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Giants Place Billy Hamilton, Jarlin Garcia On Injured List

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The Giants have placed outfielder Billy Hamilton and left-hander Jarlin Garcia on the injured list, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters Thursday (Twitter link via Kerry Crowley of the San Jose Mercury News). Kapler could not specify beyond acknowledging that the moves were for “medical purposes.”

The immediate speculation will gravitate toward COVID-19, though it’s certainly possible that one or even both are dealing with other issues. Teams generally disclose injury details, but broader medical concerns that force players away from the field are often kept vague. It should also be pointed out that even when a player is placed on the COVID-19 IL, that does not necessarily indicate he has tested positive. Players can be placed on the IL after exhibiting symptoms or coming into contact with someone who has tested positive. The exact circumstances surrounding the IL placements of Hamilton and Garcia are unknown, but the hope, as always, is that both can return to the field swiftly and in good health.

Both Hamilton and Garcia are newcomers to the Giants organization. Hamilton, the longtime Reds center fielder, is among baseball’s fastest players and brings a superlative glove to a team that plays in one of the game’s most cavernous stadiums (Oracle Park). He signed a minor league deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training back in the offseason but was widely expected to win a roster spot from the early days of camp.

The 29-year-old Hamilton batted just .218/.289/.275 in 353 plate appearances between the Royals and Braves last year, but he was flat-out excellent in the field, as usual. Despite playing a career-low 826 innings in the field, Hamilton logged eight Defensive Runs Saved, a 7.9 Ultimate Zone Rating and seven Outs Above Average (per Statcast).

Garcia, meanwhile, was claimed off waivers in February. The 27-year-old was somewhat of a surprise DFA by the Marlins, as he’d pitched to a 3.02 ERA in 50 2/3 frames the prior season. Garcia’s peripheral numbers weren’t quite as pretty; he posted a 3.77 FIP and 4.74 xFIP while averaging 6.9 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9. Garcia also benefited from a .248 average on balls in play, although that’s right in line with his career mark to date. Even if there’s some regression in store down the line, he’s controllable for another four seasons, so it’s easy to see why the Giants were happy to take a risk-free flier on the southpaw.

Blue Jays Will Add Austin Martin To Player Pool

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The Blue Jays plan to add No. 5 overall draft pick Austin Martin to their 60-man player pool, per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. He’ll first need to pass through intake testing for COVID-19 before he’s able to join the club in Canada. Martin is hoping to be in Toronto this weekend, tweets TSN’s Scott Mitchell.

As polished a hitter as Martin is, it seems unlikely that he’d actually be considered as a Major League option in 2020. Still, getting in some work with the Jays coaching staff and the team’s growing young core makes plenty of sense from a developmental standpoint. Martin revealed not long after being drafted that he and Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette played on the same team when they were younger, so his arrival in Jays camp will bring about a reunion for the childhood teammates.

Martin’s ultimate position on the diamond is yet to be determined. He played all over the field at Vanderbilt, with extensive time at third base and second base. Scouting reports on him leading up to the draft also suggested that he’s equipped to handle center field at the big league level. The Jays have Bichette at shortstop and Cavan Biggio penciled in at second base, although Biggio has worked in the outfield as well. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. currently lines up at third base, but many expect him to eventually move to first base and designated hitter. That could pave a path for Martin or perhaps fellow top prospect Jordan Groshans at the hot corner. Further down the pipeline, Orelvis Martinez is quite well-regarded as an infield prospect himself, though he’s yet to play above Rookie ball.

Suffice it to say, the Jays have amassed an impressive stockpile of exciting young position players. Even if Martin won’t be expected to step into the lineup alongside Bichette, Guerrero, Biggio and others in 2020, he could still force his way into the picture in relatively quick fashion. The 21-year-old logged a .368/.474/.532 slash in his NCAA career — including a ridiculous .392/.486/.604 line in 2019 and an even better .377/.507/.660 line in 69 plate appearances before the 2020 season was shut down. Baseball America already lists Martin as the No. 16 prospect in all of baseball.

The Jays initially announced 58 players in their pool, but they’ve also had several positive COVID-19 tests, leading to several placements on the COVID-19 injured list. Such players don’t count against the player pool until they’re medically cleared to return to the team. The Jays already added four new players to their pool. It’s possible that at some point, the Jays will be over the limit and need to jettison a player via release, outright waivers, trade, etc. — but for the time being it seems they have the space to add Martin to the Summer Camp roster.

Brewers Announce 12 Additions To Player Pool

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The Brewers announced Thursday that they’ve added a dozen minor leaguers to their 60-man player pool. In addition to the previously reported addition of righty Dylan File, Milwaukee has added the following players:

Many of the prospects added today are viewed a key future pieces for the Brewers but shouldn’t be expected to contribute at the MLB level this coming season. Turang, the team’s top pick from 2018, is considered the organization’s best prospect but hasn’t above Class-A Advanced yet. Lutz, Small, Feliciano, Dillard, Bickford and Kelly have all yet to log any notable time even at the Double-A level.

