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White Sox Promote Yoan Moncada

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The White Sox announced following tonight’s blockbuster trade that they will promote minor league infielder Yoan Moncada to the Majors tomorrow. Acquired in the team’s offseason trade of Chris Sale, Moncada is widely regarded as one of the game’s top overall prospects and ranks as MLB’s No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus.

Yoan Moncada | Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Moncada, 22, is off to an excellent start in Triple-A Charlotte, hitting .285/.381/.452 with a dozen homers, nine doubles, three triples and 17 steals (in 24 attempts). He should get everyday at-bats for the Sox at second base, where he’s played exclusively thus far in Triple-A this season.

This won’t be Moncada’s first exposure to the Majors, as he appeared with the Red Sox late in the 2016 campaign but looked overmatched by big league pitching at the time. In a tiny sample of 20 plate appearances, Moncada was able to notch four hits but also struck out a whopping 12 times. Strikeouts remain an issue for Moncada in Triple-A, though he’s made modest improvements in both his strikeout and walk rates this season.

Reports on the switch-hitting Moncada tout him as a potential five-tool player — one who can hit for high average with power, speed, and above-average defense at second base for years to come. His left-handed swing has drawn comparisons to that of Robinson Cano. Baseball America’s report on Moncada marvels at his athleticism, touting that he “possesses the size and strength of a linebacker and he runs like a runaway locomotive.”

If there are any questions about Moncada, they’re largely about his hit tool, though not to the point where many evaluators are too concerned about his future. ESPN’s Keith Law isn’t quite as high on Moncada, but even as a slightly more skeptical observer, he pegged him as baseball’s No. 13 overall prospect earlier this month. Law writes that Moncada still profiles as an above-average regular at second even if his discipline never fully comes around.

Moncada entered the season with just 31 days of Major League service time, and given the timing of his promotion, there aren’t enough days left on the calendar for him to reach the requisite 172 days of service to notch his first full year. The best he can do is wrap up the season with 106 days of service, which would eventually leave him shy of Super Two status after the 2019 campaign (assuming no further demotions to alter his service time trajectory). Moncada, then, wouldn’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2020 season and wouldn’t qualify as a free agent until the 2023 season wraps up.

Of course, financial considerations aren’t necessarily as great a concern for Moncada as they are for most young players. After leaving Cuba, Moncada signed with the Red Sox for a record-shattering $31.5MM signing bonus (that came with a full dollar-for-dollar penalty, meaning he cost Boston $63MM).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Quick Hits: Prospects, Bruce, Ramos, Phelps, Yankees, Marlins, Weaver

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Yoan Moncada sits atop both the midseason top 100 prospect rankings from Baseball America and the top 50 list from Baseball Prospectus.  The two lists have different methodologies in compiling the rankings (for instance, BA includes 2017 draft picks while BP doesn’t) but obviously are in agreement about the value of several top minor leaguers, with Moncada as the consensus choice.  The White Sox prospect has a very solid but not dominant .282/.380/.451 slash line over 334 plate appearances at Triple-A this season, and with 93 strikeouts on his record, plate discipline is still something of a question mark.  Of course, Moncada struck out in 12 of his 20 big league plate appearances last season during his first taste of MLB action.  Though the White Sox have been somewhat non-committal about when Moncada will get called up, the 22-year-old is likely to make his debut in a White Sox uniform at some point late this season.

