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Yankees Rumors

Heyman’s Latest: Astros/Hamels, Reds, Matz, Zobrist, Ackley, Soriano

By Steve Adams | June 5, 2015 at 12:40pm CDT

In this week’s edition of his Inside Baseball column, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports begins by examining the possibility of the Astros making a run at the Phillies’ Cole Hamels. Houston is seeking a top-of-the-rotation starter, and Hamels is on their radar, Heyman hears, even though he’s something of a long shot. The Astros are seeking a No. 1 or No. 2 starter, one person told Heyman, though Houston GM Jeff Luhnow indicated they’d be interested in any arm that could start Games 1-3 of a playoff series. The Phillies are said to be intrigued by outfield prospects Preston Tucker and Brett Phillips, among others, Heyman notes. Houston won’t part with top prospect Carlos Correa or impressive rookie right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., and they’d prefer to keep righty Vincent Velasquez as well. Heyman adds that it’s uncertain whether or not Hamels would approve a trade to Houston, with one source indicating that they didn’t find the scenario likely. If Hamels were to approve the trade, he’d likely ask that his 2019 option be exercised, and the Phillies would almost certainly have to pay down some of the $24MM he is owed annually, per Heyman.

Some more highlights…

  • The Reds are currently reluctant to sell any pieces according to rivals who have reached out to the team. That may simply be due to the fact that the team is set to host the All-Star game this year and doesn’t want to begin a potential fire sale before that game. However, other execs have indicated to Heyman that owner Bob Castellini prefers to see how his big-money investments in Joey Votto and others will play out rather than commencing a rebuilding effort.
  • Both Dillon Gee and Jon Niese remain widely available, as the Mets would prefer to add promising lefty Steven Matz to their six-man rotation. One scout that spoke to Heyman said Matz is better than any pitcher in the rotation aside from Matt Harvey, which is high praise, particularly considering Jacob deGrom’s brilliant start to the season and the flashes of brilliance displayed by Noah Syndergaard.
  • The Yankees are interested in the Athletics’ Ben Zobrist as an option at second base and also still like Dustin Ackley despite his struggles with the Mariners. New York has been surprised by Jose Pirela’s troubles to this point, and they still have questions about Rob Refsnyder’s glove at second base. Heyman adds that the Yankees don’t expect to be big players on Cole Hamels this winter, and they were worried about Mark Teixeira enough this offseason that they checked in on Ryan Howard, though clearly those concerns have dissipated in light of Teixeira’s excellent resurgence.
  • The Cardinals, Blue Jays and Cubs are the three teams that Heyman mentions as most realistic options for right-hander Rafael Soriano. He calls the Cards “a surprise entry” into the Soriano mix, adding that the Jays have not given up the idea of signing him but will need to see what his price tag is now that he’s switched representatives.
  • The Mariners will probably see a need to add a veteran catcher after trading Welington Castillo to the D-Backs in order to land Mark Trumbo. Heyman spoke to someone close to the Mariners who described the team as “desperate” to add offense prior to the Trumbo deal, as they’ve received struggles from many of their outfielders and, surprisingly, Robinson Cano.
  • Red Sox higher-ups have an immense amount of respect for manager John Farrell, so while votes of confidence from ownership and executives often mean little, Heyman feels that Boston’s recent vote of confidence in Farrell has more weight behind it. However, Boston won’t be swayed by the fact that Farrell’s contract runs through 2017 if they do decide a change is needed down the line.
  • Both Dodgers right-hander Jose De Leon and Yankees shortstop Jorge Mateo have hired Scott Boras to represent them. The pair of prospects is well-regarded within each organization.
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Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets New York Yankees Newsstand Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Seattle Mariners St. Louis Cardinals Toronto Blue Jays Ben Zobrist Carlos Correa Cole Hamels Dillon Gee Dustin Ackley John Farrell Jon Niese Jose Pirela Preston Tucker Rafael Soriano Ryan Howard Steven Matz

348 comments

Yankees Outright Matt Tracy

By Steve Adams | June 4, 2015 at 8:11pm CDT

The Yankees have outrighted left-hander Matt Tracy off their 40-man roster, according to the club’s transactions page. With the move, the team’s 40-man roster stands at 38 players.

