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Recapping The KBO League’s International Player Signings

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With the lockout slowing MLB-related transactions to a crawl of minor league deals, transactions involving Korean Baseball Organization teams have taken more of a spotlight on MLBTR’s pages since the start of December.  These moves have included the signings of several names familiar to North American baseball fans, as the KBO League’s clubs have looked to address their allocated three roster spots for non-Korean players.  International-born players can only sign contracts worth a maximum of $1MM in total salary, and players new to the KBO League can sign only one-year pacts.

Though the Doosan Bears have one signing that still isn’t yet official, the other 29 slots have been filled.  It is still possible this list could be adjusted in the coming weeks due to a number of factors — injuries, players returning to North America (for personal reasons or a deal with an MLB team), issues related to the pandemic, or teams just changing their minds after seeing the players in training camp.  Here is the rundown of this winter’s international signings for the 10 KBO League franchises….

Doosan Bears
Jose Miguel Fernandez (deal not yet finalized), Ariel Miranda, Robert Stock

NC Dinos
Nick Martini, Wes Parsons, Drew Rucinski

Hanwha Eagles
Ryan Carpenter, Nick Kingham, Mike Tauchman

Lotte Giants
Charlie Barnes, DJ Peters, Glenn Sparkman

Kiwoom Heroes
Tyler Eppler, Eric Jokisch, Yasiel Puig

SSG Landers
Kevin Cron, Wilmer Font, Ivan Nova

Samsung Lions
David Buchanan, Jose Pirela, Albert Suarez

Kia Tigers
Socrates Brito, Sean Nolin, Ronnie Williams

LG Twins
Casey Kelly, Adam Plutko, Rio Ruiz

KT Wiz
William Cuevas, Odrisamer Despaigne, Henry Ramos

Robert Stock Signs With KBO’s Doosan Bears

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Free-agent Robert Stock will sign with the Doosan Bears of the KBO for $500K in guaranteed money over one year. He can earn an additional $200K in incentives, per Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (via Twitter).

News first broke of Stock’s potential signing on New Year’s Day. As noted in this initial write-up from MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald, Stock posted solid numbers in Triple-A with the Cubs and Mets last season, though he was slowed by injuries.

In his fourth consecutive season seeing time in the bigs, Stock made three starts in the Majors, one for the Cubs, and a pair with the Mets. In Triple-A, however, he managed to post a very good strikeout rate of 26.2% and an acceptable walk rate of 8.1%, as well as an overall 3.57 ERA over 35 1/3 innings.

Stock has mostly been a reliever throughout his career. His three starts this season were his first in 55 games of big-league experience. Even in the minors, he has just 13 career starts. The 32-year-old seems likeliest to pitch out of the bullpen for the Bears, though he wouldn’t be the first player to re-invent himself upon arrival in the KBO. That said, the Bears reportedly like Stock’s big arm, with a fastball that averaged more than 96 mph and the ability to hit triple digits.

Robert Stock Close To Signing With KBO’s Doosan Bears

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Right-handed pitcher Robert Stock is close to signing with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization, reports Daniel Kim, relaying information from Korean media organizations. He says that there is no official deal just yet but that it “sounds close”.

Stock was selected by St. Louis in the second round of the 2009 draft but didn’t make his MLB debut until 2018, spending time in the organizations of the Cardinals, Pirates and Reds before finally making it to the show with the Padres. In addition to the Padres, Stock has seen some MLB action with the Red Sox, Cubs and Mets over the past four seasons. (He was also claimed by the Phillies after the 2019 season but was designated for assignment before the 2020 season began.) He has 72 2/3 MLB innings under his belt, with an ERA of 4.71, strikeout rate of 23.1% and walk rate of 12.2%.

In 2021, he was only able to throw nine total innings in the big leagues over three starts, putting up an ERA of 8.00. But in 35 1/3 Triple-A innings, he had a 3.57 ERA, along with a very good strikeout rate of 26.2% and walk rate of 8.1%. He was with the Mets when a hamstring strain landed him on the IL in July, an injury that ended his season. He was outrighted off the roster in October and elected free agency.

After years off bouncing from team to team and from the minors to the majors, Stock, 32, now seems to be heading for a job in Korea that will likely provide him more regular playing time and better pay than he would have received with another season as a journeyman in North America. If he is able to thrive in this new opportunity, he could always return to MLB with increased interest from clubs, as many other have done in recent years. As mentioned by Kim, the Bears signed Chris Flexen a couple of years ago, who pitched well enough to garner a two-year contract from the Mariners prior to the 2021 season.

Mets Outright Four Players

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The Mets announced that four players — corner outfielder/first baseman José Martínez, utilityman José Peraza and right-handed pitchers Robert Stock and Corey Oswalt — have all cleared outright waivers. Each of that quartet elected free agency.

