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Felipe Paulino

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/29/19

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The latest minor moves from around the sport…

  • Right-hander Felipe Paulino has asked to be released from his minor league contract with the Astros, as per the ALPB News Instagram page.  Paulino will rejoin the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League, returning to the club after spending the last two-plus months in Houston’s farm system.  The brief stint at Triple-A Round Rock didn’t go well, as Paulino posted a 9.58 ERA over 20 2/3 innings.  The 35-year-old Paulino last appeared in the majors in 2014, and has since pitched in the affiliated minors, Japan, Mexico, and (for the last three years) Sugar Land.

Astros Add Felipe Paulino On Minors Deal

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The Astros have purchased right-hander Felipe Paulino’s contract from the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League, per Mark Berman of Fox 26. Paulino will report to Triple-A Round Rock.

Now 35 years old, Paulino began his professional career with the Astros, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He eventually worked his way to Houston, where he made 47 appearances (31 starts) from 2007-10.

Paulino’s also a former Royal, Rockie and White Sox, though he hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2014. He owns a 5.48 ERA/4.84 FIP with 8.32 K/9, 3.83 BB/9 and a 43.8 percent groundball rate in 403 2/3 MLB innings.

Paulino has recorded somewhat similar numbers in Triple-A, having posted a 5.26 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 across 191 2/3 frames. But he hasn’t taken the mound at that level with a major league organization since a 13-inning run with the Indians’ top affiliate in 2016. Along with his time in the Atlantic League, Paulino has pitched in Japan, Mexico and Venezuela over the past few years. He racked up 63 saves as Sugar Land’s closer from 2017-19.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/6/16

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Here are the day’s most notable moves from around the game, all coming courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, unless otherwise noted…

  • The Nationals brought back infielder Steve Lombardozzi on a minors deal, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson reports. Lombardozzi, 27, saw minimal playing time in each of the last two years at the major league level after playing a significant role in D.C. during his 2011-13 stint. After failing to find a suitable opportunity over the winter, Lombardozzi joined the independent league Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to start 2016. He was off to a .367/.401/.428 start with eight steals before the Nats came calling.
  • Righty Nick Tepesch has joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal and will take the ball tonight at Triple-A, as Oklahoma City Dodgers broadcaster Alex Freeman tweets. Interestingly, he’s squaring off against his recent teammates at the Rangers’ top affiliate. The 27-year-old recorded over 200 frames for the Rangers over 2013-14, posting a 4.66 ERA with 5.4 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9, but missed all of 2015 and eventually underwent thoracic outlet surgery. After returning for 11 starts at the Triple-A level this year, where he tallied a 4.11 ERA, Tepesch opted out of his minor league deal with Texas.
  • Outfielder Jake Goebbert has been outrighted to Triple-A Durham by the Rays after being designated for assignment. The 28-year-old entered the season as an accomplished Triple-A hitter, but he’s struggled mightily with Durham this season, hitting just .183/.288/.275. Even with his career numbers at Triple-A weighed down by his 2016 performance, Goebbert is a lifetime .271/.375/.444 hitter at that level. The Pirates saw enough in him to give him a big league deal this winter, but he didn’t make it through Spring Training and was ultimately claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay after being designated for assignment. He’ll look to get back to his productive ways now that he’s been removed from the 40-man roster and hope to factor into Tampa Bay’s big league plans later in the year.
  • The White Sox outrighted outfielder Daniel Fields off their 40-man roster over the weekend, and the 25-year-old was released shortly thereafter (presumably upon refusing the assignment, as was his right having been previously outrighted). Fields is a career .281/.359/.423 hitter in in 672 plate appearances at the Double-A level, but he’s struggled to a .223/.312/.345 line in 957 PAs at the Triple-A level. The former sixth-round pick (2009) had spent his entire career in the Tigers organization prior to this season.
  • The White Sox also picked up veteran catcher Brett Hayes in a trade that sent cash considerations to the Diamondbacks. The 32-year-old Hayes tallied 32 plate appearances with Cleveland last season and has appeared in parts of each of the past seven Major League seasons, splitting his time between the Marlins, Royals and Indians. He’s a career .205/.250/.359 hitter at the big league level and a .239/.279/.387 hitter in nearly 1200 PAs at the Triple-A level.
  • The Cardinals have signed right-hander Daniel Bard to a minor league deal after he was released by the division-rival Pirates. St. Louis will become the latest organization to attempt to revitalize Bard’s once dominant right arm in the hope that he can resurface as a quality bullpen piece. Bard, a former first-round pick, was a strong setup piece for the Red Sox from 2009-11 (specifically in 2010) but struggled terribly in 2012 and had a cataclysmic decline in the years to follow, as he lost the ability to throw the ball over the plate entirely. His last stint in affiliated ball came with the Rangers’ Class-A affiliate in 2014 when he faced just 18 men and walked nine of them in addition to hitting another seven.
  • Right-hander Felipe Paulino, who was granted his release from the Indians in order to pursue a deal in Japan late last month, has signed a deal with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, his agents at Octagon tweeted last week. The 32-year-old Paulino, a veteran of six Major League seasons, was pitching quite well for Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate, having logged a 2.77 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He’s worked as a starter for the vast majority of his career and has displayed an ability to miss bats at the big league level but has nonetheless struggled to a 5.22 ERA in 403 2/3 big league frames. This will be Paulino’s first stint in NPB, but as we often see, players that have struggled to thrive in the Majors can still make an excellent living pitching in Asia.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/20/16