This marks the second time in 2015 that the Yankees have removed Tracy, 26, from their 40-man. Back in April, the Yankees designated Tracy for assignment and tried to get him through outright waivers, but he was claimed by the Marlins. Tracy, however, didn’t throw a pitch with the Marlins organization before being designated for assignment in Miami, and the Yankees wound up re-claiming him days later. It would seem then that the Yankees see plenty to like in Tracy but consider him a fringe option on the 40-man.

In 25 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level this season, Tracy has posted a 6.75 ERA, though he was substantially better in 2014. Last year, the former 24th-round pick worked to a combined 3.76 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 150 2/3 innings between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre.

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New York Yankees Transactions Matt Tracy

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Cashman: Yankees Seeking Right-Handed Relievers

By Steve Adams | June 4, 2015 at 4:21pm CDT

Speaking to Scott Braun and Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said today that adding a right-handed option to his current bullpen mix will be a priority over the next couple of months (SoundCloud audio link). The fact that the team’s acquisition of David Carpenter did not work out has left the Yankees with the need for another righty, Cashman explained.

“I do need to find a right-handed arm for the bullpen here at some point,” said Cashman. “We have [Andrew] Miller, [Dellin] Betances, [Justin] Wilson, [Chasen] Shreve, [Jacob] Lindgren and [Chris] Capuano, and Esmil Rogers is the long man. So really, outside of Betances, there’s only one right-handed arm out there, but he’s the long man. I’ve got a number of lefties out there in Wilson, Shreve and Lindgren that all can get righties out, and at least that’s the benefit of those guys. It’s not as much of a pressing issue, but I certainly would love to get an arm that I think Carpenter is, but just not here in New York. I think Carpenter will be that for somebody else.”

Cashman’s praise of the recently designated Carpenter would seem to suggest that he feels there’s a chance to trade the right-hander, whom he acquired alongside Shreve from the Braves this winter in exchange for Manny Banuelos. With a manageable $1.275MM salary, strong 2013-14 performances under his belt, a fastball that has remained in the mid-90s (94.9 mph average this season), and two-and-a-half years of control remaining, it does seem that the Yankees will receive trade interest in Carpenter.

The Yankees do have some options at the Triple-A level, which Cashman touched on, mentioning Diego Moreno and Nick Rumbelow, specifically. He would not, however, rule out exploring options outside the organization. “…[I]f there’s some opportunities out there somewhere else, we’ll look at those, too.”

Asked in a more general sense if the Yankees will be players for some of the bigger names on the trade market this summer, Cashman sidestepped the issue to some extent but did reveal reluctance to part with talent from the upper levels of his farm system. Cashman mentioned Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Eric Jagielo, Greg Bird and Bryan Mitchell by name when discussing some of the more appealing minor leaguers that are nearing the Majors. “It’s just harder when those guys are so close that you can see where and how they could fit with your club and potentially be performers and financial offsets to a lot of the commitments you already have,” Cashman said. “…There are certain guys GMs look at and say, ’You know what? If this player is going to fail or succeed, it’s going to be with this organization and this organization alone.’ We think some of these guys could be in that category.”

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New York Yankees David Carpenter

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AL East Notes: De Aza, Tanaka, Schultz, Rays

By Steve Adams | June 3, 2015 at 8:40pm CDT

The Red Sox swung a trade today to acquire Alejandro De Aza from the division-rival Orioles after Baltimore had designated him for assignment, and manager John Farrell explained to Joe Castiglione on the Red Sox Pregame Radio Show the thinking that went into the move. Via WEEI’s Rob Bradford, Farrell explained: “…with Daniel Nava being down, De Aza has been in that role a little bit in Baltimore where he has come off the bench. He’€™s been a little bit of a platoon player. I’€™m not saying De Aza is going to come in here and platoon in left with Hanley. But at the same time we’€™ve got a veteran, a guy who can run, a guy that can play all three outfield positions.” It remains to be seen whether or not De Aza will be a long-term piece for the Sox, but the fact that they surrendered a prospect of any kind of note — righty Joe Gunkel was the team’s No. 26 prospect this offseason, per Baseball America — seems to suggest they’re not looking at him as a mere short-term play.

