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Minor League Signees Winning Roster Spots

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Each year teams parlay minor league signings into big rewards at the Major League level. In recent years, players like Ryan Vogelsong, Jared Burton and some guy named R.A. Dickey have been brought in on minor league deals and wound up signing extensions with their teams due to strong performance. Here's a look at some of the non-roster invitees from this offseason who have recently secured jobs with their teams:

  • Scott Kazmir has won the job as the Indians' fifth starter, Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 tweets. Kazmir's velocity has reported returned and he posted a strong Spring Training (13-to-1 K/BB ratio and a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings).
  • Ryan Raburn has won a spot on the Indians, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). Raburn has hit .359/.479/.795 with four homers in 48 plate appearances this Spring.
  • Erik Bedard is expected to make the Astros' rotation, GM Jeff Luhnow told Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). The Canadian has turned in six scoreless innings in official starts, with nine strikeouts and two walks.
  • Outfielder Wilkin Ramirez seems to have forced his way onto the Twins' 25-man roster, per MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger (on Twitter). Ramirez, who played in the minors for the Twins last season, hit .425/.465/.600 in 43 trips to the plate.
  • On Monday, it was announced that Rick Ankiel, Kameron Loe, Jason Giambi and LaTroy Hawkins (all Article XX(B) free agents) made their respective rosters.  Today, we learned that Jonathan Sanchez and Brandon Inge have roster spots with the Pirates.

Quick Hits: Expos, Vlad, Indians, Betancourt, Ankiel

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Former Expos outfielder Warren Cromartie is convinced that the city of Montreal would welcome baseball back with open arms, writes Bill Beacon of the Canadian Press. Cromartie is heading up the Montreal Baseball Project — an organization that has been formed with the goal of bringing baseball back to Montreal. The $400K project will be completed by year's end and feature financial analysis, legal consultation and extensive market research among the city's population. Here's more from around the league for those of you in the mood for some late-night reading…

  • Former Expo (and Angel, Ranger and Oriole) Vladimir Guerrero has an offer from the independent league Quebec Capitales, and he's been in contact with the Long Island Ducks as well, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (confirming an earlier tweet from Chris Cotillo).
  • The Indians are hopeful of working out a trade with the Rangers to keep Rule 5 Draft pick Chris McGuiness, tweets MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
  • The Yankees had preliminary discussions with Yuniesky Betancourt on Sunday but don't see a fit, Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reports (via Twitter).
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart breaks down Rick Ankiel's incentive structure with the Astros (on Twitter). Ankiel, who has a $750K base salary, will receive $75K for 200, 250 and 300 plate appearances. He'll then receive $100K for 350, 400 and 450 plate appearances. All told, he could earn $1.275MM. Ankiel, an Article XX(B) free agent, was named the team's everyday right fielder earlier today.
  • Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times expects the Angels to receive a low- to mid-level prospect from the Yankees when the reported Vernon Wells trade is finalized (Twitter link).
  • Joey Nowak of MLB.com lists 12 notable out of options players who could be traded before the end of Spring Training.

NL West Notes: Capuano, Garland, Nelson, Giants

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Scouts from the Indians, Rangers, Mariners and Pirates were in attendance on the back fields of the Dodgers' Spring Training complex today to watch Chris Capuano in a minor league game, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. Capuano dominated, striking out 11 hitters and yielding just three hits over seven shutout innings (85 pitches). Capuano is pleased with his improved mechanics and results over his past two starts, Gurnick writes. Here's more out of the NL West…

  • Gurnick also notes that many of those same scouts (and possibly others) are likely to gather tomorrow for Aaron Harang's start. Capuano, Harang, Ted Lilly and Matt Guerrier are all trade candidates for the Dodgers.
  • Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets that new Rockies pitcher Jon Garland said he "strongly considered" signing with the Rox as a free agent this offseason before accepting a minor league deal from the Mariners. When that didn't work out (they released Garland on Saturday), he quickly reached an agreement with Colorado on a one-year, Major League deal.
  • Top prospect Nolan Arenado has had a great Spring Training and is still in camp with the Rockies, but MLB.com's Thomas Harding tweets that the team isn't planning a Chris Nelson trade to clear a starting spot for Arenado.
  • The Giants are in the market for a backup middle infielder, according to CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly, who opines that Nick Noonan makes for a fine internal option (Twitter link).

