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Willians Astudillo

Willians Astudillo Signs With NPB’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

By Anthony Franco | December 21, 2022 at 8:24pm CDT

Infielder Willians Astudillo has signed with the Fukuoka SoftBanks Hawks of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, tweets Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Astudillo, a client of the MAS Agency, will be guaranteed $1.35MM on the deal.

Astudillo has generated plenty of fanfare in recent years. A utility option for the Twins and Marlins, he has one of the rarest profiles in the sport. Astudillo is the antithesis of the three-true-outcomes hitter that has gained so much prevalence in the modern game. He virtually never walks, rarely strikes out and has modest power. Astudillo has appeared in the majors in each of the past five seasons, tallying 588 cumulative plate appearances. He’s a .267/.291/.396 hitter over that stretch, striking out just 4.8% of the time with a 1.9% walk rate.

After four seasons in the Twin Cities, the Venezuela native was non-tendered last winter. He landed with the Marlins on a minor league contract last offseason. Astudillo would appear in 21 big league contests but spent most of the season at Triple-A Jacksonville. The right-handed hitter had an excellent season as a Jumbo Shrimp, putting up a .307/.371/.541 line with 16 longballs in only 315 trips to the plate. Astudillo had one more walk than strikeouts (17 to 16).

A catching prospect earlier in his career, Astudillo has mostly moved to the infield in recent years. He still occasionally goes behind the plate, starting four games there in Jacksonville in 2022. More of his experience has come at third and second base, though he also can play first base and the corner outfield. Astudillo isn’t a great defender anywhere; moving him around the diamond has more served to get his high-contact bat in the lineup.

This will be the first stint in an Asian professional league for the 31-year-old. His salary with the Hawks is well above what he’d have been guaranteed if he signed another minor league contract with an MLB team this offseason.

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Nippon Professional Baseball Transactions Willians Astudillo

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Trying To Find Hidden Gems With BB/K – 2022-23 Edition

By Darragh McDonald | November 21, 2022 at 9:26pm CDT

Last offseason, I tried to find under-the-radar minor league prospects by looking at how much a hitter walked and struck out. Sometimes, these stats can indicate a hitter has a keen eye at the plate which will help them succeed as they move up the minor league ladder. I used Mookie Betts and Jose Ramirez as examples of young players who had strong BB/K rates in the minors who then went on to have greater MLB success than many prospect evaluators had projected.

Looking at 2021 stats, I highlighted players who had 300 or more plate appearances at Double-A and/or Triple-A and a BB/K rate of 1.00 or higher. Did this help us find hidden gems? Let’s look at the results before moving on to this year’s crop. The names on the list were Alejo Lopez, Isaac Paredes, Steven Kwan, Tyler White, Cooper Hummel and Jonah Bride.

Two of these players had breakout years in 2022. Kwan made his MLB debut and had a tremendous season on both sides of the ball. He provided excellent outfield defense and continued his great work at the plate, walking more than he struck out at the major league level. He had a season strong enough he could have won Rookie of the Year honors in another year, but he had to settle for third this year due to an incredible batch of rookie campaigns that also included Julio Rodriguez and Adley Rutschman. The other breakout was Paredes, who was traded to the Rays in April as part of the Austin Meadows deal. He hit 20 home runs in 111 games while posting walk and strikeout rates that were both better than league average. Paredes is less of a hidden gem since he snuck onto the back end of Baseball America’s top 100 in 2019 and 2020, though he had fallen off in the two subsequent seasons. Kwan never made it onto the top 100 and only made the top 30 among Cleveland farmhands for the first time going into 2022, coming in at #27. FanGraphs, it’s worth noting, was far more bullish, slotting Kwan third in the Guardians system and 57th overall heading into the year.