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Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…

  • Southpaw Phil Coke has been outrighted by the Yankees after he was designated for assignment on Tuesday, Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog tweets. Coke wasn’t effective in his six innings over three appearances on the year, though he did show that he’s still capable of delivering his fastball at around 93 mph. The veteran bounced around last year after a five-year run with the Tigers ended followiing the 2014 season. He’ll accept the assignment, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets.
  • The Indians released righty Felipe Paulino so that he can pursue an opportunity in Japan, the club announced. A six-year MLB veteran who last appeared in the majors in 2014 with the White Sox, Paulino had converted to full-time relief work with Cleveland. Over his 13 frames, he allowed just four earned runs and five hits, though his 10:5 K/BB ratio was somewhat less promising.
  • The Angels have acquired infielder Ryan Jackson from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations, the Phillies announced. Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times tweets that Jackson will be assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake. Jackson, 28, returns to the Angels organization after pending the majority of the 2015 season playing for their Triple-A affiliate (he also went hitless in 14 plate appearances for their big league club last season). Jackson split last season between the Royals and Angels organizations and hit a combined .294/.372/.374 in 362 plate appearances. He’ll give the Halos some depth at shortstop with both Andrelton Simmons and Cliff Pennington on the disabled list — a pair of injuries that has forced the club to acquire Brendan Ryan from the Nationals and bring Gregorio Petit up from Salt Lake. Jackson was not on the 40-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary for the Halos.

Minor MLB Transactions: 12/13/15

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Let’s catch up on some recent minor league transactions, all from Baseball America’s Matt Eddy unless otherwise noted.

  • The Reds announced the signing of right-hander J.C. Ramirez to a minor league contract earlier this month.  Ramirez posted a 5.32 ERA over 23 2/3 innings with the Diamondbacks and Mariners in 2015, and he was outrighted by the M’s after the season.
  • The Athletics signed left-hander Eric Surkamp to a minors deal.  Surkamp pitched in just one MLB game in 2015, a 3 1/3 inning relief stint for the Dodgers.  He has a 6.47 ERA over 57 innings with the Dodgers, White Sox and Giants in a career that was slowed by missing all of 2012 due to Tommy John surgery.
  • The Giants signed infielder Ramiro Pena to a minors contract.  Pena hit .244/.288/.330 over 610 PA as a utilityman with the Yankees and Braves from 2009-2014, and he spent 2015 with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate.
  • The Angels signed veteran right-hander Ramon Ramirez to a minor league contract.  Ramirez threw at least 63 2/3 innings in all but one season from 2006 through 2012, soaking up innings as a bullpen workhorse and posting a 3.32 ERA over 428 frames for five different clubs in that span.  After being dealt to the Giants at the 2010 trade deadline, Ramirez posted an 0.67 ERA in 27 relief innings to help San Francisco reach the postseason in what ended up as a World Series championship year.  Ramirez has pitched just 6 2/3 Major League innings over the last three seasons, however, and he spent 2015 in the Mexican League.
  • The Indians signed righty Felipe Paulino to a minors deal.  Paulino posted a 4.93 ERA, 7.2 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 over 104 innings with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate.  The 32-year-old looked to have turned a corner as a Major Leaguer after joining the Royals in 2011 and he got off a hot start in K.C.’s rotation in 2012 before injuries forced him to undergo Tommy John surgery.  He last appeared in the majors in 2014 as a member of the White Sox, and he has 403 2/3 career innings over six years in the bigs.

Cubs Sign Felipe Paulino To Minor League Deal

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The Cubs have signed right-hander Felipe Paulino to a Minor League deal, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports in the latest edition of his weekly Minor League Transactions roundup.