Here’s some more from around baseball…

  • Jay Bruce’s contract contains partial no-trade protection against eight teams, and the octet on Bruce’s list hasn’t changed since the offseason, James Wagner of the New York Times writes.  The eight teams in question are the Athletics, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Phillies, Rays, Twins, and Yankees.  The Mets outfielder isn’t likely to be targeted by many of those teams anyway, be it for financial reasons, fit reasons or because at least three of those clubs are looking like deadline sellers themselves.
  • The Yankees are one of the many teams interested in Marlins relievers AJ Ramos and David Phelps, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
  • Also from Sherman’s piece, the Marlins have gotten “a few nibbles” on Edinson Volquez and Brad Ziegler.  Miami appears to be concentrating on dealing relievers and veterans under multi-year contracts like Volquez and Ziegler, and the club’s biggest names seem to be staying put for now, though “the situation is fluid,” according to both Marlins officials and officials on rival teams.  Sherman includes right-hander Dan Straily on the list of Miami’s untouchable-for-now core players, which makes sense given that Straily is enjoying a strong season and is controllable for three more seasons.  The Marlins are scouting over 20 different farm systems for potential trade pieces.
  • It’s unclear if Padres righty Jered Weaver will ever pitch again, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes.  If Weaver does resume his career, Lin doesn’t expect it to happen in San Diego (Twitter link).  The 34-year-old Weaver, who has been on the disabled list with left hip inflammation in late May, is working on his health in San Diego, according to manager Andy Green.  The club has given Weaver “latitude to explore some things,” and there’s no timetable for his return, per Green.  Before Weaver landed on the shelf, the former Angels ace recorded unsightly numbers (7.44 ERA, 7.99 FIP) over nine starts and 42 1/3 innings.

AL Notes: Red Sox, Athletics, White Sox, Tigers

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Speaking with Evan Drellich of CSNNE.com on Saturday, Athletics third baseman Trevor Plouffe confirmed that the Red Sox had interest in signing him as a free agent during the offseason. In the end, Plouffe chose to ink a deal with Oakland because it presented a clearer path to playing time at the hot corner than Boston did at the time. “I wanted to play third base and [the A’s] came and right away and expressed their interest in that, and to me it was kind of a no-brainer,” said Plouffe, who’s on a one-year, $5.25MM contract. “I was going to come here and get a chance to start at third. Kind of after last year, not being able to play a ton of games, prove that I can stay healthy again — that was kind of the real selling point for me.” As Drellich notes, it turns out Plouffe would have had an opportunity to play had he signed with the Red Sox, whose third base options (including Pablo Sandoval) have dealt with injuries this season. Plouffe could still end up with the Red Sox around the trade deadline, Drellich adds, and the 30-year-old realizes it’s possible he’ll head elsewhere if the A’s aren’t in contention. “Of course. You can’t be naive about that fact,” acknowledged Plouffe, a .248/.318/.421 hitter in 148 plate appearances this season.

More from the American League:

  • White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, No. 1 prospect Yoan Moncada and manager Rick Renteria each played key roles in the team’s signing of highly touted outfield prospect Luis Robert, according to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. Like Robert, both Abreu and Moncada hail from Cuba, while Renteria is the only Spanish-speaking manager in the majors. The White Sox put together a video presentation for Robert which featured narration in Spanish from Renteria and appearances from Abreu and Moncada, both of whom encouraged Robert to join the franchise. The White Sox’s attitude toward Cuban-born players has impressed Abreu, who told Hayes through an interpreter, “The way this team has treated the Cuban players and the Latino players in general, that’s something that is important and I really, really appreciate it.”
  • Red Sox left-hander David Price didn’t last long in his rehab start Friday, so he’ll make at least one more before rejoining the big club, manager John Farrell announced Saturday (via Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald). While Price “feels great physically,” per Farrell, he’s not stretched out to the team’s liking. Price, working his way back from a strained elbow, went two innings and threw 65 pitches in his initial start for Triple-A Pawtucket. That fell well short of the 85- to 90-pitch goal Boston had set for Price, who will take the hill again for Pawtucket on Wednesday.
  • Chris Illitch is officially the controlling owner of the Tigers, having gotten approval from the league’s other 29 owners earlier this week, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Illitch is taking over for his father, Mike Illitch, who passed away in February after a nearly 25-year run at the helm of the Tigers.

