Padres To Promote Austin Hedges
The Padres will promote top catching prospect Austin Hedges, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. It’s uncertain how much he’ll play with the Padres, however, since their current starting backstop, Derek Norris, is in the midst of a strong season, and first baseman Yonder Alonso and the Padres’ outfielders have all played well too, so there’s nowhere else to move Norris (who has little big-league experience at any position besides catcher anyway). The team does have a brief series in Seattle next week that could allow Hedges to catch while Norris plays DH. Wil Nieves is the Padres’ current backup catcher, and Lin suggests Nieves could be designated for assignment, with Hedges taking over in a backup role.
Hedges is ranked as the No. 23 prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus, No. 50 by MLB.com, and No. 74 by ESPN’s Keith Law (Insider-only). Hedges’ defensive ability wins widespread acclaim from nearly all prospect analysts. MLB.com praises his receiving, arm, and potential game-calling ability, while Law notes that framing pitches should prove to be a strength as well. Hedges wins less praise for his hitting — he batted a weak .225/.268/.321 at Double-A San Antonio last year. He’s off to a much better start in 2015 for Triple-A El Paso this year, however (.343/.413/.552 in 75 plate appearances), and his strong standing among prospect analysts suggests he might be so valuable defensively that he won’t need to hit much.
If Hedges manages to stick in the big leagues, he’ll likely be in line to become eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player following the 2017 season. He could then become a free agent after 2021.
Brewers Fire Ron Roenicke
The Brewers have announced that they’ve fired manager Ron Roenicke. The team says it will announce his replacement at a press conference at 10:30am Monday. The Brewers will not make any further changes to their coaching staff at present, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com tweets.
The Brewers posted a solid 342-331 record in four-plus seasons with Roenicke at the helm, and he led the Brewers to an NL Central division championship in 2011. The team also had winning records in 2012 and 2014, although it collapsed badly down the stretch last season. It exercised its 2016 option on Roenicke in Spring Training, and GM Doug Melvin said less than two weeks ago that he and owner Mark Attanasio weren’t even considering firing Roenicke.
The Brewers were off to a dreadful 7-18 start this season, however, that led to plenty of reports and speculation about a major shakeup within the organization. The team began its year with four straight losses and hasn’t gotten back on track, dealing with an injury to star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and subpar performances from a number of key players. The Brewers did, however, win their last two games, perhaps suggesting (as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt tweets) that they had already decided to fire Roenicke before this weekend.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (via Twitter) and others have already speculated about the possibility that Craig Counsell, who has worked with the Brewers front office since retiring as a player, could be Roenicke’s replacement. There’s also been speculation about former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, although SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets that Gardenhire will not be replacing Roenicke.
“This has been a difficult start to the season, something that we certainly didn’t anticipate,” says Melvin. “We appreciate all that Ron has done for our organization, and he has handled his duties with great professionalism and dedication.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dodgers Acquire Andy Wilkins
The Blue Jays have announced that they’ve traded first baseman Andy Wilkins to the Dodgers for cash considerations. The Jays designated Wilkins for assignment this weekend. The Dodgers also formally announced that they have designated Scott Baker for assignment.
Wilkins, 26, collected 45 plate appearances with the White Sox in 2014, but he’s done most of his damage at the Triple-A level in recent years, hitting .283/.333/.499 in 848 career plate appearances there and hitting 30 home runs in Triple-A Charlotte last year. With Adrian Gonzalez playing first at the big league level, though, it looks likely Wilkins won’t get an extended chance to show what he can do in the Majors unless there’s an injury.
Dodgers Designate Scott Baker For Assignment
9:56pm: The Dodgers have formally announced that they’ve designated Baker for assignment and acquired first baseman Andy Wilkins from the Blue Jays for cash considerations.
7:52pm: The Dodgers will designate veteran righty Scott Baker for assignment, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register tweets. The move will likely clear a roster spot for another reliever, who will be needed after the team used seven relievers in their 13-inning win over the Diamondbacks today. The Dodgers will continue to use Carlos Frias to their rotation, and it seems like they’ll have to add someone else, perhaps an arm from Triple-A, for what would have been Baker’s next start Wednesday against the Brewers.
The Dodgers signed the 33-year-old Baker last month after the Yankees cut him near the end of Spring Training. He made two starts for Los Angeles, allowing seven runs while striking out eight and walking three in 11 innings. In parts of ten seasons in the Majors, Baker has a 4.26 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9.
Minor Moves: Cody Ross, Jerry Sands
Here are Sunday’s minor moves from around MLB:
- The Athletics have released outfielder Cody Ross, according to the MLB.com transactions page. The A’s designated Ross for assignment yesterday when they claimed outfielder Alex Hassan from the Rangers. Ross will now be free to sign elsewhere, with the Diamondbacks still responsible for most of his $9.5MM salary (and the entire $1MM buyout on his 2016 option). After struggling with Arizona last season, Ross got just two hits in 25 plate appearances with Oakland.
- The Indians have outrighted outfielder Jerry Sands to Triple-A, tweets MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Since the 27-year-old has been outrighted before, he can decline the assignment and become a free agent. Sands was designated for assignment by the Indians Wednesday after compiling a .348/.400/.435 slash in 25 plate appearances.
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Marlins), Steven Tolleson (Blue Jays), Jorge Rondon (Rockies), Andy Wilkins (Blue Jays), Matt West (Blue Jays), and Joseph Ortiz (Cubs) remain in DFA limbo, per MLBTR’s DFA Tracker.
