Minor League Transactions: Nov. 19-Dec. 1
Minor League Transactions returns for the first time since the Nov. 18 deadline for organizations to set their reserve rosters for the various phases of the Rule 5 draft. Therefore, all 121 of the players added to 40-man rosters on that date are present in this installment. These players are ineligible for selection in any phase of the Rule 5 draft, which takes place on Thursday, Dec. 8.
• We published a comprehensive performance analysis for these 40-man roster additions on Thanksgiving.
• See also: The analytically-inclined review of the minor league free agent class, because I’m going to reference it here.
• And who could forget the Minor League Free Agent Tracker? The best way to use this tool is to filter by New Org.
Official minor league transactions, conveyed to Baseball America by Major League Baseball, for the period Nov. 19-Dec. 1.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: 3B Travis Denker (re-signed), OF Kelly Dugan
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Jimmie Sherfy, LHP Anthony Banda, 3B Dawel Lugo, SS Domingo Leyba, SS Jack Reinheimer, SS Ildemaro Vargas
Atlanta Braves
Signed: RHP David Richardson, LHP Adam Kolarek, 1B Balbino Fuenmayor, 3B Colin Walsh
Traded: RHP Chris Ellis, RHP John Gant and 2B Luke Dykstra to Cardinals for LHP Jaime Garcia
Traded: RHP Max Povse and RHP Rob Whalen to Mariners for OF Alex Jackson and a player to be named
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Lucas Sims, LHP Max Fried, SS Johan Camargo
Though he will be 26 next season and sports a career 4.64 ERA, righthander David Richardson showed a number of positive indicators this season, which he spent primarily at high Class A Frederick in the Orioles system. He struck out 8.2 batters per nine innings and recorded a groundball rate of 49 percent, which helped him allow just four home runs in a tough pitcher’s park. Richardson also established career highs for appearances (27) and innings (93) in 2016.
Baltimore Orioles
Signed: OF Logan Schafer, OF David Washington
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Joe Gunkel, RHP Jesus Liranzo
Big power in a big package—that’s what David Washington brings to the Orioles. The 6-foot-5 former San Diego prep ranked third in the Pacific Coast League with 25 home runs this season at Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals system. Washington ranked 95th percentile for isolated slugging (.272) and 89th percentile for walk rate (12.7 percent) in the PCL and is still just 26.
Boston Red Sox
Signed: C Jake DePew
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Kyle Martin, LHP Luis Ysla
Chicago Cubs
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Duane Underwood, LHP Jack Leathersich, C Victor Caratini, OF Jacob Hannemann
Chicago White Sox
Signed: LHP Bryan Lara, 2B Ronald Bueno
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Brad Goldberg, OF Adam Engel, OF Jacob May
Cincinnati Reds
Signed: RHP Kevin Shackelford (re-signed), RHP Domingo Tapia, LHP Lucas Luetge, C Shawn Zarraga
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Barrett Astin, RHP Keury Mella, RHP Jackson Stephens, RHP Nick Travieso, OF Aristides Aquino, OF Phillip Ervin, OF Jesse Winker
Cleveland Indians
Signed: C Erik Kratz, OF Dan Robertson
Released: RHP Toru Murata
Elected free agency: C Chris Gimenez, 2B Michael Martinez
Added to 40-man roster: C Francisco Mejia
Removed from 40-man: 2B Michael Martinez (outrighted to Triple-A)
Colorado Rockies
Signed: RHP Huascar Brazoban (did not play in 2016), RHP Luis Ramirez, 2B Josh Rutledge, SS Daniel Castro
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Yency Almonte, RHP Shane Carle, RHP Rayan Gonzalez, RHP Zach Jemiola, LHP Sam Moll
A converted outfielder, Luis Ramirez rose to Double-A Mobile as a reliever in the Diamondbacks system before hitting the free agent market this fall. Still just 24, he made 46 appearances this season with 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a .214 opponent average. Poor control has held Ramirez back.