AL Central Notes: Moncada, JDM, Royals, Almonte, Ervin

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White Sox fans hoping to see Yoan Moncada join the Major League club will definitely be waiting a bit longer, as Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports that the top prospect is expected to land on the minor league 7-day disabled list tomorrow (Twitter link). Moncada has been playing through a sore left thumb, and while an MRI didn’t reveal any serious injury, it’s been nagging him enough that the team has decided it’s best to get him some rest. Soon to turn 22, Moncada got off to a ridiculous start to the 2017 season, hitting .352/.427/.565 through his first 27 games (124 plate appearances). His bat has slowed mightily over the last week, though, as he’s managed just a .258/.303/.290 line through his seven most recent games.

Elsewhere in the AL Central…

  • Free-agent-to-be J.D. Martinez told reporters today that he’d love to remain in Detroit, but it’s “highly doubtful” that there’ll be any contract negotiations during the season (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Jordan Horrobin). Detroit could always look to re-sign Martinez this offseason, though that would run counter to GM Al Avila’s stated goal of lowering the team’s long-term payroll outlook. Martinez has burst back into the Tigers’ lineup with an outrageous four-game stretch, as he’s already blasted four homers and collected hits in six of his 12 at-bats while also drawing five walks. Detroit is two games back from the division lead and Martinez doesn’t figure to be a trade chip if they remain that close to a potential division title. But, if the team begins to slip, he’ll be an interesting player to monitor as the non-waiver deadline approaches.
  • Royals righty Ian Kennedy is showing signs of improvement in his injured right hamstring, as Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports. The 32-year-old could return by this coming weekend, per manager Ned Yost. That would rate as a welcome development for the scuffling Royals, who have received six solid outings from Kennedy thus far. He has held opposing batters to just 23 hits and currently carries a 3.03 ERA with 7.8 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9. If Kennedy can pick up where he left off, he’ll set up some interesting scenarios. Kansas City could explore trading him this summer if the team can’t turn things around. And then there’s the question of Kennedy’s contract, which allows him to opt out of the three years and $49MM that remains (in favor of a $6MM buyout) after the season.
  • While many are beginning to wonder whether the Royals will engineer a tear-down of the current MLB roster this summer, GM Dayton Moore says he’s not yet entertaining that possibility, as Dodd further reports. There’s no rush in making any decisions, Moore emphasized, noting that trades can come together quickly “if you have two willing partners.” While the club is still six games under .500, moreover, it has performed better of late and remains within reach of the front of a tightly-bunched pack in the AL Central. Moore drew an interesting analogy to the 2015 Tigers in explaining why he sees little reason to contemplate a summer sale effort. While that organization seemed prepared to hold at the deadline, he notes, “all of a sudden, some things changed, and Dave Dombrowski says he’s going to trade David Price, and the deal comes together very quickly.”
  • The Indians have some added clarity on the timeline for injured outfielder Abraham Almonte, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports. The team anticipates that he’ll be down for three to five weeks with what has been diagnosed as a sprained right biceps tendon. While the team is down a few outfielders, that has opened the door to top prospect Bradley Zimmer. Though Zimmer went down on strikeouts three times in his debut yesterday, he has already slashed a double today for his first MLB hit and seems to have an opportunity to lay claim to a regular job.
  • Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey spoke to FanRag’s John Perrotto about the temptation to trade right-hander Ervin Santana this offseason but noted that the team ultimately came to the conclusion that it was best to hang onto the veteran righty. “We felt it was really important to have that anchor for the rotation,” Falvey tells Perrotto. “You need that pitcher who you can count on to give you a good outing and pitch deep into games almost every time out. We felt we had that Ervin and whatever we might get back in a trade wouldn’t equal the value of what he brings to us.” The decision looks wise in hindsight, Perrotto adds, now that Minnesota has gotten off to a strong start thanks largely to Santana’s success. And of course, if Minnesota cannot sustain its division-leading pace, then Santana, who is guaranteed $24.6MM through the end of the 2018 season and has a 2019 option, could still be an appealing trade piece. Through 54 innings this year, Santana owns a 1.50 ERA with 6.8 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 44.9 percent ground-ball rate.

