Minor League Transaction Thread

[Mass Haas]

From the Manatees:

 

OF Miguel Velazquez has been released from Brevard County.

 

OF Michael Reed has been transferred from Brevard County to Helena.

 

OF John Dishon has been transferred from Wisconsin to Brevard County.

 

RHP Seth Harvey has been transferred from Wisconsin to Brevard County.

 

1B/LF/DH Jason Rogers has been transferred from Wisconsin to Brevard County.

 

Dishon, Harvey and Rogers will all be active for tonight's game against Dunedin. Their numbers will be assigned upon arrival.

 

***

 

With that, the Brevard roster is back to 25.

[Mass Haas]

Here was some of the chatter on this forum re: Velazquez' arrival this offseason.

 

.550 OPS in 36 first-half games

 

Worthwhile gamble that didn't pan out...

[DHonks]

Dishon, arguably our most toolsy OF, has a good obp this year for a guy with a low avg.

[JohnBriggs12]

Dishon, arguably our most toolsy OF, has a good obp this year for a guy with a low avg.

 

Tools and OBP are wonderful, but you have to wonder what Ben McMahan must be thinking after outhitting Dishon .313 to .220 and outslugging him .476 to .307.

[WV Brew]

I presume McMahon is working on his fielding skills. His bat is not in question at this point.

[Mass Haas]

Mike Vassallo tweet:

 

On the heels of his 4-hit game, OF Lance Roenicke (son of Ron) was promoted from Rookie @helenabrewers to Class-A @TimberRattlers today.

 

I'll also point out that Steve Wendt noted during his broadcast last night that on three occasions already, Roenicke came in on a fly ball only to have it go over his head.

 

Pitchers love that...

[Mass Haas]

From the Timber Rattlers (the Mike Strong news is new...)

 

***

 

Brewers supplemental first round pick from 2012 draft joins Rattlers for second half

Lance Roenicke starts second half with Brewers Midwest League affiliate, too

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Just over two weeks ago Mitch Haniger was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 38 th pick in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft. On Friday, he will begin his professional career as a Wisconsin Timber Rattler when the Midwest League’s first half Western Division Champions open the second half of the season at Burlington.

 

The Brewers and the Timber Rattlers announced roster moves today that included the promotion of three players the Florida State league, Haniger’s move to the Fox Cities, the activation of Michael Strong from the disabled list, and the addition of a player with a familiar last name.

 

All-Stars Jason Rogers and Seth Harvey are moving up the ladder to the Brevard County Manatees, Milwaukee’s FSL affiliate. Rogers led the Rattlers in RBI (43) and doubles (24) with a .301 batting average and six home runs. Harvey was the closer for Wisconsin in the first half and had 13 saves with a 4-0 record.

 

John Dishon, who was tied for the team lead in stolen bases (11) and outfield assists (7), also got the call to Brevard County.

 

Haniger was selected by the Brewers with a compensatory first round pick out of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in the 2012 draft. Haniger was the 2012 Big West Conference Player of the Year at Cal Poly. He led the conference in homers (13), RBI (64), and slugging percentage (.626).

 

The Timber Rattlers now have the last two Big West Conference Players of the Year on their roster. Nick Ramirez won the award in 2011 while at Cal-State-Fullerton.

 

Outfielder Lance Roenicke was the 25 th round pick of the Brewers in the 2012 draft. He also played his college baseball in the Big West. Roenicke hit .310 with four homers and 35 RBI in his senior season at the University of California-Santa Barbara. Roenicke, the son of Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, had appeared in a pair of games for the Helena Brewers and was 4-for-8 with three RBI for Milwaukee’s Pioneer League affiliate.

 

Also, left-handed pitcher Michael Strong has been activated from the disabled list for Friday’s game. Strong had been 1-0 with a 2.38ERA and 12 strikeouts in 11-1/3 innings pitched for the Wisconsin before going on the shelf.

 

Wisconsin starts the second half of their schedule with a three-game series against the Burlington Bees in Iowa on Friday night. Timber Rattlers fans will get their first glimpse of Haniger and Roenicke when the team returns to Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Monday, June 25. Wisconsin will begin a six-game homestand at 7:05 pm on Monday night.

[Mass Haas]

Here are some notes re: the finalizing of the Maryvale roster.

 

RHP Mitch Conner has been placed on the 60-day DL at Maryvale. He underwent Tommy John surgery this week and tweeted a picture of himself post-op. Obviously, we all wish him the very best.

 

***

 

Also on the 60-day DL are SS Orlando Arcia (fractured ankle) and OF Victor Roache, the 1st round pick who had major wrist surgery this spring.

 

On the 7-day DL is RHP Rodolfo Fernandez, the Cuban newcomer who was originally listed as non-injured and in Helena. No word on his status, nor that of another 7-day DL'er, RHP Francisco Rivero, the 21-year-old Venezuelan entering his 5th year in the system. Rivero ended 2011 on the restricted list.

 

***

 

Just a reminder that former outfielder Jose Garcia is converting to catcher for 2012.

 

***

 

There is one draft pick that we had noted as signed, just based on hometown newspaper accounts and the fact that he does not have college eligibility remaining -- 32nd round RHP Nick Anderson. No sign of him as active, so we've dropped a note to that local sports editor to see what that gets us.

 

***

 

Huntsville and 40-man roster OF Brock Kjeldgaard (torn thumb ligament) is listed as being at Maryvale on a rehab assignment. We'll see how soon he appears in A-Crew box scores.

