leave behind some impressive numbers. The third baseman popped six home runs and posted a .915 OPS in 29 games. He also showed solid contact skills with a strikeout rate of just under 15%, which is impressive given his power output.

Reese McGuire, C, Pirates (14th): The Pirates had two first round selections in 2013 and McGuire has gotten off to a quicker start than his new teammate Austin Meadows. The young catcher is hitting more than .400 with a 1.012 OPS through his first 15 games. He's also impressing behind the plate by catching 50% of base runners attempting to steal. John Lembo of the Bradenton Herald spoke to both McGuire and Meadows about their thoughts of growing up in the Pirates organization.

J.P. Crawford, SS, Phillies (16th): Philadelphia has been snakebitten over the past few years when it comes to their first round draft picks, and the organization is clearly hoping for bigger and better things from Crawford. He's off to a good start in Rookie ball where he's compiled 25 hits and seven walks in 18 games, good for a .427 on-base percentage. By getting on base at such a good clip, it should allow him to pile up some steals thanks to his above-average speed.

Tim Anderson, SS, White Sox (18th): Anderson is the third shortstop on this list who's off to a quick start to his career. Playing in low-A ball, he's getting on base at a solid clip (.371 OBP) while nabbing 12 bases in 15 attempts through the first 32 games of his pro career. One red flag, though, is his strikeout rate of 25%, especially given that power is not a big part of his game right now; an improvement in his contact rate would likely help him improve his on-base percentage even further. Anderson could move quickly through the Sox system, which could help to explain why the club may be willing to part with incumbent shortstop Alexei Ramirez. Michael Teague of MiLB.com spoke to the young prospect shortly after he was named the top junior college athlete in the country for 2013.

Jonathon Crawford, RHP, Tigers (20th): Crawford has opened his pro career in the New York Penn League and he's expected to be one of the first college-groomed draft picks to reach the Major League level. Through six appearances, he's looking good with a 2.03 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings of work. He was downright unhittable in three of those appearances (totaling six innings). Lynn Henning of the Detroit News spoke to Crawford's manager in Connecticut about the recent draft pick's positive start to his career.

Billy McKinney, OF, Athletics (24th): After batting just .242 with a .558 OPS in June, McKinney has heated up in July and currently has a .367 average and .861 OPS. The left-handed-hitting Texas native has improved his game in part by making more contact and lowering his strikeout rate. He's also holding his own against southpaws, which is impressive to see from such a young hitter.

Jake Peavy Rumors: Tuesday

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Jake Peavy returned from the DL to throw a quality start against the Braves on Saturday, which helped to quell fears about his health and also reignited speculation that Peavy could be a trade candidate.  Here's the latest on the White Sox right-hander…

  • The Indians aren't a trade match for Peavy, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman tweets.
  • The Cardinals and Red Sox "appear to be emerging as two of the potential players" for Peavy's services, Jon Heyman reports.  We recently heard that Boston was preparing to scout Peavy, though the team's interest in him or any starter is likely dependent on Clay Buchholz's injury status.  Heyman speculates that the Diamondbacks could be interested in Peavy given his relationship with GM Kevin Towers dating back to their days in the Padres organization.  It was reported last week that the D'Backs had at least discussed Peavy as a possible target.
  • Peavy told reporters (including Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago) that he kept an eye on the Matt Garza trade rumors since once Garza was moved, he could quite possibly be the next biggest pitcher available.  “Just thinking about leverage and stuff, you think Garza is probably the biggest name out there so to speak,” Peavy said. “You would think other teams would wait until that to set the market and kind of happen before. That’s my mind, my general manager mind….We’ll see how the next few days plays out.”
  • In comparing a possible Peavy trade to what the Rangers gave up to acquire Garza, Hayes hears from one source that "the Rangers were desperate and overpaid," while another source felt the Cubs got good prospects but no "slam dunk" future stars like Jurickson Profar.  If you want to weigh in on the respective trade values of Garza and Peavy, vote now in yesterday's MLBTR Poll.
  • Both Hayes and Paul Konerko note that White Sox GM Rick Hahn isn't pressured to deal Peavy or Alex Rios by the deadline as both players are under contract for 2014.  “If you don’t like what you’re getting and you know there’s no rush, then you can just wait and maybe down the road you get something else,” Konerko said. “I think everybody thinks it has to happen…But when you look at it from really what it is, it really doesn’t. It could still, but it might not be the urgency that some people think.”