Knocking Down The Door: Faria, Guzman, Moncada, Rosario, Sims

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This week’s installation of “Knocking Down The Door” includes two of the best middle infield prospects in baseball, a 22-year-old first baseman with a .404 OBP in Triple-A, and a pair of starting pitchers who combined for 23 strikeouts in their last start.

Jacob Faria, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (Triple-A Durham)

Despite not making it through the fifth inning in his latest start, the 23-year-old Faria has likely propelled himself to the top of the Rays’ “next in line” spot in the starting rotation. Striking out 13 hitters while recording 14 outs does tend to get a pitcher noticed, as will his overall numbers on the season (3.47 ERA, 3.7 BB/9, 14.4 K/9).

Coincidentally, there is a spot open after Blake Snell was optioned to Triple-A over the weekend. The Rays will certainly discuss whether Faria can have more success than the inconsistent and inefficient Snell, who has completed six innings only six times in 27 MLB starts. Prior to his 108-pitch, 4 2/3-inning outing on May 10th, Faria had back-to-back six-inning starts in which he threw 89 and 91 pitches, respectively, while allowing only two runs with one walk and 17 strikeouts. That should help his cause.

Rays Depth Chart

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Ronald Guzman, 1B, Texas Rangers (Triple-A Round Rock)

Mike Napoli’s four homers and two doubles over a 10-game span to start the month, as well as the team’s recent six-game win streak, should at least temporarily halt any talk of a lineup shakeup. However, Triple-A first baseman Ronald Guzman hasn’t slowed down one bit, and Napoli is still just 6 for his last 34 with with an overall season slash line of .165/225/.353. Even for a well-respected veteran with a strong track record, that’s not going to cut it for much longer.

The left-handed hitting Guzman struggled after a late-season promotion to Triple-A in 2016, but he’s having no such trouble this time around. After a multi-homer game on Sunday, the 22-year-old is slashing .343/.404/.518 with five homers, five doubles and two triples in 36 games with Triple-A Round Rock.

Rangers Depth Chart

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Yoan Moncada, 2B, Chicago White Sox (Triple-A Charlotte)

The White Sox could have a lineup spot available after optioning designated hitter Cody Asche to the minors today. The corresponding move is a reliever, but that could be temporary with the team possibly calling up another position player in the near future. A pair of candidates, Nick Delmonico, a Knocking Down The Door pick from three weeks ago, and Danny Hayes, haven’t hit much this month and Triple-A Charlotte’s two most productive hitters, Kevan Smith and Willy Garcia, are already in the Majors. Would they promote top prospect Moncada just days after general manager Rich Hahn shot down the idea? It wouldn’t be the first time a team has misled the media on a player move or simply just changed their mind.

The 21-year-old Moncada is still striking out at an alarming rate (42 K in 153 PAs) and was overwhelmed in a late-season stint with the Red Sox in 2016. But he’s also putting up huge numbers in Triple-A (.333/.405/.511 with six homers, four doubles and 10 stolen bases) and his plate discipline has improved drastically this month. He had 10 walks and 30 strikeouts in April; he has seven walks and 12 strikeouts in May.

At this point, Moncada’s free agency has already been pushed back another season—he won’t be eligible until after the 2023 campaign, at the earliest. Calling him up now, or in the near future, would allow him to gain some valuable experience while possibly providing an offensive spark for a team that has probably been more competitive than many expected.

White Sox Depth Chart

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Amed Rosario, SS, New York Mets (Triple-A Las Vegas)

Amed Rosario (featured)

Asdrubal Cabrera’s torn thumb ligament could send him to the disabled list at some point, maybe even today, which could prompt Rosario’s immediate call-up. Let’s be clear, though. The 21-year-old shortstop has done everything in his power to warrant the promotion and a good argument could be made even if Cabrera was healthy.

After all, the defensive-savvy Rosario is knocking the cover off of the ball in his first Triple-A stint—.359/.401/.493 with two homers and 11 doubles—and this struggling Mets team could use all the help it can get.