Detroit Tigers
Signed: LHP Edward Paredes
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Sandy Baez
Houston Astros
Removed from 40-man: 1B Jon Singleton (outrighted to Triple-A)
Kansas City Royals
Traded: RHP Brooks Pounders to Angels for RHP Jared Ruxer
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Andrew Edwards, RHP Jake Junis, C Cam Gallagher, 1B Samir Duenez
Los Angeles Angels
Signed: LHP Connor Bach, LHP John Lamb (released by Rays, Nov. 18), C Tony Sanchez, OF Shane Robinson (re-signed)
Traded: RHP Jared Ruxer to Royals for RHP Brooks Pounders
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Austin Adams, RHP Keynan Middleton, RHP Eduardo Paredes, LHP Nate Smith
Removed from 40-man: RHP Abel de los Santos, RHP Jose Valdez, SS Rey Navarro (all players outrighted to Triple-A)
On the one hand, righthander Alex Meyer, lefthanders Manny Banuelos and John Lamb and catcher Tony Sanchez all appeared to reach peak prospect value in 2012. On the other: Only one of these prospect reclamation projects needs to deliver value for the plan to be a massive success for the Angels.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Signed: OF Henry Ramos
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Chase De Jong, RHP Jacob Rhame, C Kyle Farmer
Miami Marlins
Signed: RHP Scott Copeland, OF Matt den Dekker
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Luis Castillo, RHP Drew Steckenrider, SS Austin Nola, SS J.T. Riddle
Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: RHP Luke Barker (Traverse City (Frontier))
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Taylor Williams, LHP Josh Hader, OF Lewis Brinson, OF Ryan Cordell, OF Brett Phillips
Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP Alex Wimmers (re-signed)
Elected free agency: C Juan Centeno
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Felix Jorge, RHP Fernando Romero, C Mitch Garver, SS Engelb Vielma, OF Zack Granite, OF Daniel Palka
Removed from 40-man: C Juan Centeno (outrighted to Triple-A)
New York Mets
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Chris Flexen, RHP Marcos Molina, C Tomas Nido, SS Amed Rosario, OF Wuilmer Becerra
New York Yankees
Signed: LHP Joe Mantiply (re-signed)
Traded: LHP James Pazos to Mariners for RHP Zack Littell
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Giovanny Gallegos, RHP Ronald Herrera, RHP Yefrey Ramirez, LHP Dietrich Enns, 3B Miguel Andujar, SS Jorge Mateo
Oakland Athletics
Signed: C Ryan Lavarnway, 3B Jermaine Curtis, OF Jaff Decker, OF Chris Parmelee
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Paul Blackburn, RHP Bobby Wahl, SS Franklin Barreto, SS Yairo Munoz, OF Jaycob Brugman
Philadelphia Phillies
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Drew Anderson, RHP Mark Appel, RHP Ben Lively, RHP Ricardo Pinto, RHP Nick Pivetta, RHP Alberto Tirado, LHP Elniery Garcia, C Andrew Knapp, 2B Jesmuel Valentin, OF Dylan Cozens, OF Nick Williams
Pittsburgh Pirates
Signed: RHP Jason Stoffel
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Clay Holmes
Double-A Altoona righthander Clay Holmes may have an ordinary ERA and strikeout rate, but he is one of the most extreme groundball pitchers in the minors. His groundout-to-airout ratio of 2.9 ranked second in 2016 among all full-season minor league starters who qualified for our league Top 20 Prospects lists, trailing only Cubs righthander Zach Hedges, who notched a 3.3 GO/AO at Double-A Tennessee, albeit in just 47 innings.
St. Louis Cardinals
Signed: LHP Zach Phillips, SS Wilfredo Tovar
Traded: LHP Jaime Garcia to Braves for RHP Chris Ellis, RHP John Gant and 2B Luke Dykstra
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Rowan Wick, 2B Eli Alvarez, SS Edmundo Sosa, OF Magneuris Sierra
San Diego Padres
Signed: RHP Carlos Fisher, LHP Will Locante, SS Dusty Coleman
Released: OF Euri Minaya
Elected free agency: 1B Brett Wallace
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Andrew Lockett, RHP Jose Ruiz, SS Javier Guerra, OF Franchy Cordero
San Francisco Giants
Signed: RHP Roberto Gomez (released by Rays, Oct. 8, 2014), RHP Neil Ramirez, SS Juniel Querecuto, OF Wynton Bernard
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Chase Johnson, RHP Reyes Moronta, RHP Dan Slania, 3B Miguel Gomez, SS Orlando Calixte
Roberto Gomez, a 6-foot-5 righthander, rose to Double-A Montgomery in the Rays system in 2014, but he has not pitched in affiliated ball following his release that October. The 27-year-old surfaced in the Dominican League this winter with nine strikeouts through 11 innings and five groundouts for every one airout.
Seattle Mariners
Signed: RHP Christian Bergman, RHP Lindsey Caughel (Lincoln (American Association)), C Sebastian Valle
Traded: RHP Andrew Kittredge, RHP Dylan Thompson and 1B Dalton Kelly to Rays for 3B Richie Shaffer and SS Taylor Motter
Traded: RHP Zack Littell to Yankees for LHP James Pazos
Traded: OF Alex Jackson and a player to be named to Braves for RHP Max Povse and RHP Rob Whalen
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Thyago Vieira, LHP Paul Fry, 1B D.J. Peterson
Removed from 40-man: RHP/LHP Pat Venditte (outrighted to Triple-A)
Tampa Bay Rays
Signed: RHP Wilson Garcia, RHP Janick Lopez, LHP Justin Marks (re-signed)
Traded: 3B Richie Shaffer and SS Taylor Motter to Mariners for RHP Andrew Kittredge, RHP Dylan Thompson and 1B Dalton Kelly
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Chih-Wei Hu, RHP Austin Pruitt, RHP Jaime Schultz, RHP Ryne Stanek, RHP Hunter Wood, LHP Jose Alvarado, SS Willy Adames, SS Daniel Robertson
Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Allen Webster (Samsung (Korea)), 3B Will Middlebrooks, OF Cesar Puello
Added to 40-man roster: 1B Ronald Guzman
Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Jarrett Grube, LHP Juan Diaz
Released: RHP Richard Reina, LHP Eric Veglahn, C Manuel Herazo, 2B Miguel Almonte, SS Andrew Florides, OF Earl Burl
Added to 40-man roster: LHP Ryan Borucki, SS Richard Urena, OF Anthony Alford
Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Dustin Antolin, RHP Derek Eitel, LHP Yoan Aponte, LHP Braulio Lara (SK (Korea)), C Brian Jeroloman (re-signed), C Adderling Ruiz (re-signed), 2B Corban Joseph
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Austin Voth, C Raudy Read, 1B Jose Marmolejos, 3B Matt Skole, OF Rafael Bautista
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