Giants Sign Jon Duplantier To Minors Deal
The Giants have signed right-handers Jon Duplantier and Gray Fenter to a minor league contracts, per MLB.com.
There is, of course a transactions freeze for members of the Players’ Union, but that does not preclude clubs from offering minor league contracts. They cannot, however, incentivize those contracts with offers to spring training or give 40-man roster spots. When the lockout ends, Duplantier is likely to receive an invitation to spring workouts with the Giants.
Duplantier was once a top prospect in the Diamondbacks organizations. The bespectacled 27-year-old had a solid debut in 2019 for Arizona, appearing 15 times (3 starts) and tossing 36 2/3 innings with a 4.42 ERA/3.95 FIP. He has struggled to stay healthy since then, logging just 21 combined innings in Triple-A and the Majors in the two seasons.
Fenter, 25, has yet to make his Major League debut. The right-hander was drated in the seventh round by the Orioles in the 2015 draft. He pitched last season for Bowie in Double-A, pitching o a 5.47 ERA in 77 1/3 innings over 21 appearances (13 starts).
Cubs Return Rule 5 Pick Gray Fenter To Orioles
The Cubs have returned Rule 5 Draft pick Gray Fenter to the Orioles, per an announcement from Baltimore. The O’s have assigned the right-hander to major league spring training as a reserve.
Fenter was a seventh-round pick of the Orioles in 2015 who joined the franchise for a massive bonus ($1MM) relative to his draft position. While Fenter has since pitched to a 3.21 ERA and struck out over 10 batters per nine in 230 minor league innings, the 25-year-old hasn’t climbed above the Single-A level yet. He also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016, wiping out that season and a large portion of the next year for him.
Fenter had an excellent year during the most recent minors season, 2019, when he logged a 1.81 ERA in 94 1/3 innings in Single-A. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote last December that Fenter “sat 91-93 and touched 95” that season.