Most of the rest of the group is TBD, as they only got limited MLB appearances. Lopez was frequently optioned and got into 61 games in the majors, still proving very tough to strike out but not doing much damage when he did connect. Hummel struggled in his first 66 games but still hit very well in the minors, walking in 15.4% of his plate appearances and slashing .310/.423/.527. The Mariners must be intrigued by him, since they just traded Kyle Lewis to get him from the Diamondbacks. Bride made his MLB debut and scuffled in 58 games but hit .342/.453/.568 in the minors while still walking more than he struck out. As for White, he was 31 last year and only really plays first base, making it hard for him to carve out a role on a major league team. He started the year in the Brewers’ system but was acquired by the Braves in a midseason trade. Between the Triple-A teams of the two organizations, he had another decent season at the plate, walking in 16% of his appearances while striking out just 20.1% of the time.

Out of six guys highlighted last year, two became MLB regulars, two didn’t immediately hit the ground running but still hit well in the minors and another two were sort of mediocre. It’s not a perfect system but not a bad shorthand, in my opinion. A common theme you will see with the players below is their strike zone discipline often comes with a lack of power. In order to turn this profile into a breakout, that usually means the hitter needs to get stronger or change their approach slightly. In the case of Paredes, he seems to have started selling out more in 2022, as his strikeout rate climbed but so did his isolated power. Kwan didn’t add power, only going deep six times, but his on-base skills were combined with speed and defense to help him be an all-around producer.

If we look at the 2022 numbers, can we find next year’s Kwan or Paredes? Even if that’s setting our sights too high, some of these guys are Rule 5 eligible and could be candidates to be nabbed in next month’s draft. Let’s take a look at the players with a BB/K rate at 1.00 or above with 300 or more plate appearances at Double-A and/or Triple-A in 2022.

Michael Stefanic, infielder, Angels, BB/K rate at Triple-A: 2.18

Stefanic got 346 plate appearances in Triple-A this year, walking in 13.9% of them while striking out just 6.4% of the time. He didn’t provide much power, however, hitting only four home runs in that time despite playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His final batting line there was .314/.422/.425 for a wRC+ of 122. He also got into 25 major league games without finding much success. It’s a somewhat similar profile to another Angels infielder in David Fletcher. Stefanic was an undrafted free agent, has never been on BA’s top 100 and only cracked the Angels’ top 30 for the first time a year ago. He’ll turn 27 in February.

Nick Dunn, infielder, Cardinals, BB/K rate at Double-A: 1.50

The Cardinals seem to have a knack for turning their lesser draft picks into solid major leaguers, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see a couple of them on this list. Dunn was selected in the fifth round in 2018 and has never cracked a BA list of top prospects in the system, though he was mentioned at FanGraphs, where Eric Longenhagen called him “a free-swinging Brendan Donovan — same hair and everything.” In 2022, Dunn got 472 plate appearances and walked 13.3% of the time while striking out at just a 8.9% clip. Similar to Stefanic, it hasn’t resulted in much power, with Dunn only hitting seven long balls on the year, which was a career high. He’ll be 26 in January. He’s eligible to be selected in next month’s Rule 5 draft.

John Nogowski, first base/outfielder, free agent, BB/K rate at Double-A and Triple-A: 1.08

Nogowski got some brief MLB looks in 2020 and 2021 and couldn’t do much with them. He split 2022 between Atlanta’s and Washington’s system, getting 483 plate appearances while walking more than he struck out. Similar to the players above him, it didn’t result in much power, as he went deep eight times and produced a batting line of .248/.366/.362. A 34th-round draft pick from 2014, he’s never been on a team prospect list at BA or FanGraphs. He’ll turn 30 in January.

Willians Astudillo, utility player, free agent, BB/K rate at Triple-A: 1.06

It’s likely that you’re already familiar with “La Tortuga” since he’s appeared in the majors for the past five years and has become a fan favorite. He hardly ever strikes out but also hardly ever walks or goes deep, which is why he’s had trouble sticking in the majors despite incredible bat-to-ball skills. He spent most of this year in Triple-A for the Marlins, hitting very well down there. However, he’s now 31 and hasn’t produced much over 588 career plate appearances in the majors.

Vinnie Pasquantino, first base, Royals, BB/K rate at Triple-A: 1.03

This one is the hardest to call a hidden gem since Pasquantino is already on display. That being said, the 11th round draft pick from 2019 wasn’t a highly-touted prospect until a strong 2021 campaign got him onto the list of top farmhands in the Royals’ system from both BA and FanGraphs going into 2022. He got called up in late June and acclimated to big league pitching immediately. He had already walked more than he struck out at Triple-A in the first half of the year and then did the same in the show. He also went deep 18 times in Triple-A and 10 times in the majors. He only has 298 MLB plate appearances but the signs are pointing to him being the real deal. He just turned 25 last month.

