2012 Minor League Transaction Thread -- Pre-Draft

[Mass Haas]

With Mark Rogers' paper placement on Huntsville's roster over, there is now an open spot at AA. It appears any of Kentrail Davis (hamstring), Santo Manzanillo (minor shoulder tightness), Cody Scarpetta (ailing elbow), or Dan Merklinger (unknown injury) could be activated on Wed. this week, but obviously we'll have to see. The Stars have basically been playing with a 24-man (not 25) roster most of the season.

[battlekow]

Sounds like Max Walla's finger is healed up and he's on the way to Appleton.

[TooLiveBrew]

Sounds like Max Walla's finger is healed up and he's on the way to Appleton.

Excellent, I've been looking forward to watching him play this summer.

[Mass Haas]

OF Ben McMahan goes on the Rattlers 7-day DL (retro to 4/15), allows for the return of OF Max Walla for tuesday's twinbill. McMahan's injury status unknown at this time.

[Mass Haas]

LHP Mitch Stetter will join AA Huntsville Wed. from extended spring; Stars had an open roster spot.

[HiAndTight]

With Mark Rogers' paper placement on Huntsville's roster over, there is now an open spot at AA. It appears any of Kentrail Davis (hamstring), Santo Manzanillo (minor shoulder tightness), Cody Scarpetta (ailing elbow), or Dan Merklinger (unknown injury) could be activated on Wed. this week, but obviously we'll have to see. The Stars have basically been playing with a 24-man (not 25) roster most of the season.

 

 

I really despise these paper injuries. Especially when it's someone of consequence. You never know when someone gets placed on the 7 day DL if he's actually injured or if it's just because they want to give him a week off, they need roster space, or just store a guy until you figure it out.

 

Most Brewers fans don't know who Santo Manzanillio is, must less the fact that he has the potential to be John Axford 2.0(though there are dozens obviously who remain anonymous. So I don't expect any more info coming out, still....I'd like to be clued in a little closer to the maladies of our minor leaguers who aren't the elite guys. Of course probably about 1 in 1000 Brewers fans care and most post here, so we won't get it other than the little bit we do get here it's a pointless complaint, but still it's annoying.

[Mass Haas]

As per Baseball America, Brewers ink RHP Johnnie Lowe (6th round pick of the White Sox in '07 - career stats).

 

The Brewers saw Lowe, 27, with Birmingham each of the past two seasons -- as a starter in '10, reliever in '11.

 

Once settled in from Maryvale, Huntsville would seem a logical eventual starting point.

 

http://media.al.com/birmingham-news/photo/8693724-large.jpg

 

We'll post more on Lowe shortly.

[Mass Haas]

Not a lot out there on the interwebs re: Johnnie Lowe features and such, but our own record-keeping here at Brewerfan can pull up documented appearances by Lowe going back all the way to his rookie Pioneer League days vs. Helena in '07. Kind of neat.

[Mass Haas]

From Nashville's Media Notes:

 

McCLENDON TO MILWAUKEE: Right-handed pitcher Mike McClendon has been recalled by the Brewers today to replace left-handed pitcher Chris Narveson, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a tear of the left rotator cuff, retroactive to 4/16. McClendon was 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA (1 ER / 7.2 IP), one save, and seven strikeouts in five games with Nashville this season. Replacing McClendon on the Nashville roster is right-hander Johnnie Lowe, who had been participating in the Brewers’ extended spring training program in Phoenix. Lowe has spent the last two full seasons pitching for Double-A Birmingham, combining to go 13-9 with a 3.85 ERA (81 ER / 189.1 IP) in 55 games (24 starts).

 

PERALTA SUMMONED TO BREWERS; FIERS STARTS TONIGHT: Tonight’s scheduled Sounds starting pitcher Wily Peralta will be joining Milwaukee tomorrow to make his Major League debut when he is added to the Brewers roster to fill in for Kameron Loe (bereavement leave). The 22-year-old has tossed quality starts in two of his three outings for Nashville but remained winless on the year (0-1, 2.12 ERA, 4 ER / 17.0 IP). Peralta ranks 2nd among PCL starting pitchers with a .155 opponent batting average (9-for-58) and 5th in the circuit with a 0.88 WHIP.

[battlekow]

Not a transaction yet, but Cameron Garfield reports that he'll begin rehabbing in extended spring training on Monday.

[Mass Haas]

At Brevard, RHP Austin Ross goes on the 7-day DL -- he left Friday's game with some sort of arm discomfort.

 

Taking his spot, likely in the rotation as well, is 2009 4th round RHP Brooks Hall, who opened the season on the DL with an undisclosed injury.

