International Notes: Diamondbacks, La O, Gutierrez
The D-backs made a minor international move today, as MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports, signing 18-year-old Mexican right-hander Edgar Martinez for an undisclosed bonus. While the exact amount given to Martinez isn’t known, the signing bonus is required to come in at $300K or less, as the D-backs are barred from signing international amateurs for more than that figure during this signing period and the 2016-17 international signing period as a result of their spending in the 2014-15 signing period. The addition of Martinez could be a sign of things to come, Sanchez writes, as Arizona is making an effort to increase its presence in Mexico. The D-backs introduced three new employees at a press conference in Mexico last month with an eye toward acquiring more Mexican talent in the future. “We naturally want to have a presence down there, not only from a marketing standpoint, but from a scouting perspective,” CEO Derrick Hall explained to Sanchez. “For me, the priority is to find and develop a top talent from Mexico.”
A couple of more notes on some more prominent international free agents…
- Free agent third baseman Luis Yander La O has signed with the Legacy Agency, tweets Sanchez. The 24-year-old, who is exempt from international bonus pools, is exploring the market and preparing for a possible showcase, Sanchez notes. MLB declared La O a free agent a month ago, and Baseball America’s Ben Badler has previously written that La O is nearly MLB-ready. La O doesn’t possess much power but had an extraordinarily low strikeout rate in Cuba (five percent) and is said to be an above-average defender at third base that can handle second base as well.
- Sanchez also reported yesterday that right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez is also being repped by Legacy after signing on with the agency recently (Twitter link). Gutierrez is “on track” to host a showcase sometime next month, Sanchez adds. Gutierrez has been a free agent since last July, but there’s been very little talk about the talented right-hander since that time. When he was declared a free agent, Badler noted that some scouts preferred Gutierrez’s overall package to that of $16MM Dodgers right-hander Yadier Alvarez. The 20-year-old Gutierrez is subject to bonus pools and is currently the top-ranked unsigned amateur on Sanchez’s rankings at MLB.com (No. 2 overall). Sanchez notes that Gutierrez has a low-90s fastball and plus curveball in his scouting report.
AL Central Notes: Perez, Infante, Indians, Anibal, Rodon
Extension talks between the Royals and Salvador Perez are ongoing, writes Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. According to Mellinger, the team has an openness to working something out that hasn’t necessarily been present in the past. For his part, Perez expressed to Mellinger a desire to follow the path of George Brett and Alex Gordon, spending his entire career in the Royals organization. Perez feels a sense of loyalty to the club that gave him the chance to break into the big leagues, but his agent, Rafa Nieves of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, explained to Mellinger that it’ll be hard to offer much of a discount. “He left so much on the table in his present deal,” said Nieves of the five-year, $7MM deal (with three club options) brokered by Perez’s former agents. “He can’t afford to leave a lot more on the table in his next deal. So that’s where we’re at.” Mellinger notes that a rival executive expressed some disbelief that a small-market club could be willing to renegotiate a contract that favors the club so heavily.
Indeed, Jeff Todd and I have noted multiple times on the MLBTR Podcast that there’s significant risk for the Royals, who control Perez through 2019 at a total of $16.75MM via those club options. Perez is one of the largest catchers in baseball, and considering his enormous workload behind the plate (137 games caught, on average, per season from 2013-15), locking in Perez’s 2020 salary four years in advance is a tremendous risk, as there’s no way of definitively knowing how his body will hold up.
Here’s more from the AL Central…
- Royals second baseman Omar Infante could miss some time early this spring as he recovers from offseason surgery that removed bone spurs from his right elbow, writes the Star’s Blair Kerkhoff. Infante is taking batting practice but isn’t throwing to bases at this point, per manager Ned Yost. As Kerkhoff notes, Infante will be in a battle for the regular second base job this offseason — far from the outcome for which the club had hoped when signing him to a four-year, $30.25MM deal. Infante lost the second base job to Ben Zobrist this past July and will have to beat out Christian Colon for the job in 2016. In his first two years with Kansas City, Infante has batted .238/.268/.329.
