Phillies Claim A.J. Achter From Twins
The Phillies announced that they have claimed right-handed reliever A.J. Achter off waivers from the Twins. The team also selected the contracts of right-handers Edubray Ramos and Jimmy Cordero as well as outfielder Roman Quinn, adding them to the 40-man roster and protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft.
Achter, 27, has a career 5.18 ERA in the Majors but a stronger track record in Triple-A, where he most recently logged an impressive 2.63 ERA with 8.8 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 in 48 innings. Achter’s ERA in Triple-A is well south of 3.00, and he’s displayed good control throughout his career, but he lacks velocity as well, having averaged just 90 mph on his fastball in the Majors.
Rays Claim Chase Whitley From Yankees
The Rays have claimed right-hander Chase Whitley off waivers from the Yankees, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Whitley, 26, underwent Tommy John surgery in May after having thrown 19 1/3 useful innings for the Yankees early in the season. The former 15th-rounder posted a 4.19 ERA with a 16-to-5 K/BB ratio across four starts in the Yankees’ rotation before falling to injury.
Given the timing of his operation, Whitley won’t be ready to open the season on the Rays’ roster, so he’ll presumably land on the 60-day DL to begin next season (assuming he survives the winter on the 40-man roster). He’ll provide the Rays with an MLB-ready pitching option once healthy, however, replenishing some depth lost by Tampa Bay following the trade of Nate Karns. Whitley has a career 2.89 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 196 1/3 career innings at the Triple-A level.
Mariners Designate Danny Hultzen For Assignment
The Mariners announced that they have designated left-hander and former No. 2 overall draft pick Danny Hultzen for assignment. Additionally, the team has purchased the contracts of infielder Patrick Kivlehan and outfielder Boog Powell, thereby adding them to the 40-man roster and protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft.
Selected second overall back in 2011, Hultzen’s career has been plagued by consistent shoulder problems that have limited the soon-to-be-26-year-old to a total of just 167 2/3 innings as a professional. He’s out of options and can be outrighted to the minors if he clears waivers. While Hultzen would technically be available for selection in the Rule 5, he was shut down due to shoulder issues this past July and didn’t pitch again after that point.
Mariners Acquire Luis Sardinas From Brewers
The Mariners and Brewers announced the completion of a relatively minor trade, with infielder Luis Sardinas going to the Seattle in exchange for outfielder Ramon Flores.
Sardinas, still just 22, has been traded twice within the past year, originally going from the Rangers to Milwaukee in the Yovani Gallardo trade. The former Top 100 prospect struggled this past season in both the Majors and may have been deemed expendable by the new front office following yesterday’s acquisition of infielder Jonathan Villar from the Astros.
In 105 plate appearances at the Major League level this season, Sardinas batted .196/.240/.216 — a notable step back from the more palatable (albeit still below-average) .261/.303/.313 line he posted in a similar sample size (125 PAs) in 2014 with Texas. Of course, Sardinas is still considerably younger than the average Triple-A player, so it’s not entirely surprising that he’d be overmatched by big league pitching.
Sardinas appears to fit GM Jerry Dipoto’s oft-stated goal of improving the Mariners’ defense. Last winter, Baseball America ranked Sardinas seventh among Rangers prospects (prior to his trade to Milwaukee, obviously), calling him a plus runner and “talented shortstop with nimble feet, smooth actions, good instincts and an above-average arm.” BA notes that Sardinas profiles as at least a utility player, if not a defensive-minded starter that can hit at the bottom of a big league lineup.
The 23-year-old Flores was acquired by the Mariners in the trade that sent Dustin Ackley to the Yankees. Flores made his big league debut with the Yankees this season but batted just .219/.219/.250 in 33 plate appearances. He has a better minor league track record (.282/.376/.449 in Triple-A) and got off to a torrid start with the Mariners’ Triple-A club, hitting .423/.534/.654 in 14 games. However, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times points out (links to Twitter), Flores broke his leg in that 14th game and had season-ending surgery as a result. Flores is out of minor league options and might not be ready for Spring Training, so he’s seemingly ticketed for the disabled list to open the 2016 season. Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper tweets that this is an “ideal roster construction modification trade,” noting that Flores has a much better bat than Sardinas, who has considerably more defensive value than Flores.
Yahoo’s Jeff Passan reported that the two sides were nearing a trade. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported the players involved (links to Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Added To The 40-Man: Reds, Padres, Braves, Jays, Cards, Nats
The deadline for teams to add players to their 40-man roster and thereby protect them from this year’s Rule 5 Draft is tomorrow night at 8:00pm ET. As such, there will be a large volume of players added to 40-man rosters in the coming day as well as a handful of moves to clear 40-man space for those new additions. The Astros’ trade of Jonathan Villar and release of Robbie Grossman and Luis Cruz earlier today, for instance, created three new spots on their 40-man for the purpose of protecting prospects. Players who signed at 18 or younger must be added to the 40-man roster within five years of signing or be exposed to all 29 other teams in the Rule 5 Draft. Players who were 19 or older at the time they signed must be added within four seasons.
MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo has more specifics on the intricacies of the Rule 5 Draft for those that are interested. Mayo also notes that 11 of MLB.com’s Top 100 prospects are in need of protection from the Rule 5 Draft, and he goes on to list the players from each organization’s Top 30 prospects who must be added by tomorrow night in order to be protected.
With all of that said, here’s today’s list of players that have been added to the 40-man roster…
- The Reds have added right-handers Robert Stephenson and Sal Romano as well as left-hander Stephen Johnson to the 40-man roster, per a tweet from MLBPipeline.com.
- Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets that the Padres have added recently acquired outfielder Manuel Margot to the 40-man roster in addition to shortstop prospect Jose Rondon. Margot was one of the centerpieces in the trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to Boston.
Earlier Updates
- Outfielder Mallex Smith and right-hander John Gant have been added to the Braves‘ 40-man roster, the team announced today. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets that there won’t be any further additions before tomorrow’s deadline.
- The Blue Jays have added right-handers Blake McFarland and Brady Dragmire to their 40-man roster, writes Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. That still leaves five empty spots on the club’s 40-man roster, though there’s no guarantee that the Blue Jays will fill those voids prior to tomorrow’s deadline.
- The Cardinals announced today that they’ve purchased the contracts of shortstop Aledmys Diaz, left-hander Dean Kiekhefer and outfielder Charlie Tilson, thus protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft (Twitter link).
- The Nationals have selected the contracts of infielder Chris Bostick, catcher Spencer Kieboom and left-hander Nick Lee, per a team announcement (on Twitter).
Indians, Shane Robinson Agree To Minor League Deal
The Indians and former Twins/Cardinals outfielder Shane Robinson are in agreement on a minor league contract, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press first tweeted that the two sides were expected to finalize an agreement soon. Presumably, the contract includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training for Robinson, who spent the entire 2015 season on Minnesota’s big league roster. Robinson is represented by CAA Sports.
Robinson, 31, batted .250/.299/.322 in 197 plate appearances for the Twins. The right-handed hitter posted a higher OBP against lefties (.309) than righties (.292), but nearly all of his extra-base hits came against same-handed pitching. Robinson didn’t hit much for the Twins, clearly, but he’s a strong defender at all three outfield positions and brings some speed to the table. He’s 13-for-16 in stolen base attempts as a big leaguer and has delivered positive baserunning values in each season in which he’s received more than 100 plate appearances, per Fangraphs’ BsR metric.
Cubs Claim Jack Leathersich From Mets
The Cubs announced that they’ve claimed left-handed reliever Jack Leathersich off waivers from the Mets. Leathersich is recovering from 2015 Tommy John surgery but could return to Major League action late in the 2016 campaign. The folks at RedSoxStats.com first tweeted that the Cubs would be picking up a lefty reliever off another club’s 40-man roster (about an hour prior to the claim).
Leathersich, 25, underwent his surgery in July this season, so he could potentially return next August or September, though he’ll obviously spend the early potion of the 2016 season on the 60-day disabled list. The former fifth-round pick made his big league debut in 2015 and yielded three runs on 12 hits with a 14-to-7 K/BB ratio in 11 2/3 innings before succumbing to injury. Leathersich has averaged an eye-popping 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings over the life of his minor league career, but he’s battled control issues (4.9 BB/9 in the minors) and has somewhat curiously struggled tremendously against fellow lefties while serving as a highly effective piece versus right-handed batters.
Astros Release Robbie Grossman, Luis Cruz
The Astros announced today that outfielder Robbie Grossman and minor league left-hander Luis Cruz have been granted their unconditional releases. The pair of moves frees up two spots on Houston’s 40-man roster that can be reallocated before tomorrow’s deadline to protect players from the 2015 Rule 5 Draft.
It wasn’t long ago that the now-26-year-old Grossman was viewed as a potential long-term piece with the Astros. The switch-hitting outfielder, originally acquired in the trade that sent Wandy Rodriguez to Pittsburgh, had a respectable rookie debut at the plate with Houston back in 2013 when he batted .268/.332/.370 in 288 plate appearances. That led to an increased role in 2014, which saw Grossman slash .233/.337/.330 in 422 PAs while playing above-average defense in the outfield corners.
Grossman’s potential was at one point seen as significant enough that the Astros were rumored to be discussing an early-career extension that would’ve reportedly guaranteed him $13.5MM over six years and come with a pair of club options attached. Grossman’s situation exemplifies the difficult decisions with which young players are faced when approached regarding extensions. Had Grossman developed into an average (or even below-average) regular, that contract probably would have underpaid him substantially while also delaying his free agency by two years at what were presumably also relatively low prices. However, the ultimate downside for a player in rejecting such a contract is today’s outcome — a disappointing end to said player’s tenure with the organization.
