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Heyman’s Latest: O’s, Machado, Dodgers, Tribe, Marlins, Herrera, Taillon

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Here’s the latest from FRSBaseball.com’s Jon Heyman…

  • The Dodgers will continue to monitor Manny Machado’s availability, as L.A. still has interest in the star shortstop.  Machado and the Dodgers have been linked in trade rumors ever since Corey Seager was lost for the season, and with Los Angeles getting back into the postseason hunt after an early-season slump, Machado continues to look like a logical trade candidate.
  • The Indians are looking for the bullpen help, and they are one of multiple teams who have been in touch with the Marlins about Kyle Barraclough and Drew Steckenrider.  Cleveland’s relief corps has been a major weak spot for the team, and though Andrew Miller will eventually be back from the DL, it isn’t any surprise that the Tribe is looking for further upgrades.  Barraclough (who took over as Miami’s closer earlier this month) and Steckenrider are both having good seasons, though both have exhibited some control issues.  The Marlins are “open for business” in discussing virtually everyone on the roster, though they’re less likely to deal young, controllable players like Barraclough and Steckenrider for anything but a large return.  Beyond the bullpen, Heyman also thinks the Tribe could look for a right-handed bat for the bench.
  • The Braves were one of the teams interested in Kelvin Herrera before the Royals dealt the reliever to the Nationals.  Kansas City simply “saw the Nats as a better match” for a trade, and as Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos implied in a podcast appearance earlier this week, it seems like Atlanta wasn’t willing to meet the Royals’ asking price.  It remains to be seen how this decision could impact the NL East race, as the Braves not only saw Herrera join a division rival, but their own closer (Arodys Vizcaino) on the disabled list today.  Heyman does speculate about one silver lining for the Braves, however, as the fact that they’ve already had some talks with the Royals could help lay groundwork for a Mike Moustakas trade.  Overall, Heyman notes that the Braves would prefer to wait before making any big deals, as the team still isn’t quite sure what will end up being its biggest deadline need.
  • More on Herrera, as Heyman reports that the Astros didn’t make a play for the right-hander.
  • There is “no chance” that the Pirates would trade Jameson Taillon, a source tells Heyman.  Pittsburgh could yet decide to move some veterans at the deadline but Taillon seems untouchable, given his good season and four remaining years of team control.
  • The Pirates had some discussions with Andrew McCutchen about a longer-term extension following the outfielder’s MVP season in 2013.  At the time, McCutchen was just two years into what ended up being (thanks to a club option) a seven-year, $65.25MM deal with the Bucs.  According to Heyman, McCutchen had some regret about signing that deal, which kept him from hitting the open market after the 2015 season and ended up being an enormous bargain for Pittsburgh.  Further extension talks didn’t go far, however, as McCutchen and his team made mention of Joey Votto’s ten-year, $225MM deal with the Reds as a potential comparable.

Rizzo: Nationals Unwilling To Meet Asking Price On Realmuto

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In a surprisingly candid interview with Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link, with audio), Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo largely quashed rumors and speculation that have tied his team to star Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto. According to Rizzo, the Nationals touched base with the Marlins on Realmuto’s availability but haven’t really circled back this season.

“They’ve got a great player in Realmuto,” said Rizzo. “They’re not going to sell him cheap. We know what the return has to be on Realmuto, and we’re not willing to meet that price. So unless something changes there, on their end, we’re going to go with [Matt] Wieters when he gets healthy and a combination of [Pedro] Severino and [Spencer] Kieboom to back him up.”

Washington’s offseason interest in Realmuto was reported on at length over the winter. Multiple offseason reports suggested that the Marlins asked the Nats for a package headlined by one of their two most-coveted outfield prospects, Victor Robles or Juan Soto, the latter of whom has exploded onto the scene in the Majors at the age of 19. Robles, meanwhile, has missed much of the season with a hyperextended elbow but is still considered by many to be among the game’s 10 best prospects.