Multiple Teams Showing Interest In Chris Young

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MONDAY: The Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Indians, Cubs, Cardinals, Red Sox, Brewers and Mets all have scouts on hand for Young's start against the Astros today, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). However, as he's quick to note, that doesn't necessarily mean that each team is there to scout Young specifically.

For what it's worth, Young was terrific in his outing, scattering two hits, a walk and an unearned run over four innings to go along with a pair of strikeouts.

SUNDAY, 2:10pm: The Pirates are intrigued by Young, tweets the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Rob Biertempfel. However, Biertempfel wonders whether the Pirates can assure Young he'd be on roster the whole year and, if not, whether or not Young would be interested.

11:25am: The minor league deal that Chris Young signed with the Nationals last month contains an opt-out clause that he can exercise today. However, Young is scheduled to pitch in a Grapefruit League game tomorrow. Dan Kolko of MASNsports tweets that Young is planning on making that start tomorrow and then making a decision. Young says he has received interest from other teams, and it was reported on Friday that Young likely won't make the roster.

The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore adds that the Nationals hope to retain Young and view him as the clear favorite for a rotation spot if one of their starting five were to suffer an injury. Young is interested in staying in the organization in the event that he can't find a Major League job elsewhere.

The 33-year-old Young posted a 4.15 ERA, 6.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 115 innings for the Mets last season. However, teams in smaller ballparks will likely be wary of Young's alarming 58.2 percent fly-ball rate. Among pitchers with 100 innings or more, Young's fly-ball rate was far and away the highest in baseball, while his 22.3 percent ground-ball rate was far and away the lowest.

Edward Creech contributed to this post.

Indians Designate Ezequiel Carrera For Assignment

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The Indians announced that Ezequiel Carrera has been designated for assignment in order to clear roster space for non-roster invitee Jason Giambi, who has made the club (Twitter link). The Indians announced that Giambi, an Article XX(B) free agent, made the roster recently, but the original plan was to transfer Frank Herrmann to the 60-day disabled list.

Earlier today, it was reported that the Tribe would look to trade Carrera and lefty David Huff, both of whom are out of options and will not make the Opening Day roster.

Carrera, 25, has hit .255/.306/.347 with 18 stolen bases in 24 attempts in 116 career games for Cleveland. The left-handed hitting outfielder has mixed defensive reviews in a small 860-inning sample size, as UZR/150 pegs him at 2.2 runs below average while The Fielding Bible gives him credit for being two runs above average. He's played primarily center field but also has experience at both corner positions. It was reported in late February that the Indians could very likely end up trading Carrera near the end of Spring Training.

Article XX(B) Free Agents Update: Monday

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As has been previously discussed on MLBTR, Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement contains a provision that allows certain free agents who are signed to minor league contracts to receive a $100K retention bonus if they are not on the team's 25-man roster or the Major League disabled list five days prior to the season.

Free agents who qualify for this distinction are those who have at least six years of Major League service time and had a Major League contract expire at the end of the previous season, but signed a minor league deal ten or more days prior to Opening Day.

MLBTR has confirmed with MLB that the deadline for teams to decide on these players is tomorrow at 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT). In other words, by tomorrow afternoon teams with these players in camp need to decide whether to:

  • Add the player to their 25-man roster or Major League disabled list (or agree to do so in writing).
  • Grant the player his outright release from the minor league contract so that he may pursue opportunities with other teams.
  • Pay the player a $100K retention bonus to keep him in the organization beyond the deadline.