Elsewhere in the AL East…

  • Masahiro Tanaka made a dominant return to the Yankees today, holding the Mariners to a run on three hits and no walks with nine strikeouts in seven innings. As George A. King III of the New York Post wrote last night, however, Tanaka will have a difficult time eliminating the specter of a possible injury that hangs around his head. King writes that the Yankees will have to hope that Tanaka can outperform the struggling CC Sabathia and inconsistent Nathan Eovaldi, because the team’s need for a starter in the event of a Tanaka injury is significant. King spoke to an NL scout who said that Tanaka looked like a No. 3 starter earlier this year, though clearly, the results from this afternoon’s start are highly encouraging for the Yankees.
  • Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star chronicles the unlikely journeys taken by right-hander Bo Schultz and first baseman/outfielder Chris Colabello to the Majors. Colabello’s story has received its share of fanfare — and rightfully so, as the longtime independent league star is an admirable picture of perseverance — but Schultz’s tale may be even more improbable. Schultz attended Northwestern University to study journalism, but he made the baseball team as a walk-on outfielder. Schultz received little playing time and quit after his freshman year, but he returned his junior year when there was a need for pitchers and his teammates recalled Schultz’s strong arm. Schultz went undrafted but signed a minor league deal with the A’s, who converted him to a submarine delivery that never panned out. A brief stint with the D-Backs didn’t take, and he’s now trying for the second time to stick in the bigs, this time with Toronto. This brief synopsis leaves out a good bit of detail, so those who are interested will want to check out the piece in its entirety.
  • Despite frequently being forced to trade away top-tier pitching due to financial constraints, the Rays continually boast one of baseball’s best pitching staffs, writes Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. Brown looks at the manner in which each member of Tampa’s core group of starters was acquired, noting that the club is adept at identifying replacements, but that the culture of the clubhouse is important in maintaining that excellence as well. Chris Archer spoke to Brown about all that he learned from David Price and James Shields before their trades, adding that he and Alex Cobb are among the pitchers who now try to mentor and pass that wisdom onto younger arms.
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Alejandro De Aza

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Yankees Designate David Carpenter

By Jeff Todd | June 3, 2015 at 1:09pm CDT

The Yankees have designated reliever David Carpenter for assignment, the club announced. The move creates roster space for the activation of Masahiro Tanaka.

Carpenter, 29, came to the Yankees from the Braves along with lefty Chasen Shreve in an offseason trade that sent Manny Banuelos to Atlanta. The righty was a very solid performer in his two years with the Braves, but has struggled thus far in pinstripes.

Over 18 2/3 innings this year, Carpenter owns a 4.82 ERA. He has struck out just 11 batters in that span — after averaging about 10 K/9 over the two seasons prior — while walking eight. On the positive side, Carpenter’s fastball velocity is still sitting right at the 95 mph mark.

All said, Carpenter figures to draw a decent bit of interest from other teams. His $1.275MM salary is manageable enough, and his track record and maintained velocity offer a more promising combination than can usually be found this time of year.

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New York Yankees Transactions David Carpenter

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AL Notes: Beltre, Tigers, Twins, Featherston

By Zachary Links and Mark Polishuk | May 31, 2015 at 10:33pm CDT

The Blue Jays’ acquisition of Josh Donaldson now appears to be one of GM Alex Anthopoulos’ better moves, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweets.  The third baseman has 15 homers and an outstanding .312/.372/.604 slash line through his first 227 plate appearances, and Donaldson’s 3.0 fWAR (entering today’s action) is topped only by Bryce Harper.  Donaldson is controlled through 2018 and looks to be a cornerstone piece for the Jays both now and in future seasons.  Here’s some more from around the American League…

