Minor Moves: Clark, Hoffman, Sanchez, Fox, Yankees
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…
- Orioles right-hander Zach Clark has been released, tweets Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. Clark, a knuckleballer by trade, tweeted a thank you to the organization today. The 30-year-old made a brief cameo with Baltimore last season — his only Major League experience to date. The University of Maryland alum has spent eight years in Baltimore’s system after signing as an undrafted free agent. He owns a career 4.21 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 869 1/3 innings in the minors.
- Twins Triple-A lefty Matt Hoffman has opted out of his deal with the club, the team announced via press release (hat tip: Phil Miller of the Star Tribune, who tweeted the news of the release, and the Pioneer Press’ Brandon Warne, who noted the Triple-A press release indicated it was an opt-out). The 25-year-old Hoffman pitched well at Triple-A, posting a 3.80 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 21 1/3 innings of work.
- Infielder Angel Sanchez has inked a minor league deal with the Dodgers and will report to Double-A Chattanooga, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post (Twitter link). Sanchez, 30, has a career .254/.303/.307 batting line between the Astros, Royals, Red Sox and White Sox. He has experience at shortstop, second base and third base.
- The Phillies have acquired catcher/outfielder/corner infielder Jake Fox from the Mexican League, according to the team’s transactions page. The 31-year-old Fox had been destroying pitching in Mexico, slashing .307/.397/.605 with 16 home runs in 247 plate appearances. Fox hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2011 with Baltimore, but he’s a career .237/.288/.425 hitter with 20 homers in 534 PAs.
- The Yankees inked three undrafted college players following the 2014 draft, Baseball America’s Josh Norris tweeted earlier in the week: Liberty University right-hander Matt Marsh, USC catcher Jake Hernandez and Wright State right-hander Travis Hissong. The YES Network’s Lou DiPietro has more on each of the three players.
White Sox Outright Angel Sanchez
1:54pm: The White Sox announced that they have outrighted Sanchez to Triple-A Charlotte. With the move, Chicago's 40-man roster now stands at 39.
12:53pm: Infielder Angel Sanchez, a Rule 5 pick who was waived on Thursday by the White Sox, cleared waivers and was offered back to the Angels, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. With a roster crunch at the major league and Triple-A level, however, DiGiovanna reports that the Angels declined to take Sanchez back.
Sanchez, 29, has been on the disabled list since April 10th with a lower back strain. He has appeared in just one game this season with the White Sox. In parts of five seasons at Triple-A, Sanchez owns a .294/.359/.388 slash line.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
White Sox Place Angel Sanchez On Waivers
The White Sox have placed infielder Angel Sanchez on waivers, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. As a Rule 5 pick, he will be offered back to the Angels if he goes unclaimed. Sanchez is currently on a rehab assignment after suffering a lower back strain in April.
Sanchez, 29, posted a .240/.305/.285 line in 328 plate appearances for the Astros last year, playing shortstop, second base, and third base. The Puerto Rican was drafted in the 11th round by the Royals in 2001, one pick after the Pirates chose Stephen Drew, who of course did not sign and became a first-rounder in '04. Interestingly, the 11th round of the 2001 draft also produced big league All-Stars Geovany Soto and Dan Uggla.
2012 Rule 5 Draft Results
Each year, Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings conclude with the Rule 5 Draft. For those who are unfamiliar with the event, MLBTR offers an in-depth description, but here's a quick overview.
Players are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if they aren't on the 40-man roster four or five years after signing, depending on the age at which they signed. Teams draft in the reverse order of the previous season's standings but aren't required to make a selection. If they do choose a player, they pay his former team $50K and must keep that player on the Major League roster all season or offer him back to his original team for $25K.
The results from the Major League phase:
- Astros take righty Josh Fields from Red Sox
- Cubs take righty Hector Rondon from Indians
- Rockies take lefty Danny Rosenbaum from Nationals
- Twins take righty Ryan Pressly from Red Sox
- Indians take first baseman Chris McGuiness from Rangers
- Marlins take outfielder Alfredo Silverio from Dodgers
- Red Sox take second baseman Jeff Kobernus from Nationals; traded to Tigers for infielder/outfielder Justin Henry
- Royals
- Blue Jays
- Mets take lefty Kyle Lobstein from Rays; traded to Tigers for cash considerations
- Mariners
- Padres
- Pirates
- Diamondbacks take righty Starling Peralta from Cubs
- Phillies take outfielder Ender Inciarte from Diamondbacks
- Brewers
- White Sox take infielder Angel Sanchez from Angels
- Dodgers
- Cardinals
- Tigers
- Angels
- Rays
- Orioles take lefty T.J. McFarland from Indians
- Rangers take righty Coty Woods from Rockies
- Athletics
- Giants
- Braves
- Yankees
- Reds
- Nationals
Second round of Major League phase:
- Astros take first baseman Nate Freiman from Padres
- Marlins take lefty Braulio Lara from Rays
Angels Sign Angel Sanchez
The Angels have signed infielder Angel Sanchez to a minor league deal, reports MLB.com's Evan Drellich. The contract contains an invitation to the Halos' Major League Spring Training camp.
Sanchez, 29, hit .240/.305/.285 in 328 plate appearances with the Astros last season and elected to become a free agent earlier this month. Sanchez has a total of 628 Major League PAs with the Astros, Red Sox and Royals in a 12-year pro career that began as a 17-year-old. With Maicer Izturis expected to sign elsewhere in free agency, Sanchez will compete to replace him as infield depth on the Angels' bench.