Mets Depth Chart

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Lucas Sims, SP, Atlanta Braves (Triple-A Gwinnett)

The Braves’ successful finish to the 2016 season—they won 35 of their last 62 games—had some fans thinking playoffs in 2017. Instead of taking a chance on their unproven young pitching prospects to fill out the MLB rotation, the Braves added three veteran starters over the offseason: Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey and Jaime Garcia. This was not a bad decision, as they didn’t break the bank for free agents Colon or Dickey and they give up elite prospects to acquire Garcia. However, things are going poorly. The Braves are 13-21 and 9.5 games behind the 1st place Nationals — and we could still see a youth movement in Atlanta before long.

Sims, the 21st overall pick in the 2012 draft, is leading the charge. The 23-year-old lowered his ERA to 2.16 after tossing two-hit ball over 6 2/3 scoreless innings with a walk and 10 strikeouts in his last start. In 50 Triple-A innings last season, he had a 7.56 ERA with 10.1 H/9, 6.7 BB/9 and 10.4 K/9. In 41 2/3 innings in 2017, the right-hander has a 5.4 H/9, 1.9 BB/9 and 9.1 K/9. That’s what’s called “making the proper adjustments”.

Braves Depth Chart

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“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Moncada, K-Rod/Wilson, Garrett, Kirby, Lynn

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White Sox GM Rick Hahn shot down the idea that top prospect Yoan Moncada will push his way onto the MLB roster early this year, as Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports. All signs are pointing up for Moncada, who has tamped down on the strikeouts while showing signs of polishing up his defensive game. But that doesn’t mean the club is prepared to make an aggressive promotion. “He’s shown a fair amount of progress in each of those areas that we’ve asked of him,” said GM Rick Hahn. “That said, we want to see that over an extended period of time. It’s awfully important to not lose sight of the fact this is a 21-year-old player, one who was not playing two years ago as of right now. It’s a guy who has fewer than 325 or so plate appearances above A-ball.” Given that, says Hahn, the club won’t “rush” Moncada’s ascension.

Here’s more from the game’s central divisions:

  • The Tigers have moved Francisco Rodriguez out of the closer role, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported on Twitter. He’ll be replaced, at least for the time being, by Justin Wilson. While it seems that Rodriguez could yet regain his spot in the ninth, he’ll now need to show he’s a better option than Wilson, who has been lights out thus far. Rodriguez, meanwhile, has been generating plenty of strikeouts but has also allowed 11 earned runs on 19 hits in his 11 2/3 innings.
  • Though the Reds optioned lefty Amir Garrett recently, president of baseball operations Dick Williams says he expects to bring the youngster back soon (in an interview with MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM; audio link). Garrett, who just turned 25, has been rather solid in his six starts, providing 36 innings of 4.25 ERA ball. But the plan heading into the season was never to ride any of the team’s young arms too hard. “We’ve got a lot of young guys that we’re excited to see this year on the roster,” Williams explains. “And the idea was, ’We’re going to get you up, we’re going to get you opportunities. All of you are going to see opportunities in the big leagues, and all of you are going to be back in Triple-A at some point, just for sheer numbers and innings management.'” In Garrett’s case, some upcoming off-days presented an opportunity to slow his accumulation of innings; he has never previously gone past 144 2/3 frames. “Most importantly, it gives Amir the ability to be on pace to pitch into September, which is what we want these guys to learn how to do,” said Williams.
  • Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Brewers prospect Nathan Kirby, who missed the 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery, had another elbow operation and will miss the next eight to 12 weeks (all links to Twitter). An ulnar nerve transposition was performed after Kirby was diagnosed with ulnar neuritis. That’s obviously a disheartening blow to both Kirby and the organization, as the Brewers selected Kirby with one of their top picks back in 2015. Kirby had been touted as a potential top five pick back in 2015 but slid to the supplemental round due to injury concerns that, clearly, have manifested in his pro career.
  • Cardinals righty Lance Lynn tells Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (Twitter link) that he has not engaged in any long-term talks with the club. The pending free agent says he would “love to stay” in St. Louis, but it also doesn’t sound as if the organization should expect any discount. Lynn, who’ll soon turn 30, has returned from Tommy John surgery on a hot streak. Over 35 1/3 frames this year, he owns a shiny 2.04 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. If he can keep up anything approaching that work, and maintain his health, Lynn ought to make for quite an appealing free agent at season’s end.