The others in the bunch, though, could potentially reach the Majors for the first time in 2020. File’s quick rise through the system was already touched upon here. Perdomo, who has a strong minor league track record, tested positive for COVID-19 recently but could be a lefty option for the ’pen assuming a full recovery. Andrews, a two-way star in college who also logged some time in center field this past season, reached Double-A in 2019 and fared well (2.59 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 9.5 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 in 31 1 /3 frames).

Supak, 24, breezed through 122 2/3 innings of Double-A ball in 2019, pitching to a 2.20 ERA and 3.14 FIP with 6.7 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 0.44 HR/9 and a 44.8 percent ground-ball rate before struggling in a much briefer run in Triple-A (30 innings). He could be a multi-inning relief piece or make some starts should the need arise. Supak’s 152 2/3 total innings last year were the 13th-most of any pitcher in minor league baseball.

As for Ray, the Brewers have had high hopes for him since selecting him with the No. 5 pick back in 2016. He’s coming off a brutal 2019 season but posted a 124 wRC+ in Double-A a season prior, hitting .239/.323/.477. Strikeouts are a significant issue for Ray, who has whiffed in 29.7 percent of his professional plate appearances (including an alarming 36.6 percent clip in 2019). But Ray also belted 27 homers in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting in 2018 — a season that also saw him swipe 37 bases. The contact issues probably aren’t going to improve dramatically, but there’s still some intrigue surrounding someone with that blend of power and speed — particularly when they can play any of the three outfield slots.

With today’s moves now set, the Brewers have filled 58 of the 60 possible slots in their 2020 player pool. Team can still make additions once all 60 spots are filled, but doing so requires removing a current player via a transaction (e.g. trade, release, outright waivers).

Padres’ Jose Castillo Likely Out Six Weeks

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Padres left-hander Jose Castillo will miss roughly six weeks after being diagnosed with a teres major strain, manager Jayce Tingler told reporters Thursday (Twitter link via Dennis Lin of The Athletic). The 24-year-old southpaw exited Wednesday’s intrasquad game with what the team initially termed a possible lat injury.

It’ll be the second straight season with a notable injury for Castillo, who was limited to 8 2/3 innings between Triple-A and the Majors last year. He opened the 2019 season on the IL due to a flexor strain and suffered a torn ligament in his hand in his first and only big league appearance last year.

The six-week absence could sideline Castillo for nearly half the truncated 2020 season, and Tingler acknowledged that it might take him out of the 2020 equation entirely. “We’re going to need some breaks for him to return to play this year,” the manager said. “We’re going to stay optimistic.”

Castillo, acquired from the Rays in the three-team blockbuster that sent Wil Myers to San Diego and Trea Turner to D.C., was excellent in his 2018 debut campaign. After pitching to a combined 2.05 ERA in 26 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he got the call to the big leagues and worked to a 3.29 ERA with a 52-to-12 K/BB ratio in 38 1/3 frames for the Padres. Armed with a fastball that averages 95 mph and a slider that has befuddled left- and right-handed hitters alike, Castillo generated a hearty 14 percent swinging-strike rate that season and looked to be on his way to establishing himself as a quality long-term piece in the Friars’ relief corps.

That may still prove to be the case, but it’s hard not to have some degree of concern with the arm injuries that have already begun to pile up for the promising young lefty. Drew Pomeranz, Matt Strahm, Adrian Morejon and likely fifth starter Joey Lucchesi are the only other southpaws on the Padres’ 40-man roster, although the team’s 60-man player pool includes non-roster a trio of lefties: Joey Cantillo, 2018 first-round pick Ryan Weathers and uber-prospect MacKenzie Gore, who could eventually push for a spot in the rotation in 2020.

MLB Announces 2021 Schedule

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In what amounts to a statement of optimism, Major League Baseball has decided to announce the schedule for the 2021 season much earlier than is usual — and before the current campaign has even begun. Each team’s Twitter account has provided the relevant schedule, for those that want a closer look.

The plan is for Opening Day to take place on April 1st, with every team launching play on the same day. The regular season would run through October 3rd, assuming no interruptions.

As you’d expect, the 2020 season’s unusual scheduling provisions are going to be a one-time approach. The typical breakdown of games will be utilized in 2021. Interleague play will be geographic, with the respective East, Central, and West divisions playing one another.

There’s no indication as of yet as to what kind of attendance expectations the league has. Needless to say, that will depend upon quite a few as-yet-unknown developments in the interim.

Braves Add Bryce Ball To Player Pool

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The Braves have added first base prospect Bryce Ball to their 60-man player pool, per a club announcement. David Lee of bravesprospects.com first reported the news.

