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Marlins Select Tyler Kinley, Peter O’Brien

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The Marlins announced Tuesday that they’ve selected the contracts of right-hander Tyler Kinley and first baseman/outfielder Peter O’Brien from Triple-A New Orleans. Veteran infielder Martin Prado and first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper were each transferred to the 60-day DL in order to clear space on the 40-man roster.

This promotion will mark the Marlins debut for Kinley, whom the Marlins selected in the 16th round of the 2013 draft, but it won’t be his big league debut. Kinley, 27, was selected by the Twins in last December’s Rule 5 Draft and broke camp in Minnesota, though he lasted just 3 1/3 innings before being cut loose. The righty has big-time velocity, averaging 96 mph on his heater and reaching triple digits at times, but as is so often the case, control has been an issue for him. Kinley averaged five walks per nine innings pitched in New Orleans this season, though a 12.6 K/9 mark helped him to mitigate some of the damage.

In 3 1/3 innings with the Twins this season, Kinley was clobbered for nine runs on nine hits and four walks with four strikeouts. In his 40 Triple-A frames, though, he posted a much better 2.93 ERA despite his struggles to locate the ball effectively.

O’Brien, meanwhile, came to the Marlins from the Dodgers (in exchange for cash) back in a minor June swap. He wasn’t hitting his weight with the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate (.150/.241/.390), but he’s righted the ship with the Miami organization. In 174 PAs with the Marlins’ Double-A affiliate, O’Brien hit .215/.345/.514, and he’s currently hitting .277/.385/.598 through 135 Triple-A PAs in his new organization. O’Brien still strikes out far too much, but he’s dropped his strikeout rate from a ghastly 39.3 percent in the Dodgers organization to 28.9 percent since the trade.

This won’t be O’Brien’s first look in the Majors. Back in 2014, the D-backs actually traded Prado to the Yankees in order to acquire O’Brien, betting on his considerable raw power in spite of some pronounced defensive question marks. The uncertainty surrounding O’Brien’s glovework — he was a catcher at the time of that trade — proved valid, as he’s since spent time at first base and in the outfield corners. He’s yet to produce in the Majors and has struggled in the upper minors in recent seasons as well, but his run with Miami has been his most encouraging showing at any level since his 2015 season with Arizona’s top minor league affiliate.

Beyond those moves, the Marlins also announced that both Jarlin Garcia and Elieser Hernandez were activated from the 10-day disabled list. Additionally, infielder/outfielder Christopher Bostick was recalled from New Orleans, though each of that trio was already on the 40-man roster.

Padres To Promote Francisco Mejia

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The Padres are set to promote top prospect Francisco Mejia from Triple-A El Paso, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic (Twitter link). MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell adds that while Mejia could eventually be shifted back and forth between catching and the outfield, he’s been catching in El Paso this season and will be used as a catcher in the month of September with the Padres.

Mejia, 22, was the lone prospect traded from Cleveland to San Diego in the July deal that sent both Brad Hand and Adam Cimber to the Indians. He’s long rated as one of the game’s top overall prospects and entered the 2018 campaign as a consensus top 20 all-around minor leaguer. While he had a solid but unspectacular run with the Indians’ Triple-A affiliate this season, he’s exploded for a .328/.364/.582 slash with seven homes, eight doubles and a triple in just 132 PAs with the Padres’ top affiliate since the trade.

The arrival of Mejia in San Diego will give the Padres a pair of catchers who were highly touted as prospects, though certainly Austin Hedges’ bat remains a work in progress. Hedges has improve upon last year’s overall production but is still hitting just .239/.292/.422 through 271 trips to the plate in 2018. Hedges is regarded as a premier defender behind the dish, though, even if his 22 percent caught-stealing rate is uncharacteristically low in 2018. The 26-year-old ranks as one of the game’s better pitch framers and sits 10th among MLB catchers in Baseball Prospectus’ Fielding Runs Above Average this season, even in spite of his unusual throwing troubles.

The San Diego front office likely views the presence of both Hedges and Mejia as a good problem to have. Neither will be expensive in 2019. Mejia, of course, will be a pre-arbitration player while Hedges will receive a small but notable bump in pay as a Super Two player in arbitration. It’s possible that the pair could shoulder the bulk of the Padres’ work behind the plate for years to come, with Hedges serving as a glove-first option with power but middling OBP skills, while Mejia provides a bat-first option with a terrific arm but a lesser all-around defensive reputation.

Mejia does already have a slight bit of MLB experience under his belt, having logged 12 games with the Indians from 2017-18 (just one this year). He’s totaled just over a month of big league service time and will finish out the season with roughly 60 days of big league service. That’ll keep him from reaching Super Two status in arbitration if he’s in the big leagues to stay. Currently, he projects to reach arbitration eligibility following the 2021 season, and he’d reach the open market as a free agent following the 2024 season. Further time spent in the minors could yet push that trajectory back, but it appears that he’ll be given the opportunity to prove that he’s learned all he has to learn at the minor league level.