 

The Manatees continue to play one man short on the roster, 24 instead of 25, as it has been much of the season thus far.

[Mass Haas]

Via Chris Mehring:

 

WISCONSIN ROSTER MOVES: Catcher Parker Berberet has been placed on the disabled list today. OF Ben McMahan has been activated from the disabled list for today‟s game.

 

***

 

Berberet was the DH on Saturday --

 

Wisconsin Top of the 11th

Max Walla singles on a ground ball to center fielder Chad Wright.

Jason Rogers strikes out swinging.

Parker Berberet singles on a ground ball to right fielder Steven Moya. Max Walla to 2nd.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Adrian Williams replaces Parker Berberet.

 

Read into that what you will.

 

McMahan was on the DL for the minimum one week with an undisclosed injury.

[Mass Haas]

Brevard / Huntsville moves --

 

INF Juan Sanchez transferred from Brevard County to Huntsville

 

(See this post for a note re: that callup)

 

RHP Brandon Williamson transferred from Huntsville to Brevard County

 

Williamson made the jump over Brevard County previously from Wisconsin, but he'll get to experience High-A now. He pitched pretty well in his two AA starts.

 

How about Williamson? It's only April 23rd, and he's made three stops in the organization.

 

@mbwilliamson15 on Twitter, by the way.

 

C Brent Dean transferred from Helena to Brevard County

 

Williamson and Dean will be active tonight for Brevard County at Clearwater.

 

Brevard County's roster now sits at 25 active, instead of 24.

 

***

 

So we'll see, but the Manatee rotation is likely Jungmann - Bradley - Nelson - Burgos - Williamson with Austin Ross now on the DL. Remember that Brooks Hall is active now, too.

 

Huntsville rotation without Williamson? Thornburg's there, as is Anundsen and Heckathorn. Perhaps Seidel for more opportunities? Maybe this is a sign that Dan Merklinger (or even Cody Scarpetta?) might be back soon. No updates on Scarpetta's elbow is disconcerting.

[Mass Haas]

AAA RHP Jim Henderson activated from DL after the minimum 7-day stint; Nashville roster now at 25 (13 pitchers), but Wily Peralta will return this week so more moves will come down the road.

[battlekow]

OF Brock Kjeldgaard hits the DL at Huntsville with a torn ligament in his thumb; he'll have surgery and miss 6-8 weeks. He injured it on a play at the plate the other day.

 

From the same link, Nashville RHP Josh Butler and Huntsville SS Jeff Bianchi were also placed on their respective team's DLs. Butler left his start early today and has an elbow injury, extent unknown. Bianchi has a hamstring strain.

[battlekow]

Lots of news today.

 

First of all, OF Jay Gibbons is back, again, and has been assigned to Huntsville.

 

OF Kentrail Davis is back too, activated off the Stars' DL, which is great to see. Keep those hammies healthy, Kentrail. Also healthy is LHP Dan Merklinger.

 

Two of the three spots necessary were created with Kjeldgaard and Bianchi going on the DL, and the third comes from utilityman Juan Sanchez going east again, back to Brevard County. Making room for him, C Brent Dean goes on the BC DL.

 

Finally, we have a Nick Bucci sighting! The RHP hasn't been seen all year, and won't be again quite yet, but the fact that he was transferred to Huntsville, albeit only to be put on their DL, has to be a good sign. Young master Bucci is actually making a return trip to the Rocket City; he made a memorable cameo there as an 18-year-old in 2009.

[battlekow]

The Brewers have signed LHP Philippe Valiquette, a 25-year-old reliever formerly with the Reds (stats) who was out of baseball last year. He'll go to extended spring for now to get back into the swing of things.

[Mass Haas]

Direct from Todd Rosiak of the J-S tweets:

 

Brewers reliever Brandon Kintzler set to begin a rehab stint at Class A Brevard County next week, GM Doug Melvin said. Kintzler has been trying to make his way back from right-forearm surgery, and had to be shut down for a spell in spring training.

[Mass Haas]

Mike McClendon optioned back to Nashville and has to be kicking himself over his big league performance -- it's a fine line for him between AAA and MLB.

 

Veteran Vinnie Chulk up from AAA to the 25-man (and the 40-man via Chris Narveson's placement on the 60-day DL).

 

I tweetedthat Chulk has an interesting pro baseball timeline you can follow via Rotoworld -- disease likely caused by chewing tobacco, stint overseas, etc. Just keep clicking "older" on the Rotoworld link.