However, Grossman only recently turned 26 and is still young enough to latch on with another club and establish himself a useful big league piece. He has a year and 95 days of Major League service time, so a team that signs him (presumably to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp) could conceivably control him for five more seasons if he takes a step forward and realizes some of the potential that made him Baseball Prospectus’ No. 76 overall prospect prior to the 2012 season. If nothing else, Grossman has proven himself capable of hitting at the Triple-A level, where he owns a .281/.382/.387 batting line in 917 plate appearances. And, of course, players who have shown to be quality contributors in the minors often receive interest on the international front from clubs in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
As for Cruz, the 25-year-old Puerto Rican hurler was selected in the ninth round of the 2008 draft. Cruz’s strong work in Double-A back in 2013-14 landed him a spot on the Astros’ Major League roster, but he’s struggled to adapt to the top minor league level, as he owns a career 4.55 ERA with 7.6 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9 in 140 1/3 innings at that level.
Brewers Acquire Jonathan Villar From Astros
The Brewers announced that they’ve acquired shortstop Jonathan Villar from the Astros in exchange for minor league right-hander Cy Sneed. Villar will be reunited with former Astros assistant GM David Stearns, who is now the general manager in Milwaukee.
Villar, 24 (25 in May), provides the Brewers with some much-needed infield depth. Unlike fellow infielder Javier Betancourt, whom the club acquired in exchange for Francisco Rodriguez yesterday, Villar is capable of stepping directly onto the Brewers’ big league roster, however. Despite his young age, the switch-hitter has spent parts of three seasons in the Majors with the Astros and was even Houston’s Opening Day shortstop in 2014.
The Astros originally acquired Villar — along with Anthony Gose and J.A. Happ — from the Phillies in exchange for Roy Oswalt. Villar surfaced in the Majors in 2013 and batted .243/.321/.319 with a homer and 18 stolen bases in 58 games, which was enough to place him in the 2014 Opening Day lineup. He struggled that season, however, and his poor performance was likely a contributing factor in the Astros’ decision to sign Jed Lowrie to a three-year pact last winter.
In spite of the Lowrie addition, Villar still saw some playing time in 2015 and enjoyed better production, batting .284/.339/.414. Most notably, he dramatically cut his formerly problematic strikeout rate in his return to the Majors. While his 22.7 percent whiff rate was still higher than you’d like to see from a player with Villar’s lack of power, it was still a marked improvement from the 28.5 percent K-rate he displayed in 2013-14. He’s also shown reasonable plate discipline in the Majors, walking at an 8.1 percent clip in 658 total trips to the plate (7.8 percent in 2015). Villar’s greatest asset is his speed, as he’s swiped 34 or more bags in each season dating back to 2010 (in some cases, between the Majors and minors combined).
While not a gifted defender at shortstop (career -6 DRS, -19 UZR in 1344 innings), he could play some second base in Milwaukee next season or take the reins at shortstop in the event of a Jean Segura trade. Of course, with top shortstop prospect Orlando Arcia nearing the Major Leagues, Villar might not be long for that position one way or the other. He’s spent some time at second base, third base and in the outfield recently, so the Brewers may not the feel the need to commit to one single position for Villar at all, instead eyeing him as a fleet-footed super utility option. Villar is out of options, so he’ll almost certainly be on the Major League roster to begin the 2016 season. Milwaukee can control him through the 2020 season, as he currently has one year, 113 days of Major League service time.
The 23-year-old Sneed spent this past season, his age-22 campaign, pitching for the Brewers’ Class-A affiliates in the Midwest and Florida State Leagues. The 2014 third-rounder posted a combined 2.58 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 in 139 1/3 innings of work. MLB.com didn’t rank Sneed among Milwaukee’s Top 30 prospects, and J.J. Cooper of Baseball America tweets that Sneed is a “three-pitch right-haner who competes with fringe-average stuff.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cubs Sign Andury Acevedo
The Cubs have signed righty Andury Acevedo to a major league deal and added him to their 40-man roster, the club announced today. He had reached the open market as a minor league free agent.
The 25-year-old Acevedo sped up the ladder in the Yankees organization last year after starting the season at High-A. He ultimately reached the Triple-A level in time to make ten late-season appearances.
Acevedo, a converted infielder, worked to a composite 2.59 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 over 59 total frames. He seemed to have limited the severe control issues he showed in his first couple of seasons after moving to the mound, but he did allow nine free passes in his 10 2/3 frames at the highest level of the minors.
This signing represents yet another example of the phenomenon of teams handing 40-man spots to minor league free agents. It’s not yet clear what kind of timeline the Cubs expect out of the unpolished righty, but clearly they were intrigued by his upside.