While that’s a lofty asking price, to be sure, it’s also not difficult to see why the Marlins would hold Realmuto in such high regard. The 27-year-old batted .290/.337/.440 in 1124 plate appearances from 2016-17 and has taken his offensive game to new heights in 2018, raking at a .297/.355/.524 pace (143 OPS+, 140 wRC+). After missing nearly a month with a minor lower back injury early in the season, Realmuto has already belted nine homers, 15 doubles and three triples in just 232 plate appearances.

Beyond his offensive prowess, Realmuto is considered a strong defensive catcher. He’s thrown out 11 of the 26 runners who’ve attempted to steal against him for a career-best 42 percent caught-stealing rate, and he generally rates as an above-average pitch framer and pitch blocker, per Baseball Prospectus. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly when assessing his trade value, he is eminently affordable from a financial standpoint and can be controlled through the 2020 season. Realmuto is earning $2.9MM in his first year of arbitration eligibility and will be eligible twice more before reaching free agency in the 2020-21 offseason.

Catcher was the Nationals’ most glaring need in the offseason, but the team did surprisingly little to address the deficiency outside of a minor league deal for veteran Miguel Montero, who was quickly released after cracking the Opening Day roster. To Wieters’ credit, he looked to be in the midst of a potential rebound at the plate after a last year’s dreary .225/.288/.344 slash; through a small sample of 76 PAs early in 2018, Wieters hit .231/.342/.385 with three homers and vastly improved strikeout and walk rates. But, he’s now been on the shelf since May 11 due to a hamstring injury that required surgery.

There are other catching options on the trade market, of course. Wilson Ramos’ name figures to be oft-mentioned on the rumor circuit as the deadline approaches, and the Mets would presumably be open to flipping recently acquired Devin Mesoraco when they inevitably begin to trade veteran pieces. Other speculative options include Robinson Chirinos and Francisco Cervelli. Blake Swihart, too, will be a rumored possibility, though it’s more difficult to see a contending club acquiring him and immediately inserting him into a regular role behind the plate when he’s scarcely played there in 2018.

Brian Anderson, Brandon Nimmo Hire CAA Sports

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A pair of increasingly promising young NL East players have hired CAA Sports to represent them. Marlins third baseman/corner outfielder Brian Anderson and Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo are each now repped by CAA, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter) and Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter).

Anderson, 25, has made the most of his opportunities in Miami. Indeed, he has been a breakout performer thus far for the Fish, turning in 316 plate appearances of .294/.373/.423 hitting on the season.

Though Anderson has never shown a ton of power — he has four this year and has never hit more than 22 in a full professional season — he’s succeeding thus far with a lofty batting average and solid walk rate. The same general profile worked for his predecessor, Martin Prado, who similarly showed the ability to play multiple positions at the game’s highest level.

All things considered, it looks like the Fish have found a solid piece who’ll help them for years. Anderson has carried a hefty .363 batting average on balls in play this year, but Statcast actually thinks he has been a bit unlucky overall based upon his quality of contact (.347 wOBA vs. .368 xwOBA).

It’s conceivable that the Marlins could come calling at some point about a long-term contract arrangement, though perhaps there isn’t a ton of upside for the club with a player who may not possess an immense ceiling (in terms of productivity and arbitration earning power). Since this is Anderson’s first full season in the majors, his reps likely won’t be negotiating any playing contracts for some time. He won’t qualify for arbitration until 2021 and free agency three years after that.

The situation isn’t all that different for Nimmo, though his breakout has been all the more compelling. He had already shown well last year in his second partial season in the bigs, but has been off to a torrid start in 2018. Over 215 plate appearances this year, he boasts a .287/.409/.596 batting line with a dozen home runs and seven steals.

That output dwarfs the typical counting numbers that Nimmo produced over his time in the minors, when he was noted more for his ability to get on base than to produce power and swipe bags. He’s still walking at a 12.6% clip this season, too, so the OBP figures to remain a big part of his value even if he cools a bit. Statcast does see some good fortune in Nimmo’s recent past, as he owns a .423 wOBA but only a .382 xwOBA.

Due to his prior service time, Nimmo is in a different service class than Anderson. Nimmo came into the year with 1.042 years on his ticker, so he won’t be a Super Two but is on track to reach arbitration (2020) and free agency (2023) one season before Anderson can.