Red Sox Claim Luis Jimenez Off Waivers
The Red Sox have announced they have claimed infielder Luis Jimenez off waivers from the Brewers. Milwaukee had designated Jimenez for assignment yesterday. The Red Sox transferred catcher Ryan Hanigan to the 60-day disabled list to create room on the 40-man roster for Jimenez.
The Brewers cut ties with the 27-year-old after a 1-for-15 start to the season. Jimenez has a reputation as an outstanding defender, but has managed a meager .218/.255/.269 line in 167 plate appearances over three seasons with the Brewers and Angels. Jimenez, who made two starts at third base and has seen time at second base, as well, was claimed off waivers by Milwaukee from the Angels last October after he batted .286/.321/.505 with 21 home runs for Triple-A Salt Lake.
Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters, including CSNNE.com’s Sean McAdam (Twitter link), Jimenez was claimed to allow Brock Holt to stay in right field, have a third non-catcher position player on the bench, and Jackie Bradley Jr. isn’t eligible to return to Boston yet. Bradley was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket Wednesday and must spend 10 days there, unless recalled as an injury replacement.
Hanigan underwent surgery yesterday to fix a metacarpal fracture in his right hand. The injury was sustained Friday night.
Cubs Claim Anthony Varvaro Off Waivers
The Cubs have announced they have claimed right-hander Anthony Varvaro off waivers from the Red Sox. To clear a 40-man roster spot, the Cubs have designated left-hander Joseph Ortiz for assignment.
Varvaro, who was designated for assignment by the Red Sox Wednesday, has appeared in nine games (11 innings) this year allowing five earned runs while striking out eight and walking six.
Ortiz has spent the entire season at Triple-A Iowa making eight relief outings and notably has struck out only one batter in 10 2/3 innings. The Cubs claimed the 24-year-old off waivers from the Rangers last October after he spent most of the season recovering from a January 2014 motorcycle accident. Ortiz made his MLB debut with Texas in 2013 (his only stint in the Majors) posting a 4.23 ERA, 5.4 K/9, and 2.0 BB/9 in 44 2/3 innings (32 games).
White Sox Sign Tyler Colvin
The White Sox have signed outfielder Tyler Colvin to a minor league contact and have assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte, per the Knights’ Twitter feed. In a corresponding move, the White Sox released former 2009 first-round pick Jared Mitchell.
Colvin was in camp with the Marlins before opting out of his minor league deal in April. The 29-year-old outfielder spent 2014 with the Giants slashing .223/.268/.381 in 149 plate appearances before being outrighted in August. Colvin was the Cubs’ first-round choice and the 13th overall selection in the 2006 draft, but has struggled in the Majors batting .239/.287/.446 during his six-year career with the Cubs, Rockies, and Giants.
Mitchell was the 23rd overall pick in the 2009 draft and also has failed to live up to his billing. The 26-year-old outfielder has scuffled at the Triple-A level posting a line of just .205/.328/.327 over the course of four seasons at Charlotte, including a mark of .050/.174/.100 in 46 plate appearances this year.
Minor Moves: Blackley, Flores, Capps, Ciriaco
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- A pair of veterans are headed to the Marlins, per Matt Eddy of Baseball America (via Twitter). Lefty Travis Blackley and catcher Jesus Flores will join the Miami organization after being cut loose by other clubs earlier in the spring. Blackley, 32, has not seen big league action since 2013 and struggled in a brief stint in Japan last year. The 30-year-old Flores, meanwhile, has never returned to the majors since a five-year run with the Nationals. At Triple-A last year with the Royals, he slashed .230/.299/.373 over 271 plate appearances.
- The Braves have released veteran reliever Matt Capps, according to the International League transactions page. Capps, a former closer for the Pirates, Nationals and Twins, last appeared in the big leagues in 2012. He pitched just 12 minor-league innings in the last two seasons in the Indians system while dealing with shoulder issues, and he had not yet appeared in a game in 2015.
- The Braves have announced that they’ve purchased the contract of utilityman Pedro Ciriaco. To make space on their active roster, they’ve optioned lefty Ian Thomas to Triple-A Gwinnett. With Chris Johnson out with a hand injury, the Braves plan to go with Alberto Callaspo and Phil Gosselin at third base, and Ciriaco could provide extra help at third and elsewhere in the infield. The 29-year-old has a career .270/.299/.372 line in 498 plate appearances over five seasons with the Pirates, Red Sox, Padres and Royals. The Braves signed him to a minor-league deal in October.
Rockies Designate Jorge Rondon For Assignment
The Rockies have selected the contract of lefty Kenny Roberts and designated righty Jorge Rondon for assignment, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post tweets. The Rockies claimed Rondon from the Cardinals last November, and he got good results in a handful of outings at Triple-A, but to say his two outings with Colorado went poorly would be an understatement. He had a disastrous night Friday in San Diego, allowing eight runs, seven of them earned, without recording an out. He also allowed three runs in an inning in his other outing, which came against the Diamondbacks last week.
The 27-year-old Rondon has struggled to establish himself in the big leagues despite tempting velocity — his fastball has averaged over 95 MPH in his brief stints with both the Rockies and with the Cardinals last season. He spent much of 2014 with Triple-A Memphis, posting a 3.03 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings.
Roberts, 27, had posted a 3.27 ERA so far this season had Triple-A Albuquerque, striking out eight and walking none. The lefty has a career 2.37 ERA in a slow climb through the Rockies’ minor-league system.