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Minor MLB Transactions: 4/19/16

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Here are the day’s minor moves:

  • The Tigers announced that they have signed veteran catcher Humberto Quintero to a minor league contract and will assign him to Triple-A Toledo. The 36-year-old,  who was released by the Blue Jays earlier this week, will step into the Triple-A roster spot that was vacated when the Tigers summoned Bobby Wilson to fill in for the injured James McCann. Quintero briefly saw the Majors in 2014, but his last significant big league action came in 2013 with the Mariners and Phillies. Quintero is a veteran of 12 big league seasons and has a lifetime .234/.267/.327 batting line in 1423 trips to the plate. Quintero is repped by Octagon.

Earlier Updates

  • The White Sox have inked righty John Holdzkom to a minor league deal, as Robert Murray of Baseball Essential reported on Twitter. The towering 28-year-old, a client of the Ballengee Group, was designated for assignment and subsequently released by the Pirates earlier this season. Holdzkom came out of nowhere in 2014 with Pittsburgh, dominating at Triple-A and then allowing just two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out 14 opposing batters in nine MLB innings. But he struggled with his control at the highest level of the minors last year while battling through injuries and a loss of velocity. Chicago will hope that Holdzkom can get back on track and re-discover the mid-90s heater that made him such an intriguing independent ball find for the Bucs.

Minor MLB Transactions: 4/13/16

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

  • The Pirates announced (on Twitter) that shortstop Pedro Florimon has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis. However, because Florimon has been outrighted once before, he has the right to reject the assignment in favor of free agency. Florimon has 72 hours to decide whether he will accept and head to Triple-A or reject and seek another organization. The 29-year-old switch-hitter is an excellent defensive shortstop with a questionable bat, as evidenced by a career .199/.262/.295 batting line in 717 plate appearances. Florimon was the Twins’ everyday shortstop in 2013, based solely on his glovework, but he has just 111 MLB plate appearances since that time. He batted .245/.315/.367 for Indianapolis last season.
  • In other Pirates news, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review was among the reporters to tweet that right-hander John Holdzkom, who was placed on release waivers after being designated for assignment, has cleared those waivers and is now a free agent that is free to sign with any club.

Minor MLB Transactions: 4/11/16

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Here are the day’s minor transactions, with the newest moves at the top of the post…

  • The Pirates have placed John Holdzkom on release waivers, a week after the righty was designated for assignment.  Holdzkom went from independent baseball to a key role in the Bucs’ bullpen in 2014, recording a 2.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts in nine relief innings (his first and, to date, only taste of MLB action) to help Pittsburgh reach the postseason.  Holdzkom battled injuries, a loss of velocity and control issues in 2015, however, and he pitched only 24 1/3 innings of minor league ball.
  • The Angels selected the contract of left-hander Greg Mahle and optioned A.J. Achter to Triple-A in a corresponding move, the club announced.  (The Angels already had a 40-man roster spot open, so no further transactions were necessary to add Mahle.)  A 15th-round draft pick in 2014, Mahle has a 2.97 ERA, 10.8 K/9 and 4.00 K/BB rate over 97 career minor league relief innings.  The 2016 Baseball America Prospect Handbook ranked him as the 13th-best prospect within the Halos’ thin farm system, noting that Mahle delivers his pitches from three different arm angles, including a sinking fastball that ranges from 85-94mph depending on from where Mahle is throwing it.  He also has a plus changeup.
  • The Diamondbacks outrighted Kyle Drabek to Triple-A after the righty went unclaimed, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert reports (via Twitter).  Drabek signed a minor league deal with the D’Backs during the offseason and pitched in one game for the club before being designated for assignment last Friday.  The 18th overall pick of the 2006 draft, Drabek has struggled at the big league level and also battled injuries, most notably two Tommy John surgeries.  Drabek has only thrown 12 2/3 innings over the last four seasons.
  • The Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League have signed left-hander Phil Coke and right-hander Ryan Kelly, Jason Bristol tweets.  Coke threw 12 2/3 innings with the Cubs and Blue Jays last season, and has also since signed minor league deals with the A’s and Braves.  The veteran southpaw was released by Atlanta during Spring Training.  Kelly was also released by the Braves during the offseason, ending a three-year stint in the organization.  Kelly made his Major League debut last season, posting a 7.02 ERA over 16 2/3 innings out of Atlanta’s bullpen.

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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.

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