2021 was a completely lost season for Martínez, who tore the meniscus in his left knee in Spring Training and missed the entire year. He set out on a minor league rehab assignment in August but apparently wasn’t healthy enough to return to the big league level, as he didn’t play in either a major or minor league game after September 10.

Martínez kicked off his big league career with a couple very productive seasons with the Cardinals. He’s never been a strong defender at either first base or in the outfield, though, and his bat ticked down to around league average from 2019-20. Now 33 years old and coming off a lost season, he might be limited to minor league offers this winter. He should be an intriguing no-risk flier for some team, though, assuming an offseason of rest enables a full recovery from his knee issue.

Peraza was a one-time top prospect, but he’s settled into a utility role over the past couple seasons. An everyday middle infielder with the Reds during the early stages of his major league career, Peraza showed plus speed and bat-to-ball skills but was held back by an aggressive approach and lack of impact power. He hit .225/.275/.342 with the Red Sox in 2020 and posted only a marginally better .204/.266/.380 line over 154 plate appearances for the Mets this past season.

The 27-year-old Peraza still runs well and saw a fair amount of action at each of second and third base in Queens. He shouldn’t have much issue finding a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation on the open market, but it never seemed likely the Mets would retain him on a projected $1MM arbitration salary.

Stock has bounced around over the past few seasons, playing for the Padres and Red Sox from 2019-20. He began the 2021 season with the Cubs but landed in New York on a waiver claim in June. Previously a full-time reliever, Stock started his three MLB outings this year but only tallied nine combined innings. He owns a 4.71 ERA in 72 2/3 big league frames going back to 2018.

Oswalt is a career-long Met, having been in the organization since they selected him in the 2012 draft. He tossed 64 2/3 innings of 5.85 ERA ball back in 2018 but hasn’t topped thirteen MLB innings in any season since then. Passed through waivers in February, Oswalt earned his way back to the majors in June but landed on the injured list with right knee inflammation after three outings. Like Martínez, Oswalt played in some rehab games in September but never returned to the big league active roster.

Mets Claim Robert Stock, Expected To Activate Michael Conforto Wednesday

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7:20 pm: Conforto’s absence is indeed related to contact tracing protocols at Syracuse, the club announced. He has tested negative for COVID-19 and is expected to be reinstated in advance of tomorrow evening’s game against the Braves.

5:17 pm: The Mets announced they’ve claimed right-hander Robert Stock off waivers from the Cubs. He’s been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Infielder Brandon Drury was also optioned, while catcher Patrick Mazeika was recalled.

Chicago just selected Stock to the big league roster last week. Generally a reliever, he made a four-inning spot start last Wednesday that ironically came against his new team. The 31-year-old allowed five runs on six walks while only striking out three, but the Mets were evidently intrigued by their then-opponent. After the Cubs designated him for assignment last weekend, New York put in a claim.

Stock has pitched to a 4.12 ERA with very strong strikeout and walk rates (30.5% and 4.9%, respectively) in Triple-A this year. He can be optioned for the rest of this season, so he’ll offer the Mets a flexible depth piece on the pitching staff.

Notably, the Mets did not reinstate outfielder Michael Conforto from the IL today. General manager Zack Scott told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) earlier in the day that the All-Star outfielder would return tonight. Notably, the Syracuse Mets, where Conforto had been on a rehab assignment, have since announced they’re dealing with a COVID-19 situation. It’s not clear if Conforto not being reinstated is related in any way.

Cubs Select Kyle Ryan, Designate Robert Stock

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The Cubs announced a trio of roster moves this morning, including the news that left-hander Kyle Ryan’s contract has been selected from Triple-A.  To create roster space for Ryan, righty Cory Abbott was optioned to Triple-A and right-hander Robert Stock was designated for assignment.

Ryan returns to the active roster after being DFA’ed and then outrighted to Triple-A earlier this season.  After being a major part of Chicago’s bullpen in 2019, Ryan struggled to a 5.17 ERA over 15 2/3 innings in 2020, thanks in large part to six homers allowed in that brief amount of work.  However, the southpaw has given up only one homer in 21 1/3 combined innings for the Cubs and at Triple-A Iowa this year — while another small sample size, it looks like Ryan has gotten his homer problem under control.

He’ll be a fresh arm for a Chicago bullpen that also features three other lefties (Andrew Chafin, Brad Wieck, Rex Brothers), and Ryan will also contribute to a Cubs pitching staff that has prioritized keeping the ball on the ground this season.  The Cubs rank fourth in the majors in pitcher groundball rate, and Ryan has a 54.5% grounder rate over his seven MLB seasons.

Stock was only selected to the active roster earlier this week, and he allowed five runs over four innings in a spot start — his first start in 53 career games in the big leagues.  The Cubs claimed Stock off waivers from the Red Sox in December and already designated him and outrighted him off the 40-man earlier this season, so Stock has the option to elect free agency.