Indians Agree To Terms With Leandro Linares

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The Indians and 19-year-old Cuban right-hander Leandro Linares have agreed to terms on a $950K bonus, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. The Tribe was said to be close to a deal in the $1MM vicinity over the weekend.

Badler calls him one of Cuba's top young pitchers and writes that the 6'3", 200-pound Linares sits 89-93 mph with his fastball, topping out at 94 mph. He also flashes a plus curveball at times and throws a potentially average changeup, according to Badler. Pitching in Cuba's 18U national league last season, he posted a 1.91 ERA with a 76-to-46 K/BB ratio in 66 innings. Not surprisingly, his command is the biggest issue for scouts.

Because Linares is younger than 23 and hasn't played in a Cuban professional league for at least three years, his signing comes out of the Indians' international bonus pool. Cleveland began the 2013-14 signing period with a pool of $3.64MM and has previously signed Dominican shortstop Willy Castro for $850K and outfielder Junior Soto for $600K.

Indians Close To Signing Cuban RHP Leandro Linares

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The Indians are close to signing Cuban pitcher Leandro Linares for about $1MM, MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports. Linares, now 19, previously pitched for the Cuban 16-and-under national team, and for Villa Clara in the Cuban 16-and-under and 18-and-under national championships, Sanchez notes. Linares is 6'3 and 205 pounds.

Since Linares is just 19 and has not played in a Cuban professional league for at least three years, his signing will have to come out of the Indians' international bonus pool. The Indians began the 2013-14 signing season with a bonus pool of $3.64MM. The Indians previously signed Dominican shortstop Willy Castro for $850K and outfielder Junior Soto for $600K.

Prospect Rumor Roundup: Trade Bait

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The July trade deadline in Major League Baseball is less than two weeks away on the 31st. We don't exactly know who will be on the move, or how many trades will be completed, but we do know that a lot of minor league prospects will be changing uniforms within the next 13 days.

Below is a look at some of the prospects who could be on the move to new organizations looking to build for the future.

American League

Athletics: Oakland hasn't shied away from leaning on young players while in a playoff hunt and recent promotions for pitcher Sonny Gray and infielder/outfielder Grant Green could also serve a secondary purpose: showcasing. Gray, a right-handed hurler, was extremely successful in Triple-A and was lights-out during his one big league appearance before the All-Star break. He could develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter, or a high-leverage reliever. Green has played sparingly since his promotion but the former first round draft pick's versatility could be highly coveted.  

Indians: Cleveland has one of the top shortstop prospects in (untouchable) Francisco Lindor, which could make fellow infielder Dorssys Paulino expendable in the right deal. Just 18, his numbers don't look great but he's holding his own in Low-A ball at a young age and has shown signs of improvement in June and July.

Orioles: L.J.Hoes doesn't have a huge ceiling but the 23-year-old prospect can play all three outfield positions, as well as second and third base. Currently hitting .308/.405/.413 at Triple-A, he makes good contact and can run the bases well.

Rangers: It would probably take a very intriguing veteran player with more than one year of control but Texas' middle infield depth could allow the club to dangle shortstop Luis Sardinas on the trade market. The 20-year-old infielder is a slick defender with little-to-no power but the ability to hit for average and steal some bases.

Rays: Right-hander Alex Colome made three starts with Tampa Bay earlier this year and the organization's pitching depth could allow the right-hander to be offered in an attractive deal, but he's currently on the Triple-A disabled list with what has been called a "mild elbow strain." Second baseman Ryan Brett, 21, received a 50-game suspension last year, so that cloud is still hanging over his head, but the scrappy baseball player can really hit. He's currently batting .336/.392/.480 with 17 steals in 39High-A ball games.

Red Sox: Boston is in an enviable position with a fair amount of depth that can be used to help strengthen the big league product. The presence of top prospect Xander Bogaerts means that the club can comfortably move third base prospect Garin Cecchini or shortstop Deven Marrero, should the right deal come along, because Bogaerts could probably handle either position at the big league level. Cecchini swings a mean stick but he lacks the prototypical power that teams look for from the hot corner. Marrero's numbers have been respectable in 2013 but nothing to write home about. A team that really liked him in college, though, might be willing to bite. 

Tigers: The Tigers system is pretty thin, which could impact the organization's ability to make key moves via the trade market. Outfielder Danry Vasquez is highly projectable thanks to his frame and left-handed swing, both of which hint at future power. Just 19, he's aggressive but makes good contact given his limited experience.