Evan Mendoza, infielder, Cardinals, BB/K rate at Triple-A: 1.00

Another Cardinal, Mendoza was an 11th round draft pick in 2017. In 421 plate appearances this year, his strikeouts and walks came out even at 56. Unfortunately, like some others on this list, his contact wasn’t terribly productive, resulting in a slash line of .247/.348/.325. He did add a speed element to his game recently, though, swiping 15 bags last year and 17 this year. With the new rules coming into play that encourage more baserunning, perhaps his on-base skills will help him prove valuable. He’s never cracked the top 30 prospects in the system at either BA or FanGraphs, though FG did put him at #34 back in 2018. He’s eligible to be selected in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

Tanner Morris, infielder, Blue Jays, BB/K rate at Double-A and Triple-A: 1.00

Morris began his year in Double-A, getting 186 plate appearances with matching 16.1% walk and strikeout rates. He hit five homers in that sample while slashing an excellent .312/.430/.468. He got bumped to Triple-A but couldn’t keep things rolling, perhaps due to a .233 BABIP, as he hit .173/.352/.173 in 126 plate appearances there. However, he again posted matching walk and strikeout rates of 19.8%, meaning he finished the year with rates of 17.6% over 312 plate appearances between the two levels. He then went to the Arizona Fall League and got into 15 games, walking 15 times against nine Ks for a batting line of .279/.466/.372. A fifth round pick from 2019, he’s been on the back end of Toronto prospect lists over the past few years. He recently turned 25 and is Rule 5 eligible.

Bryce Windham, catcher, Cubs, BB/K rate at Double-A: 1.00

A 32nd round pick of the 2019 draft, Windham got 304 plate appearances at Double-A this year, finishing with walk and strikeout totals of 44, a 14.5% rate for each. It was quite tepid production overall, leading to a batting line of just .202/.322/.289, though his .227 BABIP was well below his previous seasons. He’s never been listed as a top prospect in the system by either BA or FanGraphs. He recently turned 26 and is Rule 5 eligible.

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Chicago Cubs Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Angels MLBTR Originals St. Louis Cardinals Toronto Blue Jays Bryce Windham Evan Mendoza John Nogowski Michael Stefanic Nick Dunn Tanner Morris Vinnie Pasquantino Willians Astudillo

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34 Players Become Free Agents

By Steve Adams | October 7, 2022 at 8:51am CDT

The Wild Card round of the 2022 postseason begins today, but for the majority of teams and players, the offseason is now underway. With that will come plenty of roster formalities, including veteran players who’ve been outrighted off their respective teams’ rosters reaching minor league free agency. This week, there have been 34 such instances throughout the league, per the transactions log at MiLB.com.

None of these are a surprise, to be clear. Any player who is not on his team’s 40-man roster at season’s end but has three-plus years of Major League service time, multiple career outright assignments and/or seven-plus seasons in the minors has the right to elect free agency. Everyone in today’s group of players falls under that umbrella. The majority of the group will likely find minor league deals over the winter, although a few of the players in question could potentially find a big league deal as a bench piece or middle-inning reliever.

There will be several more waves of players of this ilk, and we’ll make note of them in bunches over the coming weeks as we await the launch of Major League free agency, when all unsigned players with at least six years of Major League service time will reach the open market. For now, here’s the first of what will likely be several waves of newly minted minor league free agents:

Catchers

  • Taylor Davis (Pirates)
  • Dustin Garneau (Tigers)
  • Andrew Knapp (Giants)
  • Pedro Severino (Brewers)

Infielders

  • Willians Astudillo (Marlins)
  • Johan Camargo (Phillies)
  • Michael Chavis (Pirates)
  • Matt Davidson (Athletics)
  • Dixon Machado (Giants)
  • Richie Martin (Orioles)
  • Josh VanMeter (Pirates)
  • Tyler Wade (Yankees)