The 31-year-old Paulino spent the 2014 season with the White Sox after signing a one-year, $1.75MM contract with a club option for the 2015 season. However, Paulino was able to total just 18 1/3 innings before a shoulder injury put him on the shelf for the remainder of the season. The time he spent on the mound wasn’t pretty, either, as he posted an 11.29 ERA with 35 hits (six homers) and a 14-to-12 K/BB ratio in that time.

Those numbers won’t do much to excite Cubs fans, but Paulino does come with an intriguing track record. Though his career ERA is an uninspiring 5.22, he’s averaged 95.1 mph on his fastball since debuting in the Majors and has long shown the ability to miss bats in the rotation, as evidenced by a career K/9 rate of 8.3. From 2010-12, Paulino pitched 268 2/3 innings with the Astros, Rockies and Royals, posting a 4.29 ERA but a markedly better 3.54 FIP.

Paulino has always struggled a bit with his control, and injuries have certainly slowed his career. He had Tommy John surgery in 2012 and shoulder surgery in 2013 prior to a recurring shoulder injury last season. Nonetheless, when healthy, he’s represented an arm with some upside. The White Sox’ flier on him in the 2013-14 offseason was among my favorite low-risk moves that winter (even if, in hindsight, the results were poor), and on a Minor League deal, he’s a perfectly reasonable depth piece to add to an organization. Paulino had signed a Minor League pact with the Red Sox this offseason and yielded one run with three strikeouts against one walk in four Spring Training innings with Boston, but he was released at the end of camp.

Red Sox Release Felipe Paulino

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The Red Sox have released righty Felipe Paulino, the club announced. As an Article XX(B) free agent, the 31-year-old would have required a $100K bonus to keep stashed in the upper minors.

Paulino struggled in minimal action last year with the White Sox as he worked back from Tommy John and shoulder surgery. After serving as a swingman for several years, Paulino was off to a very nice start as a starter with the Royals in 2012 when he began experiencing arm issues. This spring, he has allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking one in four innings of action.

Minor Moves: Paulino, LaHair, Marjama

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Here are today’s minor league transactions, with the latest moves at the top of the post…

  • The Red Sox announced the signings of righty Felipe Paulino and 1B/OF Bryan LaHair to minor league deals with Spring Training invites.  Paulino posted an 11.29 ERA over 18 1/3 IP with the White Sox last season, his first taste of MLB action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2012.  LaHair also last appeared in the majors in 2012, when he rode a big first half to an All-Star selection but came back to earth after his hot start.  LaHair played in Japan in 2013 and spent last season in the Indians’ minor league system.
  • The Rays acquired catcher Mike Marjama from the White Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter).  Chicago will receive cash or a player to be named later in return.  Marjama was a 23rd-round pick for the Sox in the 2011 draft and the 25-year-old backstop has a .270/.307/.376 slash line over 888 minor league plate appearances.  Marjama has yet to play above the high-A level, and Topkin notes that the catcher isn’t expected to be in the Rays’ Major League Spring Training camp.

White Sox To Decline Option On Felipe Paulino

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The White Sox have informed righty Felipe Paulino that they will not pick up his $4MM option, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes reports on Twitter. Chicago will instead pay him a $250K buyout.

Paulino, 31, had signed a one-year, $1.75MM deal before the 2013 season. At the time, Paulino was coming off of Tommy John surgery and looked to be an easy high-upside risk to take. That gamble did not pay off, however, as Paulino made just four MLB appearances and was roughed up at all levels this year.

 

White Sox Sign Felipe Paulino

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2:38pm: Via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter), the White Sox have announced the signing of Paulino to a one-year deal worth $1.75MM. His contract contains a $4MM club option with a $250K buyout.

2:15pm: Right-hander Felipe Paulino looks to have signed with the White Sox, based on a pair of tweets from the pitcher himself (Twitter links). Paulino is represented by Octagon.

The 30-year-old hasn't pitched in the Majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2012. He did toss 27 2/3 innings for the Royals' minor league affiliates in 2013, posting an unsightly 6.51 ERA. However, Paulino is a high-upside arm that comes with little risk for White Sox GM Rick Hahn. Paulino pitched to a 3.86 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 177 innings for the Rockies and Royals from 2011-12. Sabermetric stats like FIP (3.54) and xFIP (3.93) suggest that from 2010-12, Paulino was vastly better than his ERA would indicate.

Paulino will add some depth to a White Sox club that is reportedly already looking to move a starting pitcher, with John Danks, Jose Quintana and Hector Santiago all said to be available.

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