Minor MLB Transactions: 1/10/18
We’ll track the latest minor signings and other transactions here …
- The Brewers have brought back left-hander Nick Ramirez on a minor-league deal, per a club announcement. Brewer Nation first tweeted word of the signing. He converted from first base to the mound in 2017, turning in rather impressive results. In 79 1/3 frames over 49 appearances, all but one of which came at Double-A, Ramirez ran a 1.36 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. It obviously remains to be seen whether the former fourth-round pick can earn a shot at the majors, but it seems promising that he was able to throttle both right-handed (.214/.260/.305) and left-handed hitters (.167/.273/.240) while working in a multi-inning role.
- First baseman/outfielder Kyle Jensen has a minors deal with the Giants, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). The 29-year-old has only seen brief MLB time but has generally produced quality numbers at Triple-A. In 1,793 plate appearances at the highest level of the minors, he carries a .266/.341/.488 batting line with 178 home runs — though also over a thousand strikeouts. Jensen had a six-game stretch last year with Japan’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, but otherwise did not appear professionally. A former 12th round draft pick of the Marlins, Jensen has also spent time in recent years with the Dodgers and Diamondbacks organizations.
- Also signing a minor-league pact is lefty Keith Hessler, who’ll join the Rockies, according to Cotillo (Twitter link). Hessler, 28, has 34 MLB frames under his belt, over which he has allowed 21 earned runs while recording 23 strikeouts and issuing 17 walks. He has mostly plied his trade in the upper minors in recent years, though he also took an indy ball detour last season. At times, Hessler has produced solid groundball numbers and been very hard on opposing lefties, though neither really held true in his most recent showing. In 45 1/3 Triple-A frames with the Padres in 2017, Hessler carried a 4.57 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9.
Diamondbacks Sell Contract Of Kyle Jensen To Japanese Club
The Diamondbacks have sold the contract of first baseman/outfielder Kyle Jensen to Japan’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, per a club announcement. Robert Murray of Fan Rag reported the move.
Jensen was recently designated for assignment by Arizona. The 28-year-old received his first crack at the majors in 2016 after joining the Snakes on a minor league pact last winter, though he didn’t receive much playing time. He spent most of his time at Triple-A, as he has for the past several seasons.
There is some reason for optimism for the former 12th-round pick, who has spent each of the last three seasons with a different organization. Over 555 plate appearances at the highest level of the minors, he posted a .289/.350/.546 slash and added thirty home runs — marking the sixth-straight minor league campaign in which he has hit at least twenty long balls.
Diamondbacks Designate Kyle Jensen For Assignment
The Diamondbacks designated first baseman/outfielder Kyle Jensen for assignment, the team announced. The move was made on Friday as part of Arizona’s 40-man roster maneuvering in advance of the Rule 5 draft deadline.
Jensen, 28, made his big league debut last season, appearing in 17 games and posting a .716 OPS over 34 plate appearance for the D’Backs. A 12th-round pick for the Marlins in 2009, Jensen signed a minor league deal with Arizona last winter. Over 3877 minor league plate appearances in the Marlins, Dodgers and D’Backs farm systems, Jensen has hit .266/.341/.488 with 178 homers.
Friday’s roster shuffling left quite a few players in ‘DFA limbo,’ so be sure to check out the MLB Trade Rumors DFA Tracker to keep track of all the designation situations from around the game.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/3/16
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- The Nationals have outrighted outfielder Matt den Dekker to Triple-A Syracuse, the club announced. Washington designated den Dekker for assignment Friday. The 29-year-old has not fared well this season in either Syracuse or D.C., having hit .208/.290/.319 in 407 Triple-A plate appearances and .176/.282/.294 in 39 major league PAs. Den Dekker is only a year removed from providing useful depth at the big league level, though, as he batted .253/.315/.485 in 110 trips to the plate and saw time at all three outfield positions. The latter has once again been the case this season.
- The Diamondbacks have announced that they’ve selected the contract of 1B/OF Kyle Jensen from Triple-A Reno. The 28-year-old Jensen signed as a minor league free agent last winter and has had a strong season with Reno, batting .289/.350/.546 with 30 homers in 555 plate appearances. Jensen, who has previously played in the Marlins and Dodgers systems, has 178 home runs in eight career minor league seasons but has never appeared in the big leagues.
- The Orioles have announced that they’ve outrighted lefty Kyle Lobstein to Triple-A Norfolk. The O’s traded lefty Zach Phillips to the Pirates for Lobstein earlier this week after the Bucs designated Lobstein for assignment. The Orioles then quickly designated Lobstein themselves before he could make an appearance for them. The 27-year-old has a 5.06 ERA, 5.2 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in parts of three seasons with the Tigers and Pirates, during which he’s served as both a starter and reliever.