These agency relationships are now reflected in MLBTR’s agency database. A tip of the cap to Robert Murray of Fan Rag for noting on Twitter that both players had moved to CAA, as we had overlooked Sherman’s report yesterday.

Marlins Release Severino Gonzalez, Sean Burnett

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The Marlins have released right-hander Severino Gonzalez and veteran left-hander Sean Burnett from their Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans, as first tweeted by the club’s Triple-A broadcaster, Tim Grubbs.

Gonzalez, 25, spent a day on the Marlins’ active roster in early April after having his contract selected from New Orleans, but his addition was purely a depth move, it seems. Gonzalez didn’t get into the game in his lone day on the roster, and he was designated for assignment the next day. He ultimately accepted an outright assignment back to New Orleans, where he went on to struggle for much of the season.

In 33 2/3 innings out of the bullpen this season, Gonzalez has stumbled with a 5.61 ERA and similarly discouraging peripheral metrics. Never one to miss many bats, Gonzalez has averaged 6.1 K/9 so far in 2018, and his typical otherworldly control has taken a step back. While his 2.4 BB/9 mark is still strong, it’s also a bit of a step back from the career 1.8 mark he’d posted at the Triple-A level prior to 2018. The real problem for Gonzalez, however, was the long ball; he’d previously been stingy in that regard but has been hammered for seven homers in his 33 2/3 frames. The former Phillies prospect does have strong K/BB numbers in 66 Major League innings (all with Philadelphia), but he’s nonetheless logged a 6.68 ERA as a big leaguer.

As for Burnett, the 35-year-old veteran has appeared in parts of nine Major League seasons and had a nice peak from 2009-12 as an excellent setup man for the Pirates and Nationals before undergoing Tommy John surgery after signing a two-year deal with the Angels. Burnett has continued to grind since injuries ruined his two-year stint with the Halos, and he briefly resurfaced in the Majors with the 2016 Nats.

He didn’t pitch in the Majors or minors in 2017, and while his 5.49 ERA in 19 2/3 innings this season looks ugly, there’s still some reason to believe he could have something left in the tank. Burnett notched an outstanding 23-to-5 K/BB ratio in those 19 2/3 innings, allowing just two homers along the way and registering a 48.4 percent ground-ball rate. And while he allowed far too many hits in New Orleans (30, to be exact), he was also plagued by a sky-high .452 average on balls in play. Burnett punched out nine of the 25 lefties he faced (36 percent) without allowing a walk, so perhaps a club could view him as a potential situational lefty at the very least.

NL East Notes: Marlins, Nationals, Franco

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Though the Marlins made a few headline-worthy changes in the front office following the franchise’s transfer of ownership to Derek Jeter and company, there wasn’t a dramatic overhaul right away. Instead, as FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman notes, the club is “experiencing turnover as they go; it’s happening organically, and perhaps uncomfortably in a couple cases.” Director of player development Gary Denbo is reportedly “appalled by much of what he sees” as he surveys the Marlins system and attempts to turn the franchise around. Denbo’s primary focus is accountability; it’s reported that within the old regime, decisions could “come from anyone,” and weren’t always made by the person who is accountable for them. “We’re hoping to develop a sense of urgency to become the best organization in baseball. That is the objective,” said Denbo. Though he’s reportedly ruffled a few feathers, perhaps that’s acceptable considering the Marlins have put up a losing record every year since 2009.