  • Adrian Beltre left today’s game with a sprained left thumb and while x-rays were negative, he’ll very likely be placed on the 15-day disabled list, MLB.com’s Dave Sessions writes.  The Rangers have enough internal infield options that they aren’t likely to explore outside help unless Beltre is forced to miss an extended period of time.  The 36-year-old Beltre has been having a down season (.257/.294/.408 in 221 PA) but was still providing his customary excellent third base defense.
  • The much-maligned Tigers bullpen has become a strength for the team, Mlive.com’s James Schmehl writes.  Detroit’s relievers entered Sunday with a 2.91 ERA, the seventh-lowest bullpen ERA in baseball.  Advanced metrics (3.69 FIP, 4.07 xFIP) paint a more pessimistic view of the bullpen’s performance, yet the Tigers will happily take it after some frustrating relief breakdowns in recent years.
  • Twins GM Terry Ryan told reporters (including Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) that his team will make the sixth overall pick in the amateur draft based on talent, and won’t be scared off from taking a player due to injury concerns.  This could be a reference to Brady Aiken or Michael Matuella, two top draft prospects who recently underwent Tommy John surgery.  ESPN1500’s Darren Wolfson tweets that the Twins and other clubs recently received some new information about Aiken and that Minnesota was “very high on” Aiken last year.
  • Rule 5 Draft pick Taylor Featherston is appreciating his time in the majors as a learning experience, though as Fangraphs’ David Laurila points out, having Rule 5 status isn’t necessarily a good thing for a player’s development.  Featherston has just one hit in 33 PA with the Angels and has appeared in just 25 games for the club.  He must remain on the Halos’ Major League roster all season or else be offered back to his old club (the Rockies) for $25K.
  • Also from Laurila’s notes piece, veteran catcher Eddy Rodriguez had more or less called it a career and planning to take a year away from the game before being offered a minor league contract from the Yankees.  “When the pinstripes come calling, it’s hard to say no,” Rodriguez said.  He is already unofficially working as a player-coach and mentor at the Triple-A level and seems a lock to find a coaching job once he finally hangs up his cleats.
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Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Rule 5 Draft Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Adrian Beltre Brady Aiken Josh Donaldson

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Cafardo’s Latest: Yankees, Leake, Craig, BoSox

By Mark Polishuk | May 31, 2015 at 7:48pm CDT

While all five AL East teams have clear roster needs, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe observes that the division is so closely-packed (and overall mediocre) through two months that one team could break away from the pack simply by getting healthy and playing up to expectations, rather than by making a big trade or two.  Here are some hot stove items from Cafardo’s latest Sunday Notes column…

  • “I don’t see us making a major acquisition for a pitcher [at this time] but I’m not going to say I wouldn’t do it,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said.  As Cafardo notes, the returns of Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova could bolster the rotation, and prospect Luis Severino could also provide some late-season help.
  • Reds right-hander Mike Leake is considered by one AL scout to be able to “pitch in either league with no problem” and at the trade deadline, “there might be more action on him than any pitcher out there.”  The Reds could be looking to deal the free agent-to-be since they didn’t discuss an extension with him during the offseason.
  • Leake’s trade value may be improved by the fact that teammate Johnny Cueto and the Athletics’ Scott Kazmir (two more pending free agents) have recently been dealing with elbow and shoulder problems, respectively.  Teams will need to see a few healthy outings from both pitchers before their trade interest can be rejuvenated.
  • The Dodgers were scouting the Red Sox during their series with the Twins last week.  Cafardo notes that L.A. is looking for relief help.
  • With Matt Adams gone for possibly the entire season and the Cardinals in need of first base help, Cafardo opines that Allen Craig could be a possible trade fit.  Craig’s contract, of course, is a major obstacle, not to mention the fact that St. Louis felt comfortable dealing Craig away last summer.  Craig is hitting well at Triple-A but Cafardo writes that it might take “another two weeks of good hitting” for Craig to earn a call-up back to the Red Sox.
  • With Trevor Plouffe playing well as the Twins’ regular third baseman, Cafardo wonders if Minnesota would consider a position change for star prospect Miguel Sano.  There has already been a lot of speculation that Sano might be not be able to handle playing third over the long term, though Plouffe is also not a great defensive option.  Of greater concern for the Twins right now is Sano’s recovery from Tommy John surgery, and the early results are pretty good, as Sano is hitting .247/.346/.488 over 191 Double-A plate appearances.
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Boston Red Sox Cincinnati Reds Los Angeles Dodgers Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Oakland Athletics St. Louis Cardinals Allen Craig Johnny Cueto Miguel Sano Mike Leake Scott Kazmir

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Quick Hits: Greene, Jones, Drew, Rodriguez, Davis

By | May 30, 2015 at 10:26pm CDT

Tigers starter Shane Greene was never a highly touted prospect or big bonus guy, writes Eno Sarris of ESPN (Insider required). However, Greene’s path to the majors is an interesting story of perseverance. Greene’s father arranged a showcase for Yankee scout Jeff Deardorff. After a strong sandlot performance, the scout invited him to Tampa to throw to hitters. A week later, he was drafted by the Yankees in the 15th round. That’s the story from a high level, but it’s the details that make it interesting. The article is definitely worth a read if you have Insider access.