- Young third baseman Giovanny Urshela could be ticketed for Triple-A in 2016 following the Indians‘ agreement with Juan Uribe on a one-year deal, writes MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. However, Urshela is currently in a holding pattern as Uribe works through visa issues that have delayed his arrival in the United States and, subsequently, his physical exam with Cleveland. Urshela batted just .225/.279/.330 in 288 plate appearances with Cleveland last season, but he drew strong marks for his glovework and has batted .275/.326/.473 in 514 PAs at the Triple-A level. Manager Terry Francona says he’s already spoken with Urshela about the way in which the Uribe deal could impact him, though Francona declined to get into specifics, as Uribe’s deal hasn’t been finalized.
- Anibal Sanchez underwent an MRI this week after experiencing discomfort in his triceps during a mound session on Monday, writes MLB.com’s Jason Beck. However, the Tigers right-hander was relieved to learn that the MRI revealed only inflammation and that the injury isn’t tied to the rotator cuff issue that cost him the final seven weeks of the 2015 season. Various injuries have landed Sanchez on the DL in each of the past three seasons, Beck notes.
- In searching for comparables for White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon, Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs found that Rodon’s slider bears a striking resemblance to that of Clayton Kershaw in terms of velocity, horizontal movement and vertical movement. That, of course, doesn’t mean that Rodon is on the cusp of becoming the best pitcher in baseball, but it offers a glimpse into the upside that he carries if he can improve his fastball and changeup. Alternatively, Sullivan found that the entirety of Rodon’s arsenal looks very similar to that of Francisco Liriano when looking the pair’s arsenals through the lens of PITCHf/x values. Sullivan concludes that Liriano is a more accessible upside for Rodon if he can make improvements to his changeup in the coming season, noting that Rodon will serve as somewhat of an X-factor in what should be a tightly contested AL Central division.
Indians Sign Will Venable To Minor League Deal
3:45pm: Venable has passed his physical, and GM Mike Chernoff has confirmed the deal, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. In his column below, Meisel notes that Venable and Chernoff were teammates in their college days at Princeton.
12:40pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that Venable will receive a $1.5MM base salary and can earn up to $2MM worth of performance bonuses (Twitter link).
9:30am: Venable will take a physical with the Indians today, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets. Via Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com, Venable will receive a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite.
7:46am: Outfielder Will Venable will be in camp with the Indians today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes (Twitter links). That suggests that player and team have agreed to terms on a contract of some sort, although Rosenthal does not say that specifically. Venable is a client of Turner Gary Sports.
The Indians can use the outfield depth Venable will provide, particularly with Michael Brantley dealing with a shoulder injury. Brantley hopes to be ready in time for Opening Day, but if not, Venable could give the team a left-handed hitter to pair with Rajai Davis in left field until Brantley returns to the lineup.
The 33-year-old Venable hit .244/.320/.350 in 390 plate appearances in 2015, hitting passably in San Diego and then fading down the stretch after an August trade to the Rangers. His power output has faded since a 22-homer outburst with the Padres in 2013, although he maintains decent value due to his baserunning (he had 16 steals in 2015 while only being caught once) and his ability to play all three outfield positions. The longtime Padre has a career .251/.317/.406 line in parts of eight big-league seasons.
Indians’ Abraham Almonte Suspended 80 Games For Failed PED Test
The Indians announced today that center fielder Abraham Almonte has received an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball after testing positive for a banned substance (Boldenone, per a statement from MLB).
While he’s far from a household name, Almonte quietly enjoyed a strong 51-game run with the Indians this past season after being acquired from the Padres in exchange for left-hander Marc Rzepczynski. The switch-hitter batted .264/.321/.455 across 196 plate appearances with Cleveland, adding five homers, six steals and quality defensive contributions. He had been projected to get the bulk of the club’s playing time in center field.
For Cleveland, the loss of Almonte for half of the regular season further thins out what was already a questionable outfield picture. The Indians did reportedly bring veteran outfielder Will Venable into camp on a minor league deal today, but the team’s outfield depth chart is still perilously thin. Michael Brantley figures to begin the season on the disabled list, leaving the Indians with Rajai Davis, Collin Cowgill and Lonnie Chisenhall as its primary options on the 40-man roster (plus Venable and fellow non-roster invitees Shane Robinson, Michael Choice and Robbie Grossman).