Yankees: Catcher J.R. Murphy could be an attractive name on the trade market, if New York is willing to part with him knowing that Gary Sanchez is not that far behind. Murphy is an offensive-minded backstop who's improved his defensive game, especially with throwing out baserunners. 

National League

Braves: On the surface it seems like the Braves haven't really made the amateur draft a priority in recent years and that has hurt the organization's depth. The versatile Joey Terdoslavich's strong performance in Triple-A earned him a promotion to the big league level where he's possibly been showcased for a deal. The pop in his bat, along with his ability to switch hit and positional versatility could make him an intriguing trade target.

Cardinals: The Cardinals have some impressive middle infield depth and former first round draft pick Kolten Wong could become a casualty. The second baseman can hit, but converted third baseman Matt Carpenter has been nothing short of brilliant at the big league level. Any team that acquires Wong is getting a player who's very close to MLB ready.

Diamondbacks: If Arizona is looking to make a big splash at the trade deadline, the club has a lot of pitching depth to deal from, including (likely) untouchables Archie Bradley and Tyler Skaggs. It would take a special player coming over to Arizona to nab him, but lefty David Holmberg is an underrated talent that could help a lot of ball clubs. His ceiling is probably that of a No. 3 or 4 starter but he's been durable and isn't afraid to throw strikes.

Dodgers: Los Angeles is always rumored to have a lot of irons in the fire and the club is definitely looking to improve itself despite the massive payroll. Southpaw Onelki Garcia, signed out of Cuba in 2012, made just one appearances during the regular season last year. In 2013, he's been very good in Double-A thanks to his above-average fastball. He's mostly viewed as a future reliever but Garcia has made six starts. 

Pirates: To get value back, you often have to trade quality players. Pittsburgh has enjoyed breakouts over the past year in the form of infielder Alen Hanson, outfielder Gregory Polanco and pitcher Tyler Glasnow, among others, and that trio is probably safe at the trade deadline barring a blockbuster deal. However, pitcher Luis Heredia could perhaps be had at the right price. The right-hander is just 18 with three years of pro experience under his belt. He's a larger-framed pitcher and hasn't developed quite as hoped, suggesting a modest ceiling as a starter.  He's been passed on the depth chart by a number of guys like Jameson Taillon, Nick Kingham and Glasnow.

Reds: Outfielder Jesse Winker doesn't wow with his tools but he gets the most out of his abilities and is one of the safer bets in Cincinnati's system to have a big league career. The 19-year-old prospect has modest power and doesn't steal bases so he's going to have to hit for average to provide value as a hitter — along with his willingness to take a free pass.

Rockies: Colorado doesn't have much in the way of tradable commodities, but the organization could cash in on the lack of catching depth around the game — much like the Yankees — with Tom Murphy. The second-year catcher, who's now 22 years old, has inexplicably been left in Low-A ball all year long despite overpowering the younger competition. He's by no means a finished product and has holes in his game but an OPS over 1.000 is going to attract some suitors.

AL Central Links: Morneau, Royals, Gonzalez, Linares

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Earlier tonight, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports took a look at the Twins' trade chips, noting that the market for Justin Morneau is soft at this time, with a few interested parties deterred by the $6MM remaining on the former MVP's contract. Here's more on Morneau and the rest of the AL Central…

  • Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that the M&M Boys (Joe Mauer and Morneau) in Minnesota is coming to an end. Berardino took some time over the All-Star break to talk to Mauer and former teammates Michael Cuddyer, Joe Nathan and Carlos Gomez about Morneau's leadership abilities. All spoke with the utmost respect for the Canadian slugger.
  • Royals general manager Dayton Moore is not in sell mode despite the team's recent slide in the standings, writes Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Moore says he won't shift gears and focus on the future, though that doesn't mean he won't acquire players who can help the team beyond 2013. He also won't entertain offers for free-agent-to-be Ervin Santana.
  • A source close to Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez told Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that there's no steam between the Twins and Gonzalez (Twitter link). Earlier tonight, the Twins were connected to Gonzalez but listed as a long shot due to his price tag.
  • The White Sox and Indians are two of the three teams that MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports as suitors for 19-year-old Cuban right-hander Leandro Linares (Twitter links). The Marlins also have interest in Linares, who does fall under the newest CBA's international signing guidelines.
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