Here’s more from around the league to round out your Saturday evening:

  • The Yankees acquired first baseman Garrett Jones over the winter to serve as depth for oft-injured sluggers like Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. However, the aging stars have remained healthy so playing time has been scarce for Jones. With the Cardinals in need of a platoon bat to share time with Mark Reynolds, there is some pressure to trade Jones. However, Sherman wonders if the Yankees lineup could survive a Teixeira injury. Would Rodriguez also land on the disabled list if he was forced onto the field? Could Jose Pirela or Stephen Drew cover third if Chase Headley shifts to first. These are questions that GM Brian Cashman must answer before dealing Jones.
  • The Yankees have stuck with Drew despite an abysmal performance, writes Chad Jennings of LoHud. He has hit just .158/.226/.303. He continues to start despite the presence of prospect Jose Pirela on the active roster and Rob Refsnyder at Triple-A. Jennings offers five theories as to why Drew continues to play. In my opinion, they just want to get a full evaluation of Drew before deciding on Plan B.
  • The Red Sox haven’t developed a reliable pitching prospect since they called up Clay Buchholz in 2007, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Bostonians hope that Eduardo Rodriguez is the first example in a reversal of that trend. Rodriguez dominated in his debut. He threw seven-and-two-thirds innings with seven strikeouts, two walks, three hits, and no runs. The club will temporarily use a six-man rotation to give Rodriguez a second audition. It’s not hard to imagine him taking the place of Wade Miley, Rick Porcello, or Joe Kelly if they continue to struggle.
  • Brewers outfielder Khris Davis has torn the meniscus in his right-knee, tweets Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. He’ll undergo surgery on Tuesday. Davis is hitting .252/.339/.449 in 168 plate appearances. While no timetable has been announced, past meniscus surgeries have required six to eight weeks of recovery – sometimes more if there are other complicating factors. The Milwaukee lineup has been plagued by various injuries this season, only Adam Lind has been available every day.
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Boston Red Sox Detroit Tigers Milwaukee Brewers New York Yankees St. Louis Cardinals Eduardo Rodriguez Garrett Jones Jose Pirela Shane Greene Stephen Drew

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AL East Rotation Notes: Tanaka, Rodriguez, Porcello, Odorizzi

By Jeff Todd | May 30, 2015 at 9:29am CDT

The Yankees will welcome Masahiro Tanaka back into the rotation on Wednesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com tweets. It remains to be seen whether he can return yet again in top form, but at this point it’s hard to count him out. Tommy John surgery seemed inevitable, and could still be the result, yet Tanaka was excellent in his first four starts of the year before suffering the forearm strain that led to his most recent DL stint.

Here’s more on AL East starting pitching:

  • Meanwhile, the Red Sox will hand the ball to rookie Eduardo Rodriguez at least once more, as Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports on Twitter. While the club will stay with a six-man rotation for now, that certainly indicates that his audition could result in a permanent spot — no surprise after an excellent first outing in which he tossed 7 2/3 shutout innings.
  • Of course, the Red Sox rotation still has issues. Rick Porcello’s struggles are one significant concern, and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe recently explained that Porcello has shown little sign of being a top-of-the-rotation starter. Boston owes him $82.5MM over the next four years under his recent extension — not exactly “ace” money, but quite a bit — but Porcello is carrying a 5.37 ERA. The good news is that Porcello, still just 26, is producing an 8.5% swinging strike rate (on the high side for him) and has increased his velocity from last year.
  • It has been a breakout year for Jake Odorizzi of the Rays, who owns a 2.31 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .210/.248/.327 batting line. If that sounds impressive, it’s not exactly all that Odorizzi is aiming for, as Matt Stein of Sports Talk Florida reports. “That’s my mindset every time,” he said. “Starts with trying to throw a perfect game, move on to a no-hitter, shutout. Just kind of work your way down the line. That’s the mindset I take into every game to be honest with you.” There’s plenty more value for Tampa Bay to tap into, as Odorizzi had just over one year of service time entering the season. All said, it’s beginning to look like it might be time to re-weigh yet again the deal that brought Odorizzi and Wil Myers to the Rays in exchange for James Shields and Wade Davis.
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Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Eduardo Rodriguez Jake Odorizzi Masahiro Tanaka Rick Porcello