 

***

 

More miscellaneous Maryvale updates this afternoon...

[Mass Haas]

Preston Gainey, the 11th round RHP out of the Naval Academy, should be in Helena or Maryvale soon (his bittersweet tweet).

 

Reminder about his story

[Mass Haas]

Adam McCalvy's update also indicates the Brewers have released Huntsville IF Matt Cline, the 22nd round pick in 2007. Cline voluntarily took a year off in 2009, came back with a strong 2010 at Brevard, but had struggled at the AA level.

 

***

 

Looks like big Brock may be active as early as tonight.

[dacbrewers]

Speaking of Outfielders coming in...I witnessed Franklin Romero do it on a consistent basis at Helena. Drives pitchers nuts.

[Mass Haas]

As you may know, Brooks Conrad was claimed by Tampa Bay (possible reason) and Mike McClendon has been recalled to Milwaukee. That latter move frees up the spot taken by Tyler Thornburg.

(In other words, Brian Baker lives to pitch another day...)

[Mass Haas]

A pre-cursor of getting Edwin Maysonet back to Nashville --

 

Huntsville Media Relations:

 

The Milwaukee Brewers and Huntsville Stars have made a roster move prior to tonight’s game at Jackson. Infielder Hainley Statia has been transferred from Triple-A Nashville to Huntsville.

 

Statia is hitting .279 (36-129) in 49 games with the Sounds. The Curacao native hit five doubles and has 12 RBIs. The 26-year-old spent 95 games with the Stars in 2011, batting .279 with 22 extra-base hits and 40 RBIs.

 

With these moves, the Stars active roster is at 25, the Southern League limit.

[WV Brew]

Mass-

McCalvey reporting the Brewers signed Puerto Rican pitcher Joshua Torres, an undrafted free agent teenager.

 

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120623&content_id=33785858&notebook_id=33809292&vkey=notebook_mil&c_id=mil

[Tedaldtada]

Drew Gagnon is getting congrats on Twitter for his promotion to Brevard County.

 

Major hit for the WI staff.

[Mass Haas]

AA Huntsville and 40-man OF Brock Kjeldgaard activated from the DL, but transferred to high-A Brevard for now; had torn thumb ligament on 4/23.

 

To make room, catcher Brent Dean is placed on the Manatee DL (probably the phantom DL, the bain of 3rd catchers everywhere).

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes:

 

PEREZ REJOINS SOUNDS; CHULK TO D.L.: Left-handed reliever Juan Perez rejoins the Sounds today after after being designated for assignment on Friday and assigned outright to Nashville yesterday. The Brewers signed Livan Hernandez and needed to create room on the 40-man roster. Perez spent a month with the Brewers, going 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA (4 ER / 7.0 IP) and 10 strikeouts in 10 appearances. To make room for Perez on the Nashville roster, reliever Vinnie Chulk was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to 6/21.

 

***

 

No word on whether this is a phantom DL, or whether Chulk is actually hurting. With the backdate, Chulk could return as soon as Thursday. He actually has been very solid, especially this month (stats).

[Mass Haas]

To make room for RHP Drew Gagnon at Brevard, LHP Phillippe Valiquette has been promoted to AA Huntsville.

 

The Stars will need to make a corresponding move later today to make room.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Media Relations:

 

Huntsville, Ala. – The Huntsville Stars and Milwaukee Brewers have made a couple of transactions before the start of tonight’s series opener against the Mobile BayBears. RHP Santo Manzanillo has been placed on the disabled list, retroactive to June 23. LHP Philippe Valiquette has been promoted from High-A Brevard County to Huntsville. Additionally, outfielder Brock Kjeldgaard was activated from the disabled list yesterday and transferred to Brevard County.

 

This is the second stint on the DL this season for Manzanillo. The 23-year-old was placed on the DL back on April 11 for six weeks. He is currently 0-4 with a 6.08 ERA (13.1 IP / 9 ER) in 12 games.

 

The Brewers signed Valiquette to a minor league contract on April 26 after he was released by the Seattle Mariners in March. The lefty missed all of the 2011 season due to injury. In 2010, he went 4-1 with a 4.15 ERA (65 IP / 30 ER) in 54 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, including a 2-0 record in 25 games for the former Southern League Carolina Mudcats. The 25-year-old was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the seventh round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.

 

With these moves, the Stars active roster sits at the 25-man limit.

 

***

 

Sure is turning into a lost development year for Manzanillo.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have signed non-drafted Rutgers senior RHP Ryan Fasano and assigned him to the Maryvale roster.

 

Fasano is 6'1", 195, and is 22 (23 next November), out of Nyack, NY.

 

His Rutgers bio heading into 2012 is here.

 

In 2012, Fasano made 16 appearances (14 starts) for the Scarlet Knights, going 6-5 with a 3.34 ERA (three complete games). In 97 innings, he allowed 92 hits, walked only 17, and struck out 59.

 

Photo here.

[Mass Haas]

It's undrafted free agent night.

 

The Brewers have signed University of Nebraska-Omaha senior catcher Colby McCord.

 

By Rob White, Omaha World-Herald Staff Writer

 

Former UNO catcher Colby McCord has signed with the Milwaukee Brewers organization and is scheduled to report to the team’s spring training headquarters in Arizona on Wednesday.

 

“We’re very happy for Colby, obviously,” UNO coach Bob Herold said. “He’s a guy who continued to improve every year.”