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Minor MLB Transactions: 4/6/17

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Here are the latest minor moves from around the game, all via Matt Eddy of Baseball America unless otherwise noted:

  • The Blue Jays announced on Thursday that right-hander Mike Bolsinger has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Buffalo. The 29-year-old was designated for assignment on Sunday after a shaky Spring Training and a down year in 2016. Last year, Bolsinger logged a 6.83 ERA in 27 2/3 big league innings due largely to a troubles with the long ball. He did have solid K/BB numbers in both the Majors and the minors last year, but control issues contributed to a 6.23 ERA this spring. Bolsinger had a strong season in the Majors as recently as 2015, when he logged a 3.62 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 and a 53.1 percent ground-ball rate in 109 1/3 innings for the Dodgers. He’ll stay on hand as a depth piece in Toronto and could very well resurface in the Majors later this season.

Earlier Moves

  • Lefties Nick Maronde and Caleb Thielbar have been released by the Marlins, who are going with an all-righty pen to open the year. Maronde hasn’t seen the majors since 2014, but did work to a 3.19 ERA over 48 Triple-A innings last year. The 30-year-old Thielbar, once a mainstay in the Twins’ bullpen, got good results last year in an indy ball stint.
  • The Phillies have released infielder Taylor Featherston. The 27-year-old, who had already been outrighted off of the 40-man, slashed .254/.311/.428 with 13 home runs in his 439 Triple-A plate appearances last year. But he didn’t have much of an avenue to contributing at the major league level in Philadelphia.
  • Outfielder Jake Goebbert has been released by the Diamondbacks. The 29-year-old saw action in the majors back in 2014 with the Padres, but hasn’t been back since. He slashed just .217/.301/.356 in 399 Triple-A plate appearances last year with the Rays organization, well shy of his usual productivity in the upper minors.
  • The White Sox have cut ties with righty Mayckol Guaipe. He has spent time in the majors in each of the past two years with the Mariners, but wasn’t able to earn more than temporary time.
  • The Red Sox evidently didn’t see enough to keep veteran slugger Carlos Quentin around in the minors for the upcoming season, though it could be he wasn’t interested in taking an assignment. Either way, as Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter, Quentin was released from the minor-league deal he signed over the offseason. The 34-year-old hasn’t played in the majors since 2014 and received only minimal Grapefruit League action during camp.
  • Righty Chris Anderson is heading to the Twins on a minors deal, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets (confirming what reader Jerry Anderson had heard). He was released recently by the Dodgers after struggling in recent campaigns, including a messy effort in the Arizona Fall League. Anderson hails from Minnesota.

Minor MLB Transactions: 1/28/17

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Here are the latest minor moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…

  • The Cubs announced that left-hander Manny Parra has been signed to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to the team’s spring camp.  This is the second straight offseason that has seen Parra sign a minor league contract with the Cubs, though he didn’t pitch at all in 2016.  Originally a starter with the Brewers, the 34-year-old Parra posted a 3.91 ERA, 8.8 K/9 and 2.9 K/BB rate over 115 relief innings for the Reds from 2013-15.
  • The Cubs signed right-hander Casey Kelly to a minor league deal, according to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy (Twitter link).  Once considered one of the game’s better pitching prospects, Kelly has managed only a 6.39 ERA over 62 innings in the majors, though his career was interrupted by Tommy John surgery in 2013.  As Eddy notes, the signing reunites Kelly with Theo Epstein (who was the Red Sox GM when Kelly was drafted 30th overall by Boston in 2008) and Jed Hoyer (who was the Padres GM when Kelly was part of the trade package acquired for Adrian Gonzalez in December 2010).
  • Parra and Kelly were two of 24 non-roster invitees to the Cubs’ Spring Training camp, as announced yesterday by the club.  The list includes southpaw Gerardo Concepcion and righties Conor Mullee, Christian Villanueva and Zac Rosscup, who were all non-tendered by the Cubs in December to free up 40-man roster space.
  • The Blue Jays announced that right-hander Leonel Campos has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A.  Campos was designated for assignment earlier this week when Toronto claimed Juan Graterol off waivers from the Angels.  Campos was himself claimed off waivers back in November following a season that saw him post a 5.73 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9 over 22 relief innings for the Padres.  Control has been an issue for Campos throughout his entire pro career, as the righty also has a 5.0 BB/9 over 250 2/3 career minor league innings.
  • The Diamondbacks signed outfielder Jake Goebbert and catcher Willians Astudillo to minor league deals, Matt Eddy reports (Twitter link).  Goebbert has a solid .276/.363/.443 slash line over 3483 career minor league plate appearances, though he hasn’t been able to translate those results into much playing time in the bigs — his MLB resume consists of 115 PA with the Padres in 2014.  Goebbert spent 2016 with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate and struggled to the tune of a .661 OPS in 364 PA.  Astudillo, a 25-year-old catcher out of Venezuela, has hit .309/.348/.391 over 2026 minor league PA.  He spent his first six pro seasons in the Phillies system before moving to the Braves in 2016 and reaching the Double-A level for the first time.