Cubs Select Robert Stock, Place Dillon Maples On IL

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The Cubs announced a series of moves before tonight’s game against the Mets. Robert Stock was selected to the roster, while Cory Abbott was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Dillon Maples was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 15, with a right triceps strain, and Trevor Megill was optioned to Iowa. To create 40-man roster space for Stock’s selection, Chicago transferred catcher P.J. Higgins from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Chicago claimed Stock off waivers over the winter, but they ultimately outrighted him off the 40-man before the season began. The hard-throwing righty has spent the year in Iowa, where he’s tossed 19 2/3 innings of 4.12 ERA ball. That’s not an eye-catching level of run prevention, but Stock’s peripherals look much better. He’s punched out 30.5% of opponents in Triple-A while walking just 4.9% of batters faced.

The latter number is especially crucial for Stock, who’s been plagued by control issues at the big league level in recent seasons. The 31-year-old walked an untenable 15.3% of hitters with the Padres and Red Sox between 2019-20, contributing to a 7.13 ERA over 24 frames. The Cubs will give him a chance to carry over his seeming newfound control at the big league level. Stock’s 2021 MLB debut will come tonight, as he’s on the mound as an opener against New York.

Losing Maples is a tough blow for the Cubs bullpen. The 29-year-old has appeared in the big leagues in each of the past five seasons, but his 22 2/3 innings this year is easily a career-high. Maples has pitched to a sterling 1.99 ERA over that time with elite strikeout (33.7%) and ground ball (52.3%) numbers. Maples boasts some of the best stuff in baseball, with elite velocity and spin on each of his four-seam fastball, cutter-slider and curveball. He’s always walked a fine line with his control, though, and Maples has continued to dole out free passes at an alarming rate (14.7%) this season.

Higgins went on the IL last week with a forearm strain. He’ll now be sidelined until at least mid-August. Recent testing revealed more significant damage than expected in his elbow, reports Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic (Twitter link). The 28-year-old Higgins has picked up his first 25 MLB plate appearances this season, serving as a backup to Willson Contreras.

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/3/21

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Today’s minor transactions:

  • The Cubs outrighted hurler Robert Stock to Triple-A after he cleared waivers, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score tweets. The team previously designated the right-handed Stock for assignment on Feb. 28, which came two-plus months after it claimed him from the Red Sox via waivers at the beginning of December. The hard-throwing 31-year-old has been part of seven major league organizations, and he appeared in the bigs in each of the previous three seasons. Stock owns a 4.24 ERA/4.07 SIERA and a 50.8 percent grounder rate in 63 2/3 innings, though he has registered unspectacular strikeout and walk percentages of 23.6 and 10.9, respectively.

Cubs Designate Robert Stock For Assignment

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The Cubs are designating right-hander Robert Stock for assignment, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (Twitter link). The move clears 40-man roster space for left-hander Kyle Ryan, who was activated from the COVID-19 list, per Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago claimed Stock off waivers from the Red Sox last December.

A former Cardinals’ second-round pick as a catching prospect, Stock washed out as a position player but clicked after a conversion to the mound. The hard-throwing reliever earned a big league job with the 2018 Padres and showed some promise, pitching to a 2.50 ERA/3.61 SIERA over 39.2 innings.

Stock wasn’t able to carry that success over in the following seasons, though, thanks largely to difficulty throwing strikes. He has a 7.13 ERA across 24 innings over the past two seasons with San Diego and Boston. Stock’s 24.6% strikeout rate in that time is adequate, but he’s issued walks at an untenable 15.3% clip.

Despite his control issues, it’s easy to see why Stock has continued to attract interest from teams with space available at the back of the 40-man roster. Stock’s four-seam fastball sits in the mid-high 90’s. He has gotten swings and misses at a near league-average rate and has induced ground balls on a strong 50.8% of balls in play over his big league career. Perhaps there’s still some hope the late-blooming Stock could develop adequate control and stick in a team’s middle relief mix.

The Cubs have a week to trade Stock or place him on waivers. He hasn’t yet reached arbitration and still has a minor-league option year remaining, so he’d represent a rather flexible depth piece for potential acquiring clubs.

Cubs Claim Robert Stock

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The Cubs announced that right-hander Robert Stock has been claimed off waivers from the Red Sox.  Stock was designated for assignment by Boston last week.

Stock posted a 4.73 ERA over 13 1/3 innings for the Red Sox last season.  The 31-year-old has a 4.24 ERA, 2.16 K/BB rate, and 9.5 K/9 over 63 2/3 career innings with Boston and San Diego from 2018-20, though Stock also pitched for a number of different organizations (both MLB-affiliated and in independent ball and Mexico) since the Cardinals made him a second-round pick in the 2009 draft.

Control has been something of an issue for Stock both in the minors and particularly in the majors over the course of his career, though he does have a live fastball that regularly sits in the mid-90s.  There’s little risk for the Cubs in seeing if they can turn that live arm into a more reliable bullpen weapon as Chicago looks to add relief help this offseason.

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