AL Central Notes: Kennedy, Martinez, Moncada

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The Royals announced that right-hander Ian Kennedy has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a strained right hamstring. Kennedy exited last night’s game due to the injury, and while there’d been some optimism that he may not need to miss a turn in the rotation, it now appears that he’ll miss at least his next two starts. That’s an unfortunate development for the 32-year-old and for the Royals, as Kennedy has been strong through his first six appearances in 2017. The right-hander, who can opt out of the remaining three years and $43MM on his contract at season’s end, has a 3.03 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 38.9 percent ground-ball rate through 35 2/3 innings this year. It’s not yet known exactly how much time Kennedy will miss, but any lingering injury issue would only add to the widespread expectation that he’ll forgo his opt-out provision at the end of the season. Fellow righty Miguel Almonte was recalled from Double-A to take Kennedy’s roster spot.

More from the AL Central…

  • The Tigers announced on Friday that J.D. Martinez will begin a rehab assignment at Class-A Lakeland this weekend. The slugging right fielder has yet to play in the Majors this season due to a lisfranc sprain in his right foot. While Detroit initially projected an absence of three to five weeks, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press noted just yesterday that the five-week mark had passed without Martinez embarking on a rehab stint. Per Fenech, Martinez has been serving as a designated hitter in Spring Training games without really running the bases, so he’s at least been getting in some work at the plate. Martinez, though, will still need to prove that he can run the bases and handle right field on a regular basis in order to be activated.
  • Yoan Moncada is off to a monstrous start in the Triple-A International League, hitting .340/.413/.536 with five home runs, two doubles, a triple and six steals through his first 109 plate appearances. However, the White Sox don’t seem to be in a rush to promote him to the Majors, writes CSN Chicago’s JJ Stankevitz. Despite their hot start, the Sox plan to remain patient with Moncada, as the organization wants him to stick in the Majors from the day he’s first called up to Chicago. “The fact is he does remain a 22-year-old that coming into the year had fewer than 200 plate appearances above A ball,” GM Rick Hahn tells Stankevitz. “His development is by no means complete at the minor league level but he certainly is making a great deal of progress and we’re thrilled with where he’s at.”

AL Notes: White Sox, Rangers, Astros, Yankees

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White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada initially took Boston’s offseason decision to trade him in a package for ace Chris Sale “as a very personal rejection,” his father, David, told Eli Saslow of ESPN The Magazine. But, thanks in part to teammate and first baseman Jose Abreu, Moncada has adjusted well to the changing of Sox. Abreu, a fellow Cuban, texted Moncada the night of the trade and told him that “this team gets it,” in reference to the White Sox’s history of employing Cuban-born players. Their relationship has continued to grow since, and the 21-year-old Moncada, arguably the best prospect in baseball, now regards Abreu as a “mentor and friend whose example I can only hope to follow.”

More on Chicago and three other American League teams:

  • The White Sox scratched left-hander Carlos Rodon from his start Friday because of tightness in his bicep, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago was among those to report. There’s no structural damage, and manager Rick Renteria said the team’s initial exam was “positive,” but Rodon will nonetheless go for an MRI (all Twitter links). “Odds are” Rodon will begin the season on the disabled list, according to general manager Rick Hahn, who noted that the White Sox “are going to err on the side of caution here, even if it winds up costing him his first couple starts” (Twitter links via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune and Hayes). That makes sense considering the 24-year-old Rodon is one of the rebuilding White Sox’s most important cogs. Thus far in his career, the two-year veteran has logged a 3.90 ERA, 9.08 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 across 304 1/3 innings.
  • Rangers manager Jeff Banister all but confirmed Friday that right-hander A.J. Griffin has locked down a rotation spot, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Grant reported earlier Friday that a starting job was likely for Griffin, who will slot in behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez. The banged-up Andrew Cashner could rejoin the Rangers by April 15, the first time they’ll need a fifth starter.
  • Thanks to the “dead arm” that slowed Astros righty Collin McHugh earlier this spring, he likely won’t be ready for the beginning of the season, manager A.J. Hinch informed Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). McHugh’s absence will deprive the Astros of a quality starter, though they do have a promising No. 6 on hand in Joe Musgrove, who looked like a major league-caliber rotation piece in his 62-inning debut last season (4.06 ERA, 7.98 K/9, 2.32 BB/9).
  • The Yankees optioned righty Luis Cessa to Triple-A on Friday, thereby ending his bid to claim one of the two open spots in their rotation. Cessa, who had been competing against Luis Severino, Bryan Mitchell, Chad Green, Adam Warren and dark-horse Jordan Montgomery, allowed seven earned runs on 13 hits and four walks in 9 2/3 spring innings. As a rookie last season, the 24-year-old made 17 appearances (nine starts) and posted a 4.35 ERA, 5.89 K/9 and 1.79 BB/9 in 70 1/3 frames.

Cafardo’s Latest: White Sox, Blue Jays, Astros, Royals

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The Blue Jays have had discussions with the White Sox regarding closer David Robertson, who’s “more than available,” writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Chicago isn’t in any rush to move Robertson, though, because the team believes he’ll possess significant value around the summer trade deadline. Robertson will be more than a rental if the White Sox move him in the coming months, as he has two years and $25MM remaining on his contract. While Toronto already has a high-level closer in Roberto Osuna, it could use another setup option to go with Joe Biagini and Jason Grilli.

More from Cafardo on those two clubs and a couple others:

  • The White Sox are “100 percent committed” to keeping star prospect Yoan Moncada at second base, a team source told Cafardo. Moncada, who’s the centerpiece of the haul the White Sox acquired from Boston for Chris Sale last month, primarily played third base in his brief cup of coffee at the major league level last season. Notably, some scouts have suggested moving the athletic 21-year-old to center field, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told Chuck Garfien of Comcast Sportsnet Chicago on Saturday (Twitter link).
  • Before they agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the Blue Jays showed interest in free agent Matt Wieters, relays Cafardo. Toronto already has an everyday catcher in Russell Martin, of course, and also possesses no shortage of first base/designated hitter types (though Cafardo doesn’t specify whether Wieters was on Toronto’s radar before or after it signed Kendrys Morales, Steve Pearce and Jose Bautista). With the Jays out of the picture, the Astros and the previously reported Rays remain possibilities for Wieters, who wanted a three-year deal at the outset of free agency, adds Cafardo. The Astros are another curious fit, however, with Brian McCann and Evan Gattis behind the plate – not to mention the presences of first baseman Yulieski Gurriel and DH Carlos Beltran.
  • The Royals’ interest in free agent right-hander Jason Hammel has picked up since Yordano Ventura tragically died last Sunday, per Cafardo. Kansas City was surely banking on quality production in 2017 from Ventura, who tossed at least 163 innings in each of his three major league seasons and totaled a career-best 186 frames last year. From strictly an on-field standpoint, Hammel’s track record suggests he would help replace the stunning loss of Ventura. Hammel has racked up three straight years with 166-plus innings and sub-4.00 ERAs, though he surprisingly hasn’t been able to find work this offseason since the Cubs declined his option in November. It’s worth noting that the 34-year-old experienced elbow tightness late last season and wasn’t active for the World Series champions’ playoff run.
  • Along with Hammel, free agent first baseman Chris Carter has piqued the Royals’ interest, but Cafardo notes that they seem likelier to target a left-handed hitter.  There are still several notable lefty-swinging options remaining in free agency, including Pedro Alvarez, Brandon Moss, Logan Morrison, Adam Lind, Justin Morneau and Ryan Howard.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Twins, Moncada, Kopech, Indians