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Sanchez’s Latest: Martinez, Fox, Arroyo

By Steve Adams | May 29, 2015 at 10:09am CDT

Just over two weeks remain in the current international signing period, which will come to a close on June 15. Following that will be a roughly two-week dead period before July 2 marks the kickoff of the the 2015-16 international prospect signing period. MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez recently penned a piece looking at some changes at the top of the international signing class, and he also has a second piece centering around a particularly interesting player in the upcoming June draft. A few highlights…

  • Cuban prospects Eddy Julio Martinez and Yadier Alvarez have vaulted to the top of the upcoming July 2 class of international prospects, joining Bahamian shortstop Lucius Fox in Sanchez’s Top 3 prospects. Martinez is technically eligible to sign during the current period, Sanchez notes, though a deal would have to come together quickly in order for that to become a reality. Some scouts have made the lofty comparison of a young Andruw Jones when evaluating the 20-year-old Martinez, according to Sanchez. He lists the Cubs, Yankees, Angels, Blue Jays, Nationals, Rockies, Tigers, Dodgers, Giants, Reds and White Sox as teams that have shown interest in Martinez. It should be noted that the Angels and Yankees would only be able to sign Martinez in the current signing period, as they incurred maximum penalties in 2014-15 for soaring past their allotted bonus pool and will be unable to sign a player for more than $300K. The Cubs, on the other hand, are ineligible to sign him during this period but could do so in the 2015-16 period, as their penalty for exceeding their 2013-14 bonus pool will then have been served. The Dodgers are the favorite to sign Alvarez — Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel has previously reported that they’re believed to have an agreement worth as much as $16MM waiting to become official after July 2 — and have been aggressive on the Cuban market, adding Pablo Fernandez and Hector Olivera for a combined sum worth more than $70MM.
  • The Dodgers, Rangers, Reds, and Giants are among the teams most frequently connected to the 18-year-old Fox, Sanchez hears. McDaniel reported a little over a month ago that Fox had been declared a free agent and could sign in the upcoming period, and he’s since noted that the Cubs, Dodgers and Rangers were serious players for Fox. Fox tells Sanchez that he’s added about 15 pounds of muscle in the past year, which he feels has dramatically improved his game since appearing in the Perfect Game and East Coast Pro showcases last year. (Fox attended American Heritage High School in Florida for two years before returning home to the Bahamas and petitioned to be declared an international free agent.)
  • In the second piece linked above, Sanchez looks at the curious case of right-hander Octavio Arroyo, who was expected to be selected out of San Diego’s San Ysidro High School somewhere in rounds 15-20 in the June draft. However, Arroyo was recently deported to Tijuana, as his family incorrectly filled out his paperwork when moving him to the United States to live with his grandparents, both of whom are United States citizens. “The plan was for my grandparents to adopt me and get my paperwork, my residency,” Arroyo told Sanchez. “But I was denied. I don’t know why. I was told we filled out the paperwork wrong. We tried for three years, but I never got it.” Arroyo crossed the U.S./Mexico border multiple times while knowing that his paperwork had been rejected, and he was detained and deported in an attempt this spring. He’s still, however, eligible for the draft, but it’s uncertain whether or not he’ll be granted a work visa by the U.S. government. If no team selects him, Arroyo could sign as an undrafted free agent or sign with a Mexican League club, who could then sell his rights to a Major League team, Sanchez writes.
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2015-16 International Prospects Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers New York Yankees San Francisco Giants Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Washington Nationals Eddy Julio Martinez Lucius Fox Pablo Fernandez Yadier Alvarez

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