A few other items from around the NL East…

  • Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic sat down for a Q&A with Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long. Among the highlights are rookie Juan Soto; Long raves about his “tight”, “compact” and “connected” swing along with his plate discipline). “I can go on and on about this kid. His routine is flawless. He came in and knew exactly what he wanted to do. I was like, ‘Wow.’ He’s at ease. He’s confident.” Long also discusses Bryce Harper’s relative struggles as well as Daniel Murphy, Adam Eaton and the fly-ball revolution.
  • In a separate piece, Rosenthal notes at one point that the Nationals are attempting to add one starter and one reliever (according to his sources). With the recent placement of Stephen Strasburg and Brandon Kintzler on the DL and Jeremy Hellickson still recovering from a hamstring strain, pitching is thin for Washington outside of Max Scherzer, Tanner Roark and Gio Gonzalez.
  • “It feels as if Maikel Franco is being phased out,” writes Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports. While it’s (somewhat) worth noting that Phillies management has denied this, Franco has been relegated to a part-time role after enduring continued struggles to get on base this season; struggles he doesn’t particularly make up for in any other way. Clearly this hasn’t been lost on Franco, who is aware of the circumstances. “I understand what’s happening right now,” he said on Sunday morning. “I understand what the manager is trying to do with everybody. I know the situation.” Rookie J.P. Crawford has been getting looks at third base, and the team is also looking for a positional home for Scott Kingery. Franco owns a .233/.281/.408 slash line since the start of 2017.

2017-18 Rule 5 Draft Update

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When we last checked in on this year’s crop of Rule 5 players, there were a combined 11 players — six on active rosters and five on the Major League disabled list — still with their new organizations. That number has fallen to nine, with six players (albeit a different mix) still active in the Majors, plus another three hanging around on the DL. The number could shrink again in the near future, as several of the remaining Rule 5-ers are seldom used pieces, and at least two teams will soon likely have to make a call.

Active Big Leaguers

  • Victor Reyes, OF, Tigers (from D-backs): Reyes has received only 38 plate appearances since our last Rule 5 roundup, hitting .211/.211/.342 in that span. He’s picked up a pair of triples and a double, his first extra-base hits in the Majors, but is hitting just .196/.196/.304 on the season as a whole. The Tigers barely use Reyes, outside of pinch-running and late-game defensive switches, but the longer they commit to hanging onto him, the less likely it becomes that they return him to Arizona. At this point, they’ve played more than a third of the season with an effective 24-man roster, so they seem likely to see this through.
  • Brad Keller, RHP, Royals (from D-backs, via trade w/ Reds): The 22-year-old Keller hasn’t picked up many strikeouts (5.9 K/9) and hasn’t displayed elite control (3.3 BB/9), but he’s sporting a 57.9 percent ground-ball rate in 35 innings for Kansas City — including three starts. He boasts a 2.31 ERA thus far in 2018, though his 0.26 HR/9 mark and 82.2 percent strand rate seem poised to regress. Nonetheless, he’s performed well enough to date that there’s no reason for the Royals to consider cutting ties.
  • Burch Smith, RHP, Royals (from Rays, via trade w/ Mets): Smith, on the other hand, is a more complicated case for GM Dayton Moore and his staff. The 28-year-old is currently lugging a 6.49 ERA to the mound with him after surrendering 10 runs in his past 7 1/3 innings. Smith has racked up 28 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings, but he’s also issued 18 walks and hit two batters. Beyond that, seven of the 26 hits he’s allowed with Kansas City have cleared the fence.
  • Pedro Araujo, RHP, Orioles (from Cubs): Araujo was one of four players in Spring Training with the Orioles who came with Rule 5 status, but he’s the last to remain on their MLB roster. (Anthony Santander, who missed much of last season due to injury, fulfilled his Rule 5 requirements last monthM and was optioned to Triple-A.) Araujo was torched for four runs last night, including a pair of homers, and he now has a 7.71 ERA in 28 innings with the O’s. That’s not exactly a surprise considering the fact that he skipped both Double-A and Triple-A, and to his credit, Araujo has punched out 29 hitters in his 28 frames (albeit against 18 walks and two hit batters). Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun wrote this morning that Araujo’s roster spot could be in jeopardy with Zach Britton coming off the disabled list.
  • Carlos Tocci, OF, Rangers (from Phillies, via trade w/ White Sox): Texas stashed Tocci, 22, on the disabled list with a hip contusion for more than a month and rode his rehabilitation window as long as possible. Since being activated on June 2, Tocci hasn’t logged a single plate appearance. The Rangers’ season looks to be lost, so they may as well hang onto Tocci if they believe he has any shot at a future in the organization. He’s just 2-for-25 in 14 games this season and has struggled in Triple-A, but Tocci was productive for the Phillies’ Double-A club last season and hit well in Double-A during last month’s rehab assignment, too.
  • Elieser Hernandez, RHP, Marlins (from Astros): Hernandez has allowed just 10 earned runs through 23 innings for a 3.91 ERA, but he’s also picked up just 10 strikeouts and yielded five homers. Hernandez, 23, has shown strong control (four walks), but he looks quite hittable through his brief run with Miami so far. As with each team listed in this section, though, they can certainly afford to hang onto him.