Here's the latest news from around the league on Article XX(B) signees and their roster statuses with their respective teams (newest updates on top)…

  • Rangers manager Ron Washington informed infielder Jeff Baker that he has made the Opening Day roster, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. 
  • The Indians announced that Jason Giambi has made the roster but will open the season on the 15-day disabled list with a back strain. Ezequiel Carrera was designated for assignment in order to clear room on the roster.
  • The Mariners announced via press release that they have added Kameron Loe to the 25-man roster and transferred Josh Kinney to the 60-day disabled list to create space.
  • Smith also tweets that Rick Ankiel is expected to make the team as the everyday right fielder, meaning Houston will have to make a 40-man roster move. Ankiel's base salary will be $750K, and his contract includes incentives based on plate appearances.
  • LaTroy Hawkins has been informed that he will make the Mets' 25-man roster, writes ESPN's Adam Rubin. The Mets currently have an open spot on their 40-man roster, meaning no corresponding move would have to be made. Hawkins will earn a base salary of approximately $1MM for making the team.
  • Pedro Feliciano, another Mets non-roster invitee, is still deciding whether or not to opt out of his contract or take his $100K bonus and report to Triple-A, Rubin tweets. Feliciano was told he would not make the Mets' roster yesterday.
  • Red Sox bench hopeful Lyle Overbay says he has "no idea" as to whether or not the team will add him to the 25-man roster, according to the Boston Herald's Scott Lauber (Twitter link). Overbay has plenty on the line, as he'll earn $1.25MM (with $250K more available via incentives) if he makes the Opening Day roster.

Indians Will Look To Trade Huff, Carrera

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The Indians have informed outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and left-hander David Huff that they will not make the club out of Spring Training, and that the team will try to trade them, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (via Twitter). Both players are out of minor league options.

Huff, 28, was selected in the supplemental round (39th overall) by the Indians in the 2006 draft. He's appeared in 55 games (52 starts) for the Tribe over parts of four seasons, accumulating 285 1/3 innings but posting unsightly ratios including a 5.30 ERA, 5.0 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. He's averaged 90.5 mph on his heater and posted a 36.5 percent ground-ball rate throughout his career.

Carrera, 25, has hit .255/.306/.347 with 18 stolen bases in 24 attempts in 116 career games for Cleveland. The left-handed hitting outfielder has mixed defensive reviews in a small 860-inning sample size, as UZR/150 pegs him at 2.2 runs below average while The Fielding Bible gives him credit for being two runs above average. He's played primarily center field but also has experience at both corner positions. It was reported in late February that the Indians could very likely end up trading Carrera near the end of Spring Training.

Indians Release Matt Capps

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The Indians released reliever Matt Capps, according to a tweet from the team.  The move enables them to avoid paying a $100K retention bonus, notes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, but the team will continue to negotiate with him.  The Tribe released Daisuke Matsuzaka yesterday for the same reason.  Here's the full list of Article XX(B) free agents, who today must be placed on the 25-man roster, released outright, or given the $100K bonus if sent to the minors. 

Capps, 29, posted a 3.68 ERA, 5.5 K/9, 1.2 BB/9, 1.53 HR/9, and 41.8% groundball rate for the Twins last year in 29 1/3 innings.  The former closer missed time with a shoulder injury, and the Twins declined his $6MM club option following the season.

You can check out MLBTR's complete list of current free agents here.

Indians Release Daisuke Matsuzaka

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The Indians report (on Twitter) that they have released pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes (on Twitter) that the Indians will likely try to strike a new deal to keep Matsuzaka in the fold.

The Indians' rotation is expected to contain Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brett Myers, and Zach McAllister along with either Scott Kazmir or Carlos Carrasco. A calf injury caused Matsuzaka to fall behind in the team's rotation battle. The Indians informed Matsuzaka last week that he would not make the team, but he has said he intends to remain in the organization anyway.

Matsuzaka is an Article XX(B) free agent, so if the Indians had not released him, they would have had to pay a $100K retention bonus if he had accepted their minor-league assignment.

Matsuzaka posted an 8.28 ERA in 45 2/3 innings with the Red Sox in 2012, with 8.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9. He signed a minor-league deal with the Indians in February.

Quick Hits: Red Sox, Cubs, Cabrera

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Red Sox principal owner John Henry has no intention of selling the team, he says in a wide-ranging interview with Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald. "I’ve not had one partner in 11 years suggest thinking about selling the Red Sox, even though they haven’t received dividends," he says. Henry also defends club president and CEO Larry Lucchino, saying Lucchino "revolutionized the game" with the building of Camden Yards in Baltimore, and adding that Lucchino's focus on revenue is critical to the Red Sox maintaining a high payroll. Henry also suggests that Lucchino will one day be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here are more notes from around the majors.

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