While Ball was just a 24th-round pick a year ago, he did nothing but produce in his first action as a minor leaguer. Across a combined 263 plate appearances between the rookie and Single-A levels, the 22-year-old put together a video game-like line of .329/.395/.628 with 17 home runs. Ball now ranks as one of the Braves’ 30 best prospects at Baseball America (No. 16), MLB.com (21) and FanGraphs (22). BA calls Ball the top power hitter in the team’s farm system and writes that he as a chance to wind up as “a late-round steal.”

Considering Ball has so little minor league experience, it seems unlikely he’ll get to the majors this year. Of course, that’s if health issues don’t take a toll on too many hitters ahead of him in the Braves’ 60-man pecking order. They’ve been without one of their top players, fellow first baseman Freddie Freeman, who tested positive for the coronavirus last week. And outfielder Nick Markakis opted out of the season a few days ago because of COVID-related concerns.

Adalberto Mondesi Reports Full Shoulder Recovery

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If there’s a single MLB player whose own development could most shape the near-term future of the Royals, it’s probably uber-talented infielder Adalberto Mondesi. Fortunately, he now appears to be fully recovered from a somewhat worrisome shoulder procedure, as MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan reports.

When last we checked in on Mondesi, before the pandemic pause, his return to competitive action was delayed by some ongoing soreness. That wasn’t gravely concerning in and of itself, but did highlight the remaining uncertainty.

The forced pause appears to have afforded a window of rest and recuperation. As Mondesi closes in on his 25th birthday, he says he’s “just normal again” when it comes to the health of his left shoulder joint.

Mondesi had remained in Kansas City over the offseason to work through the careful rehab he required. But he returned to his native Dominican Republic after Spring Training was halted. He says he stuck with his work there while doing only limited hitting, setting himself up to return at full speed.

Now Mondesi says he’s “just really happy to be back on the field and I feel great.” That’s fantastic news for him, as he’s looking to set the stage for a first trip through arbitration in the 2020-21 offseason. And it’s most welcome also for a team that is hoping Mondesi can emerge as a core superstar to lead another window of contention.

Daniel Norris Away From Camp Due To Coronavirus Protocols

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11:41am: Norris has tested positive, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.

10:39am: Tigers lefty Daniel Norris is away from Summer Camp pursuant to the coronavirus protocols, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports on Twitter. It is not clear whether he has personally tested positive for an infection.

The good news here is that Norris indicates he’s not presently experiencing any deleterious side effects. The southpaw adds that he’s at full strength otherwise.

Even if Norris has not contracted the virus or does not experience symptoms, he’ll have to wait a while before returning to camp. He will have to register negative for COVID-19 on two consecutive tests.

Norris, 27, remains an interesting and uncertain part of the picture for the Tigers. He threw 144 1/3 innings of 4.49 ERA ball last year, compiling 7.8 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9, a 42.6% groundball rate, and 1.56 homers allowed per nine innings. The results and the peripherals suggested that Norris performed as a back-of-the-rotation starter — a useful player, but perhaps not what once seemed possible for the former to prospect.

Royals Sign Oscar Hernandez

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The Royals announced that they have signed backstop Oscar Hernandez. He’ll receive an invitation to participate in Summer Camp.

Hernandez, 26, was cut loose recently by the Cardinals. He’s trying to find his way back to the majors for the first time since 2016.

The Diamondbacks carried Hernandez in the majors in order to secure his rights through the Rule 5 draft. But the effort was for naught. Hernandez has simply not yet developed as a hitter, carrying a sub-.600 OPS in the upper minors.

Giants GM Scott Harris On 2020 Outlook, Mid-Season Trades

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Giants GM Scott Harris put to rest any doubts as to whether the Giants are looking at the 2020 season as an opportunity to compete, as Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. He rejected any idea that the club is looking to the mid-season trade period as merely a chance to move some veteran players.

It remains to be seen, of course, just what kind of transactional action we’ll see in the midst of an unusual and truncated campaign. Harris’s boss, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, has already predicted less player movement.

Whatever the landscape looks like, Harris says, the Giants hope — and even expect — not to be on the sell side. The 2020 sprint is in effect an unprecedented chance for “fast-forwarding to July 23 with a guarantee that the team would be tied for first place,” Harris says.

Under the circumstances, the Giants are looking for ways to take advantage of their competitive position. Per Harris:

“It’s paramount that we get off to a fast start, because if we get off to a fast start the trade deadline is only a few weeks away and we have the opportunity through transactions to turn some of our weaknesses into strengths. Farhan and I are certainly going to be eager to do that if the opportunity presents itself.”

Harris certainly sounds committed to the possibility of a surprise run, citing “a shot to win the division” and a shared determination within the organization “to prove a lot of people wrong out there.” Even in a short-season format, quite a few things will have to go right for the San Francisco organization to topple the powerhouse Dodgers or even to snag a Wild Card. But the potential for surprise will certainly add to the intrigue of the 2020 season.

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