On the Disabled List

  • Julian Fernandez, RHP, Giants (from Rockies): Fernandez underwent Tommy John surgery back in April. He’ll accrue MLB service time while spending the season on the 60-day disabled list and will retain his Rule 5 status heading into 2019, if the Giants wish to hang onto him all offseason.
  • Nick Burdi, RHP, Pirates (from Twins via trade w/ Phillies): The Pirates picked up Burdi knowing he’d miss much of the 2018 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he’s yet to throw in the minors. That said, Burdi is a former supplemental-round pick who was selected toward the top of the draft thanks to an 80-grade heater that regularly touches triple digits. If he can get healthy enough to pitch this season, the Bucs will have a free look at a tantalizing power arm.
  • Brett Graves, RHP, Marlins (from Athletics): The Marlins placed Graves on the 60-day disabled list with an oblique strain back on Opening Day, so he’s yet to pitch in the Majors. He has, however, recovered to the point where he’s begun pitching on a minor league rehab assignment. The results haven’t been pretty. Graves has a 6.23 ERA with a 16-to-7 K/BB ratio and four hit batters in 17 1/3 innings between Class-A Advanced and Double-A. He’s also nearing the end of his 30-day rehab window. His first rehab appearance came back on May 17, so the Marlins have less than a week to determine whether to bring Graves up to the Majors or run him through waivers and offer him back to Oakland.

Returned to Original Organization

Amateur Draft Signings: 6/10/18

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Here are the latest notable signings from beyond the draft’s first round.  For more on these players, check out pre-draft rankings and scouting reports from MLB.com, Fangraphs, ESPN.com’s Keith Law, and Baseball America.

Latest Signings

  • The Royals agreed to terms with 24 of their picks, The Athletic’s Rustin Dodd tweets.  Sandwich pick Daniel Lynch (34th overall, the compensation pick K.C. received when Eric Hosmer signed with the Padres) and second-rounder Jonathan Bowlan (58th) were the highest selections among the players signed.  No terms were announced, though MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan believes Lynch signed for close to the $2,066,700 slot value assigned to the 34th overall pick.  The 58th overall selection has a $1,168,300 slot price.  Lynch, a left-handed pitcher from the University of Virginia, received rather varied grades in the rankings, earning high placements from Fangraphs (23rd) and Law (26th), while MLB.com (77th) and Baseball America (111th) were more pessimistic.  Bowlan, a right-hander from Tennessee, also had a wide range of opinions, with Law being the most bullish (69th) while BA only had Bowlan as the 230th-best prospect.