Outfielders

  • Greg Allen (Pirates)
  • Lewis Brinson (Giants)
  • Jaylin Davis (Red Sox)
  • Jonathan Davis (Brewers)
  • Jackson Frazier (Cubs)
  • Brett Phillips (Orioles)

Pitchers

  • Tyler Beede (Pirates)
  • Austin Brice (Pirates)
  • Miguel Del Pozo (Tigers)
  • Jerad Eickhoff (Pirates)
  • Luke Farrell (Reds)
  • Paul Fry (Diamondbacks)
  • Eric Hanhold (Pirates)
  • Travis Lakins Sr. (Orioles)
  • Mike Mayers (Angels)
  • Daniel Mengden (Royals)
  • Juan Minaya (Nationals)
  • Sean Newcomb (Cubs)
  • Dillon Peters (Pirates)
  • Dereck Rodriguez (Twins)
  • Cesar Valdez (Angels)
  • Aneurys Zabala (Marlins)
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2022-23 MLB Free Agents Arizona Diamondbacks Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Angels Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Francisco Giants Transactions Washington Nationals Andrew Knapp Aneurys Zabala Austin Brice Brett Phillips Cesar Valdez Clint Frazier Daniel Mengden Dereck Rodriguez Dillon Peters Dixon Machado Dustin Garneau Eric Hanhold Greg Allen Jaylin Davis Jerad Eickhoff Johan Camargo Jonathan Davis Josh VanMeter Juan Minaya Lewis Brinson Luke Farrell Matt Davidson Michael Chavis Miguel Del Pozo Mike Mayers Paul Fry Pedro Severino Red Sox Richie Martin Sean Newcomb Taylor Davis Travis Lakins Tyler Beede Tyler Wade Willians Astudillo

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Marlins Place Trevor Rogers On Injured List, Designate Willians Astudillo

By Anthony Franco | July 29, 2022 at 4:33pm CDT

The Marlins have made a handful of moves in advance of tonight’s series opener with the Mets (relayed by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald). Starter Trevor Rogers has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 26, with lower back spasms. Miami also selected reliever Jake Fishman and infielder Charles Leblanc onto the big league roster, designating Willians Astudillo for assignment. To clear a second 40-man roster spot, the Marlins transferred Max Meyer from the 15-day to the 60-day IL. That was a formality, as the top prospect is set to undergo Tommy John surgery that’ll cost him the next year-plus.

Rogers had been slated to start tomorrow, but the Marlins will obviously have to find a replacement. The IL stint is the latest in what has been a frustrating season for the southpaw, who looked to have broken out as one of the game’s top young pitchers a year ago. Rogers pitched to a 2.64 ERA and earned an All-Star nod in 2021, but he’s gone in the opposite direction this season. He owns just a 5.85 ERA through 87 2/3 innings, watching his strikeout rate plummet from 28.5% to 20.8% in the process.

Astudillo has bounced on and off the roster a couple times this season. The former Twins utilityman signed a minor league deal with Miami over the winter, and he’s posted an excellent .321/.364/.557 showing through 33 Triple-A contests. Astudillo, owner of perhaps the sport’s best bat-to-ball skills, has only gone down on strikes in 4.3% of his minor league plate appearances, but he’s not made much of an impact in 21 MLB contests. Despite fanning in just three of his 55 trips to the dish, he owns a meager .241/.255/.296 showing with one homer and a 1.8% walk rate.

The Marlins will presumably again place Astudillo on waivers over the next few days. He’s already passed through the wire unclaimed this year and accepted an outright assignment to their top affiliate in Jacksonville. It’s possible he eventually winds up back with the Jumbo Shrimp, but he’d again have the right to elect minor league free agency if he goes unclaimed.

Leblanc and the aptly-named Fishman are each joining the Marlins for what’ll be their major league debuts. The former is a 26-year-old infielder who was a fourth-round draftee of the Rangers out of the University of Pittsburgh back in 2016. Leblanc spent six years in the Texas system, mostly splitting his time between second and third base, before signing a minor league deal with Miami last offseason. The right-handed hitter has impressed over 360 plate appearances in Jacksonville, hitting .302/.381/.503 with 14 home runs. Leblanc’s 27.2% strikeout rate is higher than ideal, but he’s done enough from a power perspective to get an MLB call.