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Tigers general manager Al Avila appeared on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today and discussed the lack of activity on the trade front for the Tigers since sending Cameron Maybin to the Angels on the first day of the offseason (All Twitter links via MLB.com’s Jason Beck). “I had many conversations through the winter, but nothing to the point where I felt we were going to make a trade,” Avila stated. “I thought there was going to be opportunity. That never really developed to that point where I was close to calling ownership. … Frankly, ownership has not told me to dump salary. Basically they asked me: If you can make a good baseball trade, that’s great.” Those comments cast doubt on the Tigers’ ability to trade of one of their veterans before the season begins, although the Dodgers reportedly could circle back to the Tigers about Ian Kinsler now that their talks for Brian Dozier have reached an impasse. Kinsler has a no-trade clause that includes the Dodgers, but his agent told FOX’s Ken Rosenthal a couple of months ago that the clause could be waived in exchange for a contract extension.

A few more notes pertaining to the AL Central…

  • Earlier today, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger reported that the Twins have met with Jose Bautista’s agent and are doing their due diligence on the top bats left on the market. That obviously raised an eyebrow or two, and chief baseball officer Derek Falvey explained to KSTP’s Chris Long that the Twins aren’t ruling out any opportunities this winter (video link). Falvey was asked specifically about the report linking the Twins to Bautista, and while he sidestepped a specific comment on the longtime Blue Jays star, he didn’t rule out that type of addition, either. “We’ll continue to monitor all potential avenues for players, whether it’s free agents or trades,” said Falvey. “…For every potential free agent that’s out there, [GM Thad Levine], [assistant GM Rob Antony], me — our group — we have our list of everyone who’s still unsigned and values where we think it would make sense. I wouldn’t shut the door on any player out there right now, even if it was slightly unconventional.” Falvey added that the Minnesota front office “has [owner Jim Pohlad’s] blessing” to pursue free agent additions.
  • White Sox top prospect Yoan Moncada, who was the centerpiece of the trade that sent Chris Sale to Boston, tells CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes that the magnitude of being a part of such a high-profile trade isn’t lost on him. “I also have expectations about myself because of the trade,” Moncada said via his interpreter. “This team gave up a lot to get me. I feel very humbled for this opportunity.” Moncada said that despite playing some third base last year with the Red Sox, his natural position of second base is his “favorite” position to play, and he hopes to remain there. However, as was the case in Boston, Moncada said he’d be willing to move anywhere on the diamond if asked by the ChiSox.
  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that another key piece in that Sale trade, right-hander Michael Kopech, has changed representation and is now a client of CAA Sports. The 20-year-old Kopech boasts a triple-digit fastball and split the 2016 season between the White Sox’ Low-A and Class-A Advanced affiliates, making a dozen starts and compiling a 2.08 ERA. Kopech tossed 56 1/3 innings, and while he battled his control (33 walks, five hit batters, 11 wild pitches), he also racked up an impressive 86 strikeouts against much older competition (especially in High-A). His switch is now reflected in MLBTR’s Agency Database.
  • Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti tells MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian that top outfield prospect Bradley Zimmer could make his MLB debut in 2017. That’s not a surprising revelation after Zimmer, a former first-round pick and a consensus top 50 prospect in MLB, enjoyed a solid season at Double-A and reached Triple-A late in the 2016 season. Bastian writes that the current plan for the Cleveland outfield is for Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer to platoon in right field, with Tyler Naquin handling center on most days, Michael Brantley returning to left field and Abraham Almonte functioning as the primary fourth outfielder (possibly helping to shield Naquin from some lefties). Further injury problems for Brantley, regression from Naquin or an injury elsewhere on the roster could create an opening for the 24-year-old Zimmer. Bastian, though, also notes that Cleveland could still pursue a trade for an affordable center field option. Recent comments from GM Mike Chernoff suggest that Cleveland is mostly tapped out in terms of payroll after signing Edwin Encarnacion, though, so any acquisition would need to be very low-cost in nature.

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