Minor League Transactions: Feb. 17-24

Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, for the period Feb. 17-24. All transactions conveyed to Baseball America by Major League Baseball.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: LHP Jorge de la Rosa

Atlanta Braves
Signed: OF Sanders Commings

The Braves signed 27-year-old former NFL defensive back Sanders Commings to a minor league contract that includes a $100,000 bonus. He played high school ball in Augusta, Ga., when the Diamondbacks made him a 37th-round pick in 2008. Commings didn’t sign with Arizona and instead concentrated on football at the University of Georgia before turning pro as a fifth-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Ken Rosental of Fox Sports summarizes Commings’ effort to break into pro baseball. “I love baseball,” Commings told Rosenthal. “It’s a sport I’ve loved my whole life.”

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: LHP Chris Jones, 2B Austin Leyritz (Birmingham-Bloomfield (United Shore)), 3B Chris Johnson, OF Michael Bourn (re-signed), OF Michael Choice, OF Craig Gentry
Released: RHP Barry Jhonson, 3B Aderlin Santa
Traded: RHP Ryan Moseley to Dodgers for LHP Vidal Nuno

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Hector Velazquez (Monclova (Mexican))

The Red Sox signed rubber-armed, 28-year-old righthander Hector Velazquez, a seven-year veteran of the Mexican League, and invited him to big league camp. He pitched 131 innings from April to August during the Mexican League regular season and then completed 85 more innings from October through December in the winter Mexican Pacific League. On top of that workload, Velazquez made one playoff start in the ML and four starts, totaling 23 innings, in the MPL.

Velazquez has followed this pitching routine in each of his seven pro seasons. He enjoyed his highest level of success last year, when he ranked fifth in the Mexican League in ERA (2.47), second in strikeouts (120), fourth in opponent average (.236) and first in walk rate by a starter (1.0 per nine innings).

Chicago White Sox
Signed: LHP Scott Snodgress (Southern Maryland (Atlantic))

The White Sox originally drafted Scott Snodgress in the fifth round out of Stanford in 2011. He reached the majors with Chicago in 2014 before being non-tendered that winter and then spending time in the Padres and Angels systems prior to his Atlantic League experience in 2016.

Cincinnati Reds
Signed: RHP Robert Stock (New Jersey (Can-Am)), OF Ryan Raburn

Cleveland Indians
Signed: RHP Neil Holland, RHP Trey Masek (Texas (American Association)), LHP Pat McCoy

Colorado Rockies
Signed: OF Domonic Brown

Detroit Tigers
Signed: OF Matt Murton

Houston Astros
Released: C Jorge Martinez, 1B Cristopher Luciano, OF Edgar Lorenzo, OF Chaz Pal

Kansas City Royals
Signed: RHP Peter Moylan (re-signed), C Darrell Miller Jr. (NDFA—UCLA)

The Royals signed former UCLA catcher Darrell Miller Jr. just before spring training began. He sat out his senior year for the Bruins in 2016 after having labrum surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. Miller is the son of Darrell Miller, the former Angels outfielder who now serves as director of the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif.

The Phillies drafted Miller Jr. out of his Anaheim high school in the 34th round in 2012 but he didn’t sign.

Los Angeles Angels
Signed: RHP Edrick Agosto (released by Rays, Feb. 10), RHP Luis Nova, RHP Robinson Pina, LHP Yoel De Leon, C Samy Apolinar
Released: LHP Cory Geisler

Los Angeles Dodgers
Traded: LHP Vidal Nuno to Orioles for RHP Ryan Moseley

Miami Marlins
Signed: RHP Jesus Rosario, 2B Steve Lombardozzi, SS Shao-Pin Ho
Released: RHP Galvi Moscat, LHP Brayan Ulloa

The Marlins signed 22-year-old Taiwanese shortstop Shao-Pin Ho after the club’s assistant general manager Mike Berger saw him play in the California Winter League.

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: SS Nick Noonan

New York Mets
Signed: RHP Wilfredo Boscan (released by Braves, Sept. 7)

St. Louis Cardinals
Signed: OF Jose Adolis Garcia

The Cardinals signed 23-year-old Cuban outfielder Jose Adolis Garcia to a minor league deal that includes a $2.5 million bonus. He is the brother of Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia. Ben Badler has a complete scouting report for St. Louis’ latest acquisition.

San Diego Padres
Signed: RHP Jason Adam, RHP Justin De Fratus, LHP Hong-Chih Kuo (Uni-President (Taiwan))

The Padres signed 35-year-old Taiwanese lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo to a minor league deal after he spent the past two seasons in the minor leagues in his homeland. He had signed a $40.8 million deal with Uni-President for the 2014-16 seasons that made him the highest-paid player in Chinese Professional Baseball League history. The Padres scouted Kuo at the Phoenix training institute he attended in January.

Kuo turned pro with the Dodgers in 1999 at age 17 after he completed high school in Taiwan. He signed for $1.25 million and reached the majors in 2005 after a string of injury-plagued seasons. Kuo worked as a reliever almost exclusively in seven seasons with the Dodgers and pitched effectively against batters from both sides of the plate.

San Francisco Giants
Signed: 2B Aaron Hill, OF Slade Heathcott

Seattle Mariners
Signed: RHP Caleb Cotham

Tampa Bay Rays
Signed: RHP Tommy Hunter
Released: RHP Lenny Linsky, RHP Abrahan Rodriguez

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Anthony Bass (Nippon-Ham (Japan)), LHP Bobby LaFromboise (released by Phillies, June 1), LHP Adam Loewen, C A.J. Jimenez (released by Blue Jays, Feb. 13), OF Kevin Keyes

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Mat Latos, C Rafael Lopez

Washington Nationals
Signed: OF Fernelys Sanchez (did not play in 2016)