Fishman, 27, also entered pro ball in that 2016 draft. He fell to the 30th round, where the Blue Jays selected the Union College product. Fishman briefly reached Triple-A in the Toronto system before qualifying for minor league free agency during the 2020-21 offseason. He’s spent the past two years working as a multi-inning reliever in Jacksonville. This season, the southpaw has an excellent 1.87 ERA with a robust 54.3% ground-ball rate across 43 1/3 innings, posting roughly average strikeout and walk rates (24.4% and 9.1%, respectively).

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Miami Marlins Transactions Charles LeBlanc Jake Fishman Max Meyer Trevor Rogers Willians Astudillo

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Marlins Roster Moves

By TC Zencka | July 24, 2022 at 12:41pm CDT

The Marlins made a number of roster moves today, including moving All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the 60-day injured list. Anthony Bender and Cody Poteet were also moved to the 60-day injured list. Those moves cleared 40-man roster spots for Willians Astudillo, Jeff Brigham, and Huascar Brazoban, who were all added to the active roster. To create those spots on the active roster, Brian Anderson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder strain, while Max Meyer and Tommy Nance were both placed on the 15-day injured list, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).

The Chisolm move is the most noteworthy (if expected) move of the bunch. The All-Star was recently diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back. The Marlins hope he can return by the end of the season, though that’s definitely in doubt.

It’s equally disappointing to see Meyer make a quick trip to the injured list after just two big league starts. The 23-year-old surrendered five earned runs in seven innings while striking out six and walking two.

Nance, a 31-year-old reliever, joins Meyer on the injured list. The former Cub has a 5.76 ERA/3.28 FIP in 19 outings covering 25 innings this season for the Marlins. The power righty misses a fair amount of bats, but struggled at times with his command. For the year, he has struck out a robust 29.9 percent of opponents, but he has also walked 11.1 percent of opposing hitters, a number that needs to come down in order for him to become an effective late-inning arm.

Brazoban made his Major League debut today, throwing an arsenal based around a sinker that neared 98 mph on average. The 32-year-old Dominican was playing in the independent league last season. Brigham, 30, has made 37 appearances for the Marlins over the past three seasons, posting a 5.01 ERA/5.32 FIP across 55 2/3 innings. Astudillo has stepped to the plate 38 times for the Marlins this season, slashing .270/.289/.351.

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Miami Marlins Transactions Anthony Bender Brian Anderson Cody Poteet Huascar Brazoban Ian Anderson Jazz Chisholm Jeff Brigham Max Meyer Tommy Nance Willians Astudillo

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Outrights: Astudillo, Romero

By Steve Adams | June 30, 2022 at 9:15am CDT

A couple of recent DFA resolutions to start the morning here at MLBTR…

  • Utilityman Willians Astudillo went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Jacksonville by the Marlins, per the team’s transactions log at MLB.com. The 30-year-old Astudillo appeared in 17 games with the Fish, posting a .270/.289/.351 batting line in 38 plate appearances. True to form, Astudillo struck out just twice and walked only once in that span. That’s par for the course, as Astudillo uncanny bat-to-ball skills and overwhelmingly free-swinging nature have resulted in minuscule 4.7% strikeout and 1.9% walk rates through 571 Major League plate appearances, mostly coming with the Twins from 2018-21. Unfortunately, while he is perhaps more adept than anyone in the game at putting the ball in play, he rarely does so with any authority (career 86 mph average exit velocity, 31% hard-hit rate). The catcher-turned-super-utilityman has also played every position on the diamond, including six innings of mop-up relief in blowouts over the past few years. Astudillo technically reached three years of Major League service time just days before being designated for assignment, so he should have the ability to reject the assignment in favor of free agency if he chooses.
  • Outfielder Stefen Romero has been assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Dodgers after clearing outright waivers, per the team’s transaction log. Romero made it back to the Majors last week after a six-year absence and a lengthy run in Japan, so it was somewhat deflating to see that the Dodgers never actually used him in a game before designating him for assignment. Romero doesn’t have three years of service and hasn’t been previously outrighted, so he’ll head back to OKC in hopes of earning another look at a later date. After hitting .264/.331/.497 in five seasons over in Japan, Romero has posted a similar .270/.337/.461 slash through 102 plate appearances so far in Triple-A with the Dodgers.
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Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Transactions Stefen Romero Willians Astudillo