[Mass Haas]

At Huntsville, INF Jeff Bianchi (stats, .410 OBP in the early going) is over his hamstring issue just a tad over the seven-day minimum stay. Taking his spot on the Stars' DL is INF Domnit Bolivar (stats), the former Cardinal farmhand the Crew picked up in the minor league phase of Rule 5 last fall. No word on the nature or extent of Bolivar's injury. He's retroactive to April 30th.

 

From Huntsville Media Relations:

 

Bianchi was batting .368 in 14 games before going on the DL. Bolivar, who has seen just six at-bats in the last five games, is hitting .244 (11-45).

 

With these moves, the Stars active roster sits at 25, the Sothern League limit, with six on the DL.

 

***

 

The six on the DL are 40-man roster members Santo Manzanillo (thoulder tightness), Cody Scarpetta (ailing elbow) and Brock Kjeldgaard (torn thumb ligament), along with Nick Bucci, Andre Lamontagne, and now Bolivar.

 

We don't have definitive word on Bucci's status, and Lamontagne missed all of last season with bursitis in his right shoulder. We haven't seen an update on him since forever.

[Mass Haas]

As per Matt Eddy of Baseball America:

 

The Brewers do love familiarity -- in the manner of Corey Patterson and Jay Gibbons, the Brewers have brought back OF Jordan Brown (stats), the LH bat who spent much of last year with Nashville.

 

It's unclear if Brown will report directly to the Sounds at this time, or might he go to AA Huntsville to allow for Jay Gibbons to bump up a level.

 

Regardless, it must be a pre-cursor to some sort of additional move, as we await word on the Mat Gamel / Brooks Conrad (or others) situations.

 

And remember, if Conrad is added to the 40-man, someone would need to be dropped off.

 

Taylor Green, who's hit. 378 in his last ten games, probably never wished he was right-handed more than right now, should the Brewers go the Conrad route.

[longball04]

Question of the day. If Conrad gets moved up, what is your guess on the 40-man roster move?

[Mass Haas]

Question of the day. If Conrad gets moved up, what is your guess on the 40-man roster move?

 

We'd prefer to keep the bulk of the transaction thread to actual moves and place the discussion elsewhere (don't worry), but since you asked, they'd probably designate RHP Josh Stinson, recently claimed from the Mets, although they obviously like him.

 

I never felt the Brock Kjeldgaard addition was ever necessary (was he really going to stick on someone's 25-man roster in 2012?), so there's always that possibility. Of course, you'd be more apt to lose him now than back in Rule 5, even coming off dreadful AB's in spring training and before he got hurt.

 

We'll split this into a separate thread if the discussion continues if we don't get our answer in a day or two.

[Mass Haas]

RHP Chad Thompson has been promoted from extended spring training to Wisconsin. Thompson just turned 21 last February. This year’s media guide lists Thompson at 6’7”, 207.

 

http://www.dailypilot.com/media/photo/2011-05/205166200-07194446.jpg

 

Thompson made nine appearances with Maryvale last summer, two starts (stats). He committed to Arizona State out of high school, when he was ranked as the 23rd best high school player in the country by Baseball America (thanks, Brewers media guide). He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009, missing nearly two full years of action, but was still drafted by the Yankees in the 17th round in ’09 and the Phillies in the 24th round in 2010. Arizona State instead turned into Orange Coast College in California, a two-year community college.

 

Almost exactly one year ago today, this poignant story was written in the college’s local paper. And now Thompson is rewarded with today's promotion. Good for him.

 

Have to figure there’s still significant talent in that arm.

 

From Thompson's 2008 Perfect Game scouting report (pre-Tommy John):

 

Chad Thompson is a RHP with a 6'8'', 215 lb. frame from Trabuco Canyon, CA who attends El Toro. Chad has an extra tall, great frame and showed outstanding coordination on the mound for a pitcher his size. He threw downhill and repeated his delivery well with his fastball sitting 90-94 at the Metrodome. He maintained his velo throughout the outing including from the stretch and his fastball showed good armside run. Thompson showed solid offspeed pitches to go with his explosive fastball. Good action and feel on his splitter. Chad really impressed at the National Showcase as one of the top pitchers in the 2009 class. Highest level pitching prospect.

 

***

 

Heading back to extended spring training is RHP Seth Lintz (stats), the 53rd overall pick in 2008, who has just failed to gain any traction at all in his Brewer career, now beginning year five. Lintz is actually one full year older than Thompson, and just not sure how more instruction is going to salvage Lintz' career at this point.

[Mass Haas]

Per Baseball America, Brewers release four farmhands -- RHP Blake Billings, C Mike Roberts, and OF's Kenny Allison and Matt Franco.

 

Will post more on these young men by some time Thursday, if nothing else, than to acknowledge their efforts and wish them well.