Twins DFA Marcos Diplan, Select Jorge Alcala
The Minnesota Twins designated Marcos Diplan for assignment, per MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park (via Twitter). Diplan’s designation paves the way for Jorge Alcala to join the big league club at Progressive Field for today’s doubleheader against the Indians. Alcala was not on the 40-man roster prior to today’s call-up.
Alcala, 24, came to the Twins from Houston as part of the Ryan Pressly trade. He is their 23rd ranked prospect, per MLB.com. Baseball America put him at #19 in their midseason report, while Fangraphs was less bullish, ranking him 26th at the outset of the season with a future value score of 40. The 6’3″ right-hander began the year in Double-A, where he made 16 starts and 26 total appearances for a 5.87 ERA and 2.84 K:BB. While those numbers won’t make you jump out of your seat, he did throw 7 2/3 scoreless innings in relief since a promotion to Triple-A.
Diplan, 22, was acquired from the Brewers at the trade deadline. He made 8 appearances for Double-A Pensacola since his acquisition with a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings.
The team also announced Devin Smeltzer as the starter for game one of today’s twin bill. Smeltzer is 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA/4.96 FIP across 40 innings (4 starts) on the year. The Twins acquired Smeltzer from the Dodgers at last year’s deadline as part of the Brian Dozier deal.
Twins Acquire Marcos Diplan From Brewers
The Twins have acquired right-handed pitching prospect Marcos Diplan from the Brewers for cash considerations, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports. The Brewers designated Diplan for assignment earlier this week.
The 22-year-old Diplan ranked as FanGraphs’ 18th-best Brewers prospect as recently as the offseason, but that wasn’t enough to keep him in the organization after he struggled to start the 2019 campaign. He has made 30 appearances (five starts) at the Double-A level this season and pitched to a 4.99 ERA/4.41 FIP with 9.83 K/9 and 5.77 BB/9 in 57 2/3 innings.
Brewers Designate Marcos Diplan
The Brewers have designated pitching prospect Marcos Diplan for assignment, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy tweets. His 40-man spot goes to righty Jordan Lyles, whose acquisition was just announced.
It’s a bit of a surprise to see the Milwaukee org giving up on a player who was once considered a potential mid-rotation starter. Diplan has never been an elite prospect, but has certainly been on the prospect map for quite some time.
Unfortunately, despite holding a 40-man spot since the fall of 2017, Diplan has yet to earn his way past the Double-A level. He returned there to begin the present season, but continued to struggle. In 114 2/3 total frames at the penultimate level of the minors, Diplan carries a 4.79 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9.
It bears noting that the Brewers could still utilize Diplan in a trade. He can be shipped out to another organization before the trade deadline. Otherwise, he could be a possible waiver claim target for a team that likes his long-term outlook.