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Marlins Select Erik Gonzalez, Designate Willians Astudillo

By Darragh McDonald | June 26, 2022 at 10:25am CDT

The Marlins announced to reporters, including Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald, that they have selected the contract of infielder Erik Gonzalez. To make room for him on the active roster, infielder Willians Astudillo has been designated for assignment.

Astudillo, 30, spent the first four years of his career with Minnesota, becoming a fan favorite due to his unusual size and profile. “La Tortuga” played every position on the diamond except for shortstop while with the Twins, including a few stints on the mound. He was also noteworthy for nearly constantly putting the ball in play, very rarely walking or striking out. However, his overall production lacked enough that the Twins designated him for assignment in November of last year.

The Marlins added him on a minor league deal in March, eventually selecting him to the big league team in May. Since then, he’s matched his profile, lining up at multiple positions, striking out just 5.3% of the time and walking just 2.6% of the time. His overall slash line of .270/.289/.351 amounts to a wRC+ of 84.

The Marlins evidently think that they can coax better production out of Gonzalez, based on this transaction. The veteran spent a few weeks with the club earlier this year, when they were dealing with a COVID situation. As such, Gonzalez was designated a “substitute” that could be removed from the 40-man roster without being exposed to waivers. During that time with the big league team, he got into 12 games and hit just .194/.286/.194 for a wRC+ of 49. However, he’s fared much better in Triple-A this year, slashing .339/.376/.431, 119 wRC+. With injuries to Joey Wendle and Brian Anderson, the Marlins have been trying to find infield solutions, including utility types like Astudillo and Jon Berti, with Gonzalez now being swapped in as the latest attempt.

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Miami Marlins Transactions Erik Gonzalez Willians Astudillo

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Marlins Place Anthony Bender On 15-Day IL, Select Willians Astudillo

By Mark Polishuk | May 25, 2022 at 4:05pm CDT

The Marlins have placed right Anthony Bender on the 15-day injured list due to back stiffness, with the placement retroactive to May 23.  In the corresponding move, utilityman Willians Astudillo has joined the active roster after his contract was selected from Triple-A.

Bender has recorded six of Miami’s nine total saves this year, getting the bulk of ninth-inning work while Dylan Floro was on the injured list.  While Floro has struggled since returning to action, Bender also hasn’t done much to fully cement his hold on the closer’s job.  Over 14 innings, Bender has a 4.50 ERA and strikeout/walk rates that are slightly below league average, and he has given up three home runs.  However, Bender has has also been hurt by a .359 BABIP, which is particularly damaging for a pitcher who relies so much on grounders.

The Marlins could turn to any or all of Cole Sulser, Tanner Scott, Louis Head, or Anthony Bass for saves while Bender is out.  Manager Don Mattingly said during Spring Training that the team was more likely to adopt a committee approach unless a pitcher emerged as the clear best choice for save situations, so it could be that the Marlins simply keep rolling without a true closer.

Astudillo signed a minor league contract with Miami soon after the lockout ended, and he has hit .286/.326/.464 with four home runs for Triple-A Jacksonville over 89 plate appearances.  A veteran of four MLB seasons with the Twins, Astudillo was a fan favorite in Minnesota, and his ability to play almost anywhere on the field got him into 167 games at every position except shortstop.

While “La Tortuga” only occasionally hit well, this extreme versatility gives Miami an interesting new depth piece on what is now a 14-man position player mix.  One would imagine another move could be forthcoming to add another arm to the bullpen.  Jazz Chisholm Jr. has missed the last couple of games with hamstring tightness, but in a positive step, Chisholm was participating in close to full baseball activity today.