Blue Jays Select Jonathan Davis, Designate Mike Hauschild

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The Blue Jays announced today that they have selected the contract of outfielder Jonathan Davis. In a corresponding move, righty Mike Hauschild was designated for assignment.

In other promotions, the club has called up outfielder Dwight Smith Jr., infielder Richard Urena, and first baseman Rowdy Tellez. All were already on the 40-man roster, so no further moves were needed.

Davis, a 15th-round pick in the 2013 draft, will get his first promotion after turning in mixed results in the upper minors. Though he had an impress showing at Double-A, Davis has only managed a .249/.308/.389 slash in his 202 plate appearances at the highest level of the minors. He did, however, turn in his third-straight minor-league season with at least ten home runs and twenty steals.

As for the 28-year-old Hauschild, he has seen limited MLB action over the past two seasons. At Triple-A this year, with the Houston and Toronto organizations, he has worked to a cumulative 4.90 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 over 119 1/3 innings.

Nationals Outright Tommy Milone, Promote Victor Robles, Activate Joe Ross

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The Nationals announced today that they have outrighted lefty Tommy Milone after activating him from the 10-day disabled list. That move opened a roster spot for the team’s promotion of righty Kyle McGowin, as had been expected.

In addition to McGowin, the Nats will call up outfielder Victor Robles, infielder Adrian Sanchez, and righty Austin Voth. Notably, too, the organization has activated righties Joe Ross and Erick Fedde from the DL.

It’s not terribly surprising to learn that Milone’s roster spot was put to use in another way. The 31-year-old returned to the organization with which he got his start, but functioned as a depth piece. He ended up throwing 26 1/3 innings of 5.81 ERA ball, with 23 strikeouts and only a single walk, in the majors. Milone will have the right to elect free agency now or at season’s end.

While it’s obviously quite common to see a few younger players filter up to the majors at this point in the season, the Nats have some fairly notable names moving onto the MLB roster. In particular, Robles is returning after missing a big chunk of the season due to injury. He could be an important part of the outfield picture next year.

Of arguably greater importance, as concerns the organization’s offseason plans, is the return of Ross and Fedde. The former underwent Tommy John surgery last July, while the latter had been sidelined by shoulder problems. It’s clear the Nats will be looking for starters over the coming winter, but the showing of this pair could help dictate how many and what level of arms are pursued.

Pirates Promote Kevin Kramer, Designate Buddy Boshers

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The Pirates announced several September call-ups today, designating lefty Buddy Boshers to create roster space. Pittsburgh selected the contract of well-regarded middle-infield prospect Kevin Kramer along with that of journeyman catcher Ryan Lavarnway.

Also heading up to the majors are a series of players who already possessed 40-man roster spots. Righties Tanner Anderson, Michael Feliz, and Clay Holmes will all join the organization for the stretch run, as will outfielder Jordan Luplow.

Kramer will join Kevin Newman, another talented young infielder seen as part of the future, on the MLB roster. Chosen in the second round of the 2015 draft, Kramer is viewed as a solid all-around player. Certainly, he has impressed in the upper minors in the past two seasons, turning in identical 141 wRC+ figures in an injury-shortened 2017 at Double-A and in a full campaign this year at Triple-A.

In his 527 plate appearances with Indianapolis in 2018, Kramer owns a .311/.365/.492 slash with 15 home runs and 13 steals. He has spent some time at shortstop in the minors, but the bulk of his innings of come at second base and that’s where he’s expected to play in the big leagues.

As for Boshers, the 30-year-old southpaw has seen time in three MLB seasons but didn’t make it up in 2018. He has worked to a 3.32 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in his 57 frames at Triple-A, with time spent at both the Bucs’ and Astros’ top affiliates.

White Sox Select Jose Ruiz, Outright Matt Skole

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The White Sox announced today that they have selected the contract of righty Jose Ruiz. To open a 40-man spot, the club outrighted infielder Matt Skole to Triple-A.

The move on Ruiz is one that the team announced yesterday, so it comes as no surprise. Of course, the exciting news for him was overshadowed by the team’s decision not to promote top-rated prospect Eloy Jimenez.

As for Skole, 29, he received his first MLB call-up and performed well in four games. But the corner infielder didn’t hit all that much at Triple-A, turning in a .237/.336/.404 slash in five hundred trips to the plate at Charlotte.

Francisco Mejia Drops Lawsuit Against Big League Advance

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Padres prospect Francisco Mejia has dropped his lawsuit against the prospect investment firm known as Big League Advance, as ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick recently reported. He had filed suit in April seeking to be released from his contractual relationship with BLA.

Mejia, who is considered a top-flight prospect, was dealt from the Indians to the Padres over the summer. He has seen only brief MLB time, and hasn’t yet cracked the big leagues with the Friars, but has turned in a strong .293/.338/.471 hitting performance at the Triple-A level this season.

Accordingly, Mejia still hasn’t earned much money in the majors but could well turn into a high-dollar player. With the end of this litigation, Big League Advance stands to receive a ten-percent cut of Mejia’s MLB earnings — the amount that the sides had evidently agreed upon in a series of contracts. To achieve that interest in Mejia’s future, BLA provided him a total of $360K while he was playing in the low minors.

