Headlines

Go To Hoops Rumors
Go To Pro Football Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors
Go To Pro Football Rumors

Minor Moves: Vasquez, Mejia, Allen, Wren, Owens

By | at

Right-handers Esmerling Vasquez and Miguel Mejia have signed with the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, MLBTR has learned. The 31-year-old Vasquez last appeared in the Majors with the Twins in 2012. He has a lifetime 4.86 ERA in 168 2/3 MLB innings. Mejia, meanwhile, has spent the past two seasons pitching in Taiwan’s top professional league and was with the Lamigo Monkeys last season.

More minor moves from around the league…

  • First baseman Brandon Allen has re-signed with the Mets, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York tweeted yesterday. The 28-year-old Allen, once considered a Top 100 prospect, hit .266/.368/.434 with the Mets at the Triple-A level last season.
  • The Brewers announced today that they’ve acquired outfielder Kyle Wren — the son of former Braves GM Frank Wren — from Atlanta in exchange for righty Zach Quintana. (W.G. Ramirez was the first to report Quintana’s trade earlier this week, on Twitter.) The 23-year-old Wren hit .290/.350/.360 between Class-A Advanced and Double-A last season, while Quintana struggled to a 5.70 ERA in 85 1/3 innings with Milwaukee’s Class-A affiliate. He was a third-round pick by the Brewers as recently as 2012, however.
  • Baseball America’s Matt Eddy has several minor league deals to report (All Twitter links). The Athletics have inked catcher Carson Blair and lefty Rudy Owens; the Marlins have signed righty Ryan Reid, lefty Pat Urckfitz and center fielder Kenny Wilson; and the Braves have signed right-hander Victor Mateo and lefty Francisco Rondon.

Minor Moves: Vasquez, Alvarado, Upperman, Moskos

By | at

Here's today's rundown of minor moves from around the league…

Minor Moves: Rice, Romak, Twins

By | at

The latest minor moves from around MLB…

  • The Mets announced that they agreed to sign left-hander Scott Rice to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. Rice, 31, has a 4.08 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 in 14 minor league seasons.
  • The Mets also signed outfielder Jamie Hoffmann to a minor league contract, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. The 28-year-old spent this past season with the Orioles' Triple-A team.
  • The Cardinals agreed to a minor league contract with first baseman/right fielder Jamie Romak, MLBTR has learned. The Cardinals acquired the 27-year-old from the Royals midway through the 2012 season. In 442 total plate appearances in the upper minors, Romak posted a .260/.336/.406 batting line and hit 10 home runs and 21 doubles this past season.
  • The Blue Jays signed infielder Jim Negrych to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports (on Twitter).
  • The Twins announced that they signed 12 players to minor league contracts that include invitations to MLB Spring Training: right-handers Samuel Deduno, Shairon Martis, Luis Perdomo, Esmerling Vasquez and P.J. Walters; outfielders Brian Dinkleman and Wilkin Ramirez; infielders James Beresford and Deibinson Romero and catcher Eric Fryer. Right-hander Tom Boleska and infielder Jason Christian also signed minor league deals with the Twins.

Twins To Sign Deduno, Vasquez

By | at

The Twins have agreed to sign Sam Deduno and Esmerling Vasquez to minor league contracts, Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Both pitchers were outrighted off of Minnesota's 40-man roster in recent weeks.

Deduno, 29, started 15 games for the Twins this past season, posting a 4.44 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 6.0 BB/9 in 79 innings. The right-hander also has some MLB experience with the Rockies and Padres. Vasquez, 28, started six games for the Twins in 2012, posting a 5.68 ERA with 4.0 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 in 31 2/3 innings. The Twins claimed him off of waivers from Arizona in September of 2011.