Earlier Today

  • The Mariners have agreed to terms second-round pick Josh Stowers, MLB Trade Rumors has learned.  The deal is worth $1.1MM, slightly less than the $1,287,800 slot price attached to the 54th overall pick.  Stowers caught fire late in the college season, which apparently rose his stock enough in Seattle’s eyes to merit a selection that substantially outpaced his pre-draft rankings — Law and Fangraphs didn’t include Stowers in their top-100 and top-130 lists, respectively, while Baseball America (124th) and MLB.com (146th) also delivered modest evaluations.  The Louisville outfielder overcame his early-season struggles once he smoothed out his swing, and BA’s scouting report notes that “he doesn’t have one key carrying tool, but the sum of his parts gives him upside.”  Long-term questions remain about Stowers’ power and his ability to stick as a center fielder.
  • The Athletics have agreed to terms with 26 of their draft picks, as per a team press release.  The highest-selected of these players was second-rounder Jameson Hannah, a center fielder from Dallas Baptist University.  No financial terms were announced, though the 50th overall pick carries a $1,414,200 slot value.  Hannah was rated between 32nd (from MLB.com) and 60th (Fangraphs) in the prospect rankings, receiving praise for his excellent speed and strong contact at the plate.  Evaluators aren’t sure, however, whether Hannah’s contact skills will eventually lead to more power.  It’s worth noting that first-rounder Kyler Murray was not included in Oakland’s list of completed draft signings, as though the two sides reportedly agreed to terms earlier this week, though no official contract had been signed at the time.
  • The Angels announced that second-rounder Jeremiah Jackson has agreed to terms with the club.  Figures weren’t released; the 57th overall pick carries a slot value of $1,196,500.  Jackson ranked no lower than 57th (MLB.com) in the pre-draft listings, and he drew particularly strong praise from Keith Law, who ranked Jackson as the 23rd-best prospect and described him as “most promising [high school shortstop] in the class.”  Law believes Jackson is athletic enough to remain at shortstop, though others feel a move to second or third base is necessary down the road.  Jackson gained more notice for his bat, with a well-rounded hitting approach that will add some more power as he gets older.
  • The Marlins have agreed a deal with catcher Will Banfield, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter).  Banfield was the 69th overall pick, chosen in Competitive Balance Round B.  Heyman reports that the Georgia high schooler is expected to receive $1.8MM, which is more than double the $894.6K slot price of the 69th overall pick.  An outstanding defensive catcher, Banfield’s stock might have dropped a bit due to something of a down spring at the plate; MLB Pipline’s scouting report noted that dropping further than the second round could have led Banfield to attend Vanderbilt, so the Marlins may have had to pay that extra bonus money to convince Banfield to begin his pro career.  Banfield had solid placements in all four pre-draft rankings, finishing as high as 34th (MLB.com) and no lower than 68th (Fangraphs).

NL Notes: Darvish, Pirates, Marlins

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The Cubs are unsure if injured right-hander Yu Darvish will return before next month’s All-Star break, manager Joe Maddon told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic and other reporters Sunday. Darvish has been on the shelf for two weeks with right tricep tendinitis, and even though he doesn’t have any structural damage, he’ll end up sitting out nearly two months (if not even more time) if he doesn’t come back prior to the July 17 All-Star Game. Of course, in an ideal world for Darvish and the Cubs, he’d be representing the team in the Midsummer Classic after landing a six-year, $126MM guarantee in free agency over the winter. Instead, not only has Darvish endured multiple DL stints (one for the flu), but the 31-year-old has posted a career-worst 4.95 ERA/4.80 FIP over 40 innings when he has taken the mound.

Here’s more from the NL…

  • The Pirates activated righty Ivan Nova from the disabled list and optioned fellow righty Nick Kingham to Triple-A prior to Sunday’s game. Nova returned after a finger injury shelved him for two weeks. His presence is unfortunate for Kingham, who continued his strong rookie season Saturday with 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball in a loss to the Cubs. Overall, the 26-year-old Kingham has pitched to a 3.82 ERA with 35 strikeouts against seven walks in 35 1/3 innings (six starts).
  • Additionally, the Pirates optioned utility player Adam Frazier to make room for the addition of catcher Jacob Stallings from Triple-A. It’s a somewhat surprising demotion for Frazier, who offered league-average offensive production (.283/.347/.402) over 614 plate appearances from 2016-17 while seeing action at several positions. Frazier’s defensive versatility has continued this year, as he has lined up at second base and all three outfield spots, but his batting line has fallen to .237/.318/.356 in 152 PAs.
  • More on the Pirates, who promoted veteran infielder Jung Ho Kang from Single-A to Triple-A on Sunday, Liz Bloom of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. It’s an important development for Kang, who was a quality regular with the Bucs from 2015-16 but hasn’t played in the majors since then because of off-field problems. Kang racked up his his third DUI in his homeland of South Korea during the 2016-17 offseason, and he’s still on the restricted list as a result. Unsurprisingly, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in April that Kang is likely down to “his last chance with us.”
  • The Marlins have removed Stan Meek as their vice president of scouting, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Meek was a confidant of previous owner Jeffrey Loria, having worked under him in Montreal before following him to Florida in 2002. The Marlins’ Meek-led drafts were “disastrous” in recent years, Passan observes, though Jon Heyman of FanRag points out that he did have some hits during his tenure in Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Fernandez, Christian Yelich and J.T. Realmuto. Given that Meek is signed through next season, he could stay in the organization in a different role, Heyman writes.