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Miami Marlins Transactions Anthony Bender Willians Astudillo

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Marlins Sign Willians Astudillo To Minors Contract

By Mark Polishuk | March 13, 2022 at 7:52pm CDT

The Marlins have signed Willians Astudillo to a minor league contract, according to reporter Arnold Santiago (Twitter link).  The deal includes an invitation for “La Tortuga” to take part in the Marlins’ big league Spring Training camp.

Between his impressive ability to put the ball in play, his fan-friendly persona, and his ability to play almost anywhere on the diamond, Astudillo was a popular figure over his four seasons with the Twins.  Astudillo’s high-contact approach hasn’t translated to much production at the plate, however, as he has batted .270/.295/.406 over 533 plate appearances at the Major League level.

The Marlins addressed their catching needs by trading for Jacob Stallings prior to the lockout, though since none of Alex Jackson, Payton Henry, or Nick Fortes has much MLB experience, Astudillo will provide some competition for the backup catching role.  Given Astudillo’s versatility, Miami could deploy three catchers on the active roster, allowing Astudillo to provide depth at multiple other positions.  The 30-year-old has played mostly as a catcher and corner infielder in the majors, but Astudillo has also made a handful of appearances as a second baseman, outfielder, and as a mop-up relief pitcher.

Astudillo was projected to earn $1.2MM in arbitration this season, but the Twins opted to release him in November, essentially giving him a brief jump on the non-tender market.  The lockout delayed Astudillo from finding his next contract, but he has now found an interesting opportunity in Miami.

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Miami Marlins Transactions Willians Astudillo

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Twins Release Willians Astudillo, Outright Charlie Barnes

By Steve Adams | November 24, 2021 at 2:40pm CDT

Twins utilityman Willians Astudillo cleared release waivers and is now a free agent, per a team announcement. Left-hander Charlie Barnes, meanwhile, went unclaimed on outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A St. Paul. He’ll remain with the club but will no longer require a 40-man roster spot. Both players were designated for assignment Friday.

Astudillo, 30, made his big league debut with the Twins back in 2018 and has since displayed an uncommon skill set and fairly rare level of defensive versatility. “La Tortuga” has played every position on the diamond, with the exception of shortstop. Astudillo worked as a catcher and corner infielder with the Phillies in his early days as a prospect and has continued to add more positions to his defensive profile. He’s not considered a plus defender anywhere, but Astudillo embodies the “jack of all trades, master of none” profile quite well.

More interesting is Astudillo’s unorthodox skill set at the plate. As free a swinger as there is in the game, the right-handed-hitting Astudillo also possesses uncanny bat-to-ball skills. He’s struck out just 25 times in 533 career plate appearances (4.7%), but his frequent hacking has led to an even smaller 1.9% walk rate. Astudillo has a bit of raw power, but he swings so early and so often, with such high contact rates, that he rarely finds himself in position to get a pitch to drive. Since 2018 (min. 500 plate appearances), Astudillo has the third-highest swing rate (60.1%) of any player in baseball and the second-highest contact rate (91.5%) — trailing only his now-former teammate Luiz Arraez in that regard.

Astudillo was arbitration-eligible and projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a $1.2MM salary in 2022. Coming off a .236/.259/.375 slash in 216 plate appearances, however, it seems the Twins preferred not to allocate those dollars or a 40-man roster spot to him — particularly with so many prospects needing to be added to the 40-man roster. (Minnesota selected six players Friday.) Astudillo can now sign with any team.

The 26-year-old Barnes is a former fourth-rounder who made his big league debut out of necessity to help soak up some innings in an injury-ruined season for the Twins. He was clobbered for a 5.92 ERA while striking out just 20 of the 175 batters he faced, however. Barnes is a strike-throwing changeup artist whose fastball averaged just 89.9 mph in the Majors. However, he did managed a solid 3.79 ERA with a 19.1% strikeout rate and a 7.4% walk rate in 76 innings at the Triple-A level. He’ll stick with the organization for now and hope for another opportunity in 2022. As it stands, the Twins have a perilously thin mix of starting options, but Minnesota is expected to add several starters this winter.

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Minnesota Twins Transactions Charlie Barnes Willians Astudillo

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