Minor League Transactions: Nov. 4-8

Official minor league transactions, conveyed to Baseball America by Major League Baseball, for the period Nov. 4-8.

Baseball America published the annual list of minor league free agents on Nov. 8, and many maneuvers in this installment of Minor League Transactions are a direct result of the free agent process. Organizations have three options when confronted with a pending minor league free agent:

• Add him to the 40-man roster to keep him in the organization for at least one more year (added to 40-man roster)
• Agree to a minor league contract for 2017 (re-signed)
• Do neither and let him walk (he appears on the list of free agents)

Atlanta Braves
Signed: C Braeden Schlehuber (re-signed)

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Richard Rodriguez (re-signed)

Boston Red Sox
Elected free agency: 2B Josh Rutledge

Chicago Cubs
Signed: RHP Nick Sarianides (re-signed), C Gioskar Amaya (re-signed)
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Jose Rosario
Removed from 40-man: RHP Andury Acevedo, RHP Dallas Beeler, C Tim Federowicz (all players outrighted to Triple-A)

Cincinnati Reds
Released: RHP Soid Marquez
Elected free agency: SS Ivan De Jesus Jr.
Removed from 40-man: SS Ivan De Jesus Jr. (outrighted to Triple-A)

Cleveland Indians
Signed: RHP Enosil Tejeda (re-signed)
Removed from 40-man: C Adam Moore (outrighted to Triple-A)

Colorado Rockies
Signed: OF Noel Cuevas (re-signed)

Detroit Tigers
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Myles Jaye, LHP Chad Bell
Removed from 40-man: RHP Dustin Molleken (outrighted to Triple-A)

The Tigers acquired both Myles Jaye and Chad Bell in separate trades with the Rangers this season—and both trades involved veteran catcher Bobby Wilson. The context: Texas struggled to replace injured regular catcher Robinson Chirinos until it traded for Jonathan Lucroy at the trade deadline. Thus Wilson became an attractive known quantity.

First, the Rangers dealt Jaye, a 24-year-old righthander, and Wilson to the Tigers for catcher Bryan Holaday at the end of spring training. The Rangers then traded Bell, a 27-year-old lefthander, to the Tigers in early May to reacquire Wilson. The catch: Both Jaye and Bell were pending minor league free agents at the end of 2016. Detroit opted to add both pitchers to the 40-man roster so it didn’t lose them to free agency.

Jaye has proven to be a durable starter in the minors who generally records above-average strikeout and walk rates while generating a high rate of ground balls. He lacks a plus pitch but doesn’t hurt himself with walks or home runs. Bell has worked as a starter and reliever but could make an instant impact in the bullpen, a role in which he allowed a .225 opponent average while striking out 28 percent of batters in 2016.

Houston Astros
Added to 40-man roster: LHP Reymin Guduan
Assigned to Arizona Fall League: OF Alejandro Garcia

Kansas City Royals
Signed: RHP Roman Colon (re-signed), 2B Ramon A. Castro (re-signed)
Released: RHP Alex Close, RHP Daniel Concepcion, RHP Jason Freeman, LHP Nick Andros, LHP Christian Flecha, LHP Cole Way, C Chad Johnson

Los Angeles Dodgers
Signed: LHP Patrick Schuster (elected free agency from Phillies, Oct. 10)

Reliever Patrick Schuster, whom you might remember as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 Rule 5 draft, made his major league debut in 2016, appearing in 11 games for the Athletics and Phillies. He allowed a .171 average to lefthanded batters this season at his four stops, including ample time at Triple-A, and could be useful in a strict matchup role.

Milwaukee Brewers
Removed from 40-man: RHP Yhonathan Barrios, RHP Ben Rowen, C Josmil Pinto (all players outrighted to Triple-A)

Minnesota Twins
Removed from 40-man: RHP Alex Wimmers (outrighted to Triple-A)

New York Yankees
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Domingo German, C Kyle Higashioka

Catcher Kyle Higashioka could have walked as a minor league free agent the past two offseasons but decided to remain with the Yankees for 2015 and 2016. Now he’s a member of the 40-man roster after crushing 21 home runs and driving in 81 runs at Double-A and Triple-A. Higashioka credits his success to an improved swing path that allows him to hit offspeed pitches better.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Dovydas Neverauskas, 1B Jose Osuna

The Pirates left Venezuelan first baseman/outfielder Jose Osuna exposed in the Rule 5 draft last year, but no team popped the righthanded batter. He would have been more attractive this time around as a 23-year-old with Triple-A experience to go with nice power (37 doubles, 13 homers) and contact skills (15 percent strikeouts).

St. Louis Cardinals
Signed: RHP Robby Rowland (re-signed), C Alberto Rosario (re-signed)
Added to 40-man roster: SS Breyvic Valera

San Diego Padres
Signed: RHP Trey McNutt (re-signed), RHP Bryan Rodriguez (re-signed), OF Jamie Romak (Yokohama (Japan))

San Francisco Giants
Signed: RHP Jose Dominguez (elected free agency from Padres, Oct. 25), SS Ali Castillo (re-signed)
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Ian Gardeck
Removed from 40-man: C Tony Sanchez (outrighted to Triple-A)

Seattle Mariners
Elected free agency: RHP Ryan Cook

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Felipe Castaneda, SS Shane Opitz (re-signed)
Added to 40-man roster: C A.J. Jimenez