Marlins Agree To Terms With First-Rounder Connor Scott

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FRIDAY: Scott will receive the slot value, MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo tweets. The team is introducing him tonight.

TUESDAY: The Marlins have agreed to terms with first-round draft selection Connor Scott, according to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. The deal will not be finalized until the completion of a physical.

Scott, a high-school outfielder and left-handed pitcher from Florida, was taken 13th overall by the Miami organization just yesterday. That choice comes with a $4,038,200 bonus allocation, but it’s not known what rate Scott has commanded in his first pro contract.

Entering the draft, the clear consensus was that Scott was a first-round talent. Major ranking outfits placed him between #17 (ESPN.com’s Keith Law; sub link) and #23 (Baseball America) among draft-eligible players. He ultimately moved up the board a bit — as did several other position players — on draft day.

Scott stands out most for his speed, but is said to possess quality tools across the board. On the whole, it seems he has the potential to be a quality regular outfielder who contributes in all aspects of the game. Of course, part of the intrigue with Scott is that there’s an alternative path to the majors if his development stalls. BA’s report notes that “some scouts prefer Scott on the mound,” though the Marlins hope he’ll reach the majors as a center fielder.

Nationals Recently “Checked In” On J.T. Realmuto

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The Nationals “checked in” on the availability of star Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto within the past couple of weeks, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports in his latest notes column, though it sounds as if little has changed since the offseason. The Marlins are still seeking a “haul” in exchange for Realmuto, which only makes sense given the 27-year-old’s brilliant start to the season. Heyman suggests that the Nats aren’t willing to meet the price at this time.

MLBTR’s Jeff Todd profiled Realmuto’s trade candidacy at length about a month ago, and Realmuto has maintained his strong play since that was written. Realmuto missed nearly a month to open the season thanks to a lower back issue, but he’s been among the game’s best-hitting catchers (if not the best-hitting catcher in the Majors) since being activated. In 179 plate appearances, he’s hitting .311/.376/.534 with six homers, 12 doubles and three triples. He’s also halted eight of 19 stolen-base attempts against him (42 percent) and turned in strong framing and blocking numbers, per Baseball Prospectus.

Given that terrific all-around profile, a modest $2.9MM salary in 2018 and an additional two years of club control beyond the current season, it’s no surprise that the Marlins were seeking a package of multiple young players headlined by an elite talent in the offseason. Reports at the time indicated that Miami was interested in both Victor Robles and meteoric rising star Juan Soto, who has shocked baseball by soaring from Class-A to the Majors in two months and raking at a .346/.443/.538 pace in his first 16 big league games — all at the age of 19. It’s hard to imagine that the asking price on Realmuto has done anything but increase.

Heyman writes that, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Nationals are currently planning to keep Soto in the Majors even when the rest of their outfield is healthy. Washington was loath to part with either Soto or Robles in a Realmuto deal this offseason, and one would have to imagine that Soto, at least, has firmly entrenched himself as an untouchable young talent in the eyes of the D.C. front office. Robles, meanwhile, has played in only four games this year due to a hyperextended elbow, but the Nats have to be dreaming of a controllable outfield anchored by that pair of exciting potential stars beginning no later than 2019.

Other clubs, too, seem likely to gauge the asking price on Realmuto as the trade deadline approaches. The Twins are without Jason Castro for the rest of the season following knee surgery, while more definitive contenders like the Rockies and Brewers have received little in the way of production from their backstops. The market will likely bear other options — Wilson Ramos chief among them — but barring another injury, Realmuto will inevitably be the prize of the trade market in terms of available catching talent. Of course, because the Marlins control him for another two seasons, they also have the luxury of holding onto him should no offers to their liking materialize. Realmuto’s trade value will scarcely diminish from July to November, and rival teams would again line up to express interest should the Marlins hang onto him and market him in the offseason.

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