Minor League Transactions: Feb. 12-18

Official minor league transactions, conveyed to Baseball America by Major League Baseball, for the period Feb. 12-18.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Removed from 40-man: LHP Will Locante (outrighted to Triple-A)

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Mitch Atkins (Lamigo (Taiwan))

Chicago Cubs
Signed: RHP Aaron Crow (non-tendered by Marlins), OF Matt Murton (Hanshin (Japan))
Removed from 40-man: LHP Edgar Olmos (outrighted to Triple-A)

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein first brought corner outfielder Matt Murton into pro ball as a Red Sox supplemental first-round pick in 2003, so it’s fitting that he be the one to bring Murton back to the U.S. after six successful seasons in Japan. Murton, now 34, hit .310/.352/.437 in a tick more than 3,500 plate appearances in Nippon Professional Baseball, all with Hanshin. He established a since-eclipsed NPB single-season record with 214 hits in 2010.

Murton first reached the majors as a 23-year-old in 2005, following a 2004 trade to the Cubs. In his first three years with Chicago, Murton hit .296/.365/.455 (107 OPS+) in 929 plate appearances, punishing lefthanders and handling same-side pitchers capably enough to bat lower in the lineup. After Murton fell flat in the first half of 2008, though, the Cubs traded him to the Athletics at the deadline. Chicago even kicked in Josh Donaldson, then a catcher at low Class A, in their trade to acquire Rich Harden.

Murton hit just .213 in scattered play in 2008 and 2009 before signing with Hanshin after the latter campaign. According to Wikipedia, Murton’s nickname in NPB was “Thunder Matt.”

Chicago White Sox
Signed: RHP Adam Panayotovich (Joliet (Frontier))

Colorado Rockies
Signed: RHP Mitchell Osnowitz (released by Braves, Nov. 19)

Detroit Tigers
Signed: RHP Bobby Parnell

Los Angeles Angels
Signed: C Webster Rivas

Miami Marlins
Signed: LHP Craig Breslow

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: RHP Blaine Boyer
Released: LHP Pat Misch
Traded: OF Khris Davis to Athletics for RHP Bubba Derby and C Jacob Nottingham

Veteran lefthander Pat Misch’s international odyssey continues. The Brewers signed him on Jan. 9, but then let him out of his contract so that he could pursue an opportunity with Orix in Japan. Misch missed 2014 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and when he returned in 2015, he worked at Triple-A New Orleans in the Marlins system, the independent Atlantic League and, ultimately, for Lamigo in the Taiwanese majors. He famously threw a no-hitter in Game Seven of the Chinese Professional Baseball League finals.

New York Mets
Signed: 2B Kevin Taylor (Laredo (American Association))

New York Yankees
Released: 3B Gian Arias

Oakland Athletics
Signed: C Bryan Anderson (re-signed)
Traded: RHP Bubba Derby and C Jacob Nottingham to Brewers for OF Khris Davis

Philadelphia Phillies
Removed from 40-man: LHP Bobby LaFromboise (outrighted to Triple-A)

Pittsburgh Pirates
Signed: LHP Cory Luebke, LHP Eric O’Flaherty

San Diego Padres
Signed: RHP Greg Reynolds (did not play in 2015), LHP Elier Sanchez

Righthander Greg Reynolds made 12 starts for Seibu in Japan in 2014, going 3-7, 5.46 with a 1.64 WHIP, but did not pitch in 2015. The 6-foot-7 righty, now 30, went second overall to the Rockies in the 2006 draft, but he has not found a way to keep the ball off the barrel in pro ball. Reynolds has recorded a 7.01 ERA over 123 major league innings and has allowed a career .289 opponent average in the minors. The vast majority of his pro experience has come in the rotation, so a move to the bullpen could benefit him.

San Francisco Giants
Signed: OF Alex Romero (has not played since 2011)

Five times outfielder Alex Romero ranked among the top 30 prospects in the Twins system, every year from 2003 to 2007, but he hasn’t played affiliated ball since 2011. He briefly reached the majors with the Diamondbacks in 2008 and 2009, then played in the Mexican League in 2012 and the Italian Baseball League in 2013, but has otherwise concentrated most of his time in the Venezuelan League in his native land. The 32-year-old Romero owns a career .307 average in 1,909 career at-bats in the VL and this winter led the circuit with a .383 average and 88 hits.

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Steve Johnson, RHP Nick Tepesch (re-signed after non-tender by Rangers)

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Dustin Antolin (re-signed), RHP Jason Berken, LHP Colt Hynes (re-signed)

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Connor Porter (Normal (Frontier))