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.

Rays Designate Jake Goebbert

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The Rays have designated first baseman/outfielder Jake Goebbert for assignment, as Roger Mooney reports on Twitter. Righty Ryan Garton was called up, creating the need for a 40-man spot, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted earlier.

Goebbert, 28, has seen just one major league stint in his career, slashing .218/.313/.317 in 115 plate appearances with the Padres in 2014. But he’s shown a high-OBP approach in the upper minors, making him a popular name on the waiver wire — which is how Tampa Bay grabbed him earlier in the year from the Pirates. Goebbert has struggled thus far at Triple-A Durham, though, with a meager .163/.258/.221 batting line in his 97 plate appearances.

The 26-year-old Garton earned his first big league promotion with a strong campaign in his first go at Triple-A. He’s shown improved command and punch-out ability in recording 11.5 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9. Over 22 2/3 frames, Garton owns a 2.38 ERA.

Rays Claim Jake Goebbert From Pirates

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The Rays have claimed first baseman/outfielder Jake Goebbert off waivers from the Pirates, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Goebbert has been optioned to Triple-A Durham, according to Topkin.

Pittsburgh signed Goebbert, 28, to a Major League deal this offseason and carried him on the roster through Spring Training, but the club designated him for assignment late in camp in order to clear roster spot for the final wave of non-roster invitees that had made the club (Cole Figueroa, Matt Joyce and Cory Luebke).

Last season, the left-handed-hitting Goebbert spent the year with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, where he batted .294/.392/.452 with 10 home runs. While the Pacific Coast League is known as an exceptionally hitter-friendly environment, Goebbert has long shown a discerning eye at the plate, walking in 11.1 percent of his plate appearances since being selected by the Astros in the 13th round of the 2009 draft. Goebbert does have a bit of big league experience, having batted .218/.313/.317 in 115 PAs with San Diego in 2014. He’ll give the Rays some additional depth in the outfield corners and at first base, though neither of those is a particularly thin area for Tampa Bay’s big league club.

Pirates Designate Florimon, Goebbert, Holdzkom For Assignment

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The Pirates have designated right-hander John Holdzkom and infielders Pedro Florimon and Jake Goebbert for assignment, as Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets.  In related moves, catcher Elias Diaz, right-hander Jared Hughes, and infielder Jung Ho Kang have been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 25th (link).  All of these moves will allow Pittsburgh to promote infielder Cole Figueroa, outfielder Matt Joyce, and left-hander Cory Luebke to active roster (link).

Florimon is regarded as a very strong defensive player and was hoping to break camp with the team as a reserve infielder.  Even though he provides value with his glove, the 29-year-old’s offense leaves much to be desired.  In parts of five big league seasons with the Orioles, Twins, and Bucs, Florimon owns a .199/.262/.295 slash line.  In parts of three Triple-A campaigns, he has posted a stronger .252/.317/.366 slash line.

Goebbert, 28, inked a major league pact with the Pirates in November.  In 2015, the first/baseman outfielder spent the season with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, where he hit .294/.392/.452 with 10 home runs.  Now, Goebbert will look to hook on elsewhere as a left-handed bat off of the bench, though he may have to settle for a minor league deal this time around.

As shown in MLBTR’s DFA Tracker, Michael Bourn (Braves), Emilio Bonifacio (Braves), Samuel Freeman (Rangers), and A.J. Jimenez (Blue Jays) are also in DFA limbo.

Pirates Sign Jake Goebbert To Major League Deal

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The Pirates announced that they have signed first baseman/outfielder Jake Goebbert to a Major League contract. His signing brings the team’s 40-man roster to a total of 39.

Goebbert, 28, spent the entire 2015 season in Triple-A with the Padres, where he batted .294/.392/.452 with 10 home runs. While the Pacific Coast League is known as an exceptionally hitter-friendly environment, Goebbert has long shown a discerning eye at the plate, walking in 11.1 percent of his plate appearances since being selected by the Astros in the 13th round of the 2009 draft.

Houston sent Goebbert to the Athletics in April of 2013 in exchange for left-hander Travis Blackley, and he was traded again a year later, heading from Oakland to San Diego in exchange for fellow first baseman/outfielder Kyle Blanks. Goebbert received 115 plate appearances with the Padres in 2014 — his only Major League experience — and batted .218/.313/.317 with a homer, a double and three triples.

Goebbert’s addition to the 40-man roster comes at a time when the Pirates are known to be shopping Pedro Alvarez, though his presence isn’t necessarily an indicator that Alvarez will be jettisoned. It’s unlikely he’d be slotted in for any kind of starting role, though the Pirates clearly like him enough that he has to be considered in the mix for a spot as a left-handed bat off the bench next year.

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