Whatever one thinks of the business model, former MLB hurler and BLA CEO Michael Schwimer undeniably comes away from this episode with a clear win. Mejia not only disclaimed his prior accusations in his statement, but apologized to and even issued a glowing endorsement of Big League Advance.

Had this lawsuit been meritorious, it might have posed some problems for BLA’s burgeoning business. Instead, the outfit will not only continue to draw a piece of the salary of contracted players who are already in the majors, but will perhaps increasingly factor in the ever-evolving transactional landscape.

As ever, most minor-leaguers play on meager incomes. While some achieve major bonuses at the outset of their careers, the majority get by without the benefit of significant up-front cash. Though early-career extensions increasingly represent a potential source of relatively early-in-time income, that’s a route that’s only available to the highest-regarded talent and that also means sacrificing earning upside.

Given those factors, it is not difficult to see how BLA might occupy some of the space here. Indeed, so long as the business is fairly operated, it may function in effect to spread the benefits of MLB earnings to many young players, only some of whom will achieve the full and final promise of millions in salary, without capping any individual player’s future earning capacity. (Needless to say, a sizeable chunk of change will also be expected to flow to BLA and its investors.)

There are many ways in which this approach could impact the broader market, too, if BLA (and, potentially, competitors) increasingly provide up-front money to pre-MLB players. It’s also a somewhat murky and potentially complicated contractual situation to introduce, particularly if a player’s interests ultimately fall out of alignment with the financial priorities of BLA. Needless to say, it’s a fascinating new realm to keep an eye on.

Reds Select Tim Federowicz, Gabby Guerrero

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The Reds announced today that they have selected the contracts of catcher Tim Federowicz and outfielder Gabby Guerrero. To create 40-man space, the organization recalled righty Keury Mella and placed him on the 60-day DL.

That pair of newcomers to the MLB roster will be joined by righty Tyler Mahle. The well-regarded young hurler has already spent most of the season in the majors, of course.

Federowicz joined the Reds earlier this year on a minors pact after he was cut loose from the Astros. The 31-year-old will now have seen time with five MLB clubs over parts of seven seasons. Though he hasn’t hit all that well thus far at the Triple-A level in the Cincinnati organization, and is a marginal hitter in his limited experience at the game’s highest level, Federowicz will provide some welcome catching depth down the stretch. He’ll be eligible for arbitration at season’s end, though it stands to reason that he’ll be allowed to test the open market.

As for Guerrero, he originally came to the Cincinnati organization on a waiver claim, then was non-tendered and re-signed in the winter of 2016. Today’s news means that he’ll beat his cousin, elite Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., to the big leagues. Of course, Gabby is now 24 years of age, so he had more than a five-year head start. He earned his way up after a solid year in the upper minors, during which he slashed .293/.328/.474 with 19 home runs in 539 plate appearances.

Ryan Howard Announces Retirement

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Long-time MLB slugger Ryan Howard announced in a post today at The Player’s Tribune that he is retiring from the game of baseball. Howard had not played during the 2018 season, but also had not formally hung up his spikes.

Howard will finish out his big-league playing tenure having logged time in 13 seasons, all of them with the Phillies. Though he spent time with the Rockies and Braves organizations last year, Howard’s final MLB showing came in 2016 with Philadelphia.

It’s perhaps too easy to forget now that Howard was once one of the game’s most productive power hitters. He was voted the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 2005 and its Most Valuable Player in 2006, emerging alongside players such as Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Cole Hamels to form a core that would soon take the game by storm.

As it turned out, the fate of the Phillies was tied closely to that of its first baseman. Howard finished in the top-ten of MVP voting in every one of the five ensuing seasons, 2007 through 2011, helping to drive the club’s five-year run of NL East titles.

Though the 2008 World Series win represents the crowning achievement of that era of Phillies baseball, the 2011 club actually turned in the most impressive regular-season performance with an excellent 102-60 record. That great team was bounced in stunning fashion from the postseason, though, with Howard making the final out of the NLDS on a play in which he tore his left Achilles tendon.

As went Howard, so went the Phillies; neither was the same from that point forward. The once-feared slugger posted a .226/.292/.427 batting line over the next five seasons. The club played a cumulative 88 games under .500 in the same span.

Of course, the relationship might have ended much sooner had it not been for the fact that Howard signed a five-year, $125MM extension at the start of the 2010 season — an agreement we examined at length after its conclusion. As I explained in that post, the cracks in Howard’s game may not have been obvious at the time of the deal, but began to show not long after.

Mostly, of course, the contract represented a combination of partially but not completely related failures: then-GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies’ brass did not accurately project Howard’s future and the big man’s body did not hold up. There was some tension later in his tenure with the team, though ultimately he played out his contract and bowed out after some nice moments to wrap things up in Philadelphia.

While the club did not achieve value on that contract, it certainly made out quite well overall on a player who came to the organization as a fifth-round pick in the 2001 draft. And Howard expressed fond memories in his farewell statement, which is well worth a full read. MLBTR wishes him all the best in his future endeavors.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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