Outrighted: Vasquez, Walters, Carson

By | at

The latest outright assignments from around MLB…

  • The Twins announced that they have outrighted right-handers Jeff Manship, Luis Perdomo, Esmerling Vasquez, Kyle Waldrop and P.J. Walters and outfielder Matt Carson off of the MLB roster. All six players contributed to the MLB team in 2012. Vasquez (six starts) and Walters (12 starts) pitched out of the rotation while Manship (12 relief appearances), Perdomo (15 relief appearances) and Waldrop (17 relief appearances) spent time in the bullpen. Carson, the lone position player to lose his roster spot, appeared in 26 games as a corner outfielder. The Twins now have 35 players on their 40-man roster.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Esmerling Vasquez

By | at

Here's where we'll keep track of the latest outright assignments…

  • Right-hander Esmerling Vasquez cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com tweets. The Twins, who designated the 28-year-old for assignment last week, have invited him to MLB Spring Training. He spent the 2011 season with the Diamondbacks, posting a 4.15 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 30 1/3 innings.

Twins Designate Esmerling Vasquez For Assignment

By | at

The Twins have designated Esmerling Vasquez for assignment, reports Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune. The move creates room on the 40-man roster for the recently claimed Darin Mastroianni.

Vasquez, 28, was claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks back in September. He appeared in 31 games for Arizona last year, posting a 4.15 ERA with 5.9 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 35.5% ground ball rate in 30 1/3 innings. The right-hander appeared in 50-plus games for the D'Backs in 2009 and 2010, when he posted higher strikeout rates, walk rates and ERAs than he did in 2011.

Twins Claim Esmerling Vasquez

By | at

The Twins announced that they have claimed right-hander Esmerling Vasquez off of waivers from the Diamondbacks. Minnesota transferred Alexi Casilla to the 60-day disabled list in a corresponding move that creates 40-man roster space for the club's new acquisition.

The D'Backs designated Vasquez for assignment on Friday, when they obtained Mike Zagurski from the Phillies for a player to be named. Vasquez, 27, appeared in 31 games for Arizona this year, posting a 4.15 ERA with 5.9 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 35.5% ground ball rate in 30 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old Dominican appeared in 50-plus games for the D'Backs in 2009 and 2010, when he posted higher strikeout rates, walk rates and ERAs than he did in 2011.

Diamondbacks Acquire Zagurski; Designate Vasquez

By | at

The Diamondbacks have acquired left-handed reliever Mike Zagurski from the Phillies in exchange for a player to be named, Zagurski's agent tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Arizona announced it designated reliever Esmerling Vasquez for assignment in a corresponding 40-man-roster move.

Zagurski, 28, was among three players whom the Phillies designated for assignment last week. The southpaw pitched to a 2.65 ERA in 54 1/3 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season but has struggled in 37 career big league outings, posting a 6.82 ERA in parts of three seasons. His 10.2 K/9 rate is promising, but he struggles with his control (5.4 BB/9).

Arizona's magic number number to clinch the NL West is down to 1, but Zagurski, who will be added to the active roster for the regular season's balance, will not be eligible for the postseason roster.

Vasquez, 27, has posted a 4.66 ERA in 141 career Major League games, spanning parts of three seasons with Arizona. The Dominican right-hander was signed as an international free agent in 2003.

The Diamondbacks' active roster is currently at 33 after the moves. The 40-man roster is full.

Diamondbacks Set To Add Payroll, Says CEO

By | at

TUESDAY 3:41pm: D-Backs' managing general partner Ken Kendrick says the payroll will likely increase to north of $75MM next year, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. The payroll in 2009 was appoximately $73.5MM.

"We definitely have more than $10 million to spend in the market," Kendrick said. "There are other moves that we may make that could change the money landscape that have yet to be determined."

MONDAY 6:54pm: Arizona Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall said his team is "definitely adding to the payroll" during a web chat on MLB.com Monday.

Hall weighed in on a huge number of issues, including:

  • He wants to look at free agent starting pitchers, relievers, and a bench player. He expects most acquisitions to come through trades.
  • He believes both Juan Gutierrez and Esmerling Vasquez can pitch the sixth, seventh or eighth innings next season.
  • Only Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Max Scherzer are guaranteed rotation spots in 2010. Billy Buckner, Kevin Mulvey, and possibly free agents could also be in the mix.
  • Stephen Drew "would be too tough to replace if we ever moved him."

Check out the full discussion. This is a great example of a team using new media to connect to fans.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Networkscroll to top