The Indians have recently been tied to Austin Jackson but were said recently to be done spending on Major League free agents with their payroll nearly maxed out. Almonte’s suspension won’t provide Cleveland with any sort of financial relief, as he is not yet arbitration-eligible, but one has to wonder whether his absence will motivate the team to take some action on the free agent market. Jackson is the top name available, though other outfield options that have yet to sign include David Murphy, David DeJesus, Marlon Byrd, Alex Rios and former Indians cornerstone Grady Sizemore.
AL West Notes: Cano, Hamilton, Rangers, Astros
Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano spoke to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times and refuted a report from earlier this offseason which cited a source “close to Cano” that said his preference was to return to the Yankees because he was unhappy in Seattle. “I never said that,” Cano explained. “I don’t know where they find it. They always say the source or friend. … I will tell you guys, I’m happy to be here and happy to get my chance here to be able to play to the end of my career and have fun with the guys and a city that has treated me so nice.” Cano added that he feels “98 percent” after undergoing surgery to repair two hernias that plagued him over the final months of the 2015 season. Cano is swinging a bat without pain and is able to run as well. “There are days the doctor said you’ll wake up and feel some tightness,” said Cano. “That is part of the process.”
More from the AL West…
- While many Rangers fans are somewhat panicked about the club’s left field situation, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reminds that Texas is in a considerably better spot with regards to left field than it was a year ago at this time. The Rangers entered Spring Training with a wide-open competition in left field last season, but Josh Hamilton “should be back by May 1,” and the Rangers have a solid platoon option in the form of Justin Ruggiano on the roster to help lighten his load. Texas also has a healthy Ryan Rua and non-roster invitee Drew Stubbs as options in left, and top prospects Lewis Brinson and Nomar Mazara are closer to the Majors than they were a year ago. Either of the two could conceivably become an option down the line.
- In a separate piece yesterday, Grant reported that the Rangers have spoken to the agents for David Murphy and Austin Jackson, though that was before the club added Stubbs on a minor league deal this morning.
- The Astros enter camp with six starting pitchers but only five rotation spots, writes Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle in a column highlighting their crowded rotation and bullpen scenes. Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers, Collin McHugh, Doug Fister, Mike Fiers and Scott Feldman already make for somewhat of a logjam, but the bullpen doesn’t offer many open spots, either. Ken Giles, Luke Gregerson, Pat Neshek, Tony Sipp, Will Harris and Josh Fields all appear to have short relief spots locked down, leaving one spot for a disposed starter and other candidates like Brad Peacock, Dan Straily and Asher Wojciechowski. As Drellich points out, Straily is out of minor league options, so he’d need to be exposed to waivers before the team could send him to Triple-A.
Dombrowski’s Contract With Red Sox Is Five-Year Deal
It’s been a little more than six months since the Red Sox announced the hiring of Dave Dombrowski as their new president of baseball operations, but the length of his contract was not previously announced or reported. Dombrowski took care of that fact himself today, telling reporters at Red Sox camp in Ft. Myers, Fla., that he signed a five-year contract with Boston (Twitter link via the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.)
The length of Dombrowski’s contract is on par with what highly respected peers such as Theo Epstein (Cubs) and Andrew Friedman (Dodgers) received when signing on as presidents of baseball operations with their new clubs in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Even some rookie GMs have secured five-year pacts over the past 18 months; A.J. Preller’s deal with the Padres was reported to be a five-year deal when he was hired in August of 2014, and Dombrowski’s successor in Detroit, Al Avila, is also said to have received a five-year deal to take the reins for the Tigers.
Dombrowski wasted little time in meeting the widespread expectation that he would significantly alter the fabric of the Red Sox franchise. His most notable offseason transactions included signing David Price to a seven-year, $217MM contract (with an opt-out clause after 2018), trading four prospects (Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Logan Allen and Carlos Asuaje) for Craig Kimbrel, swapping Wade Miley and Jonathan Aro for Carson Smith and Roenis Elias of the Mariners, adding outfielder Chris Young on a two-year, $13MM deal.
Astros Sign Neal Cotts To Minor League Deal
11:18am: Cotts would earn $1.5MM upon making the Major League roster and can earn up to $1.25MM more via incentives, reports Jon Heyman (on Twitter). Additionally, Cotts’ contract contains opt-out dates on March 26 and June 1 if he’s not in the Majors.
8:43am: The Astros have signed lefty reliever Neal Cotts to a minor league deal, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets. Cotts is a client of Pro Star Management, Inc.
Cotts, who will turn 36 next month, posted a 3.41 ERA, 8.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 63 1/3 innings split between the Brewers and Twins last season. Along the way, he held left-handed batters to a .573 OPS. The Astros had been hunting for left-handed relief depth, having recently been connected to Randy Choate. Cotts doesn’t have a significant platoon split for his career, which means he isn’t ideally suited to be a LOOGY, but he’s generally effective and can certainly handle left-handed batters as needed.
For his career, Cotts has a 3.96 ERA, 8.5 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in parts of ten seasons. In addition to the Brewers and Twins, he’s appeared with the White Sox, Cubs and Rangers.
Rafael Betancourt Retires
Veteran reliever Rafael Betancourt has officially retired, Venezuelan blogger Gerardo Boscan tweets. With his MLB career behind him, Betancourt will consider the possibility of becoming a coach.
At last check, Betancourt had been open to pitching in 2016, but only if he received a guaranteed spot in the big leagues. It perhaps isn’t surprising that he evidently didn’t receive one — the 40-year-old Betancourt was one of the oldest players in the Majors in 2015, and he struggled, posting a 6.18 ERA, albeit with 9.2 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9, in 39 1/3 innings with the Rockies after missing the 2014 season due to elbow trouble.
Overall, though, Betancourt had a strong career with the Indians and Rockies despite pitching a significant percentage of his innings as a fly-ball pitcher in Coors Field — he finishes with a 3.36 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 685 2/3 innings spanning 12 seasons. He also has 75 career saves, having served as the Rockies’ closer in parts of three seasons from 2011 through 2013. Via Baseball Reference, Betancourt made north of $24MM in his big-league career.
AL Notes: Encarnacion, Coghlan, Trout
Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion reiterates that remains open to an extension, but is setting an Opening Day deadline so that talks do not become a distraction, according to various reporters (including MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm). Via Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (on Twitter), Encarnacion would like to finish his career in Toronto. “I love this team, I love this city,” he says. “But it (doesn’t) depend on me. It depends what they’re thinking.” It was reported earlier this month that the Blue Jays would explore extensions with Encarnacion and Jose Bautista, both of whom are eligible for free agency after the season. The 33-year-old Encarnacion has hit 34 or more homers in each of the last four years, and in response to a question about what figure he might have in mind for a new contract, he says (via Chisholm) the only number he’s thinking of right now is 40, for the number of dingers he’d like to hit this season. Here’s more from the American League.
- GM David Forst says the Athletics see new acquisition Chris Coghlan as a “[Ben] Zobrist-type guy,” via a video from the Bay Area News Group’s John Hickey (on Twitter). Forst mentions that Coghlan has played second and third base in the past, along with left field and center field. Of course, Coghlan has mostly been a left fielder in his career, but it sounds like the Athletics could be preparing for him to take on a slightly different role this season. He did appear in 15 games at second base with the Cubs in 2015.
- Angels star Mike Trout hopes to steal more bases in 2016, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times writes. “I gotta get my confidence back,” says Trout, referring to his base-stealing. Trout led the AL with 49 steals in 2012, but that number dropped to 11 (against seven caught stealings) in 2015. Trout is, obviously, plenty valuable whether he steals bases or not, and Moura notes that much of the Angels’ brain trust isn’t concerned about whether Trout racks up big base-stealing totals.
Cubs To Sign Shane Victorino To Minor League Deal
The Cubs have agreed to terms with outfielder Shane Victorino, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. Victorino will receive a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite, tweets Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. He will receive $1M plus a possible $1M in incentives if he makes the team, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. Victorino is a client of John Boggs & Associates.
The news that the Cubs have added another outfielder comes as somewhat of a surprise given their recent signing of Dexter Fowler. Jon Heyman tweets, though, that Victorino’s pact was already in place before the Fowler signing, so the team honored the deal.
Victorino, now 35, had a second straight disappointing season in 2015, batting .230/.308/.292 in 204 plate appearances split between the Red Sox and Angels. With Fowler, Jason Heyward, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler, Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez and others in the Cubs’ outfield mix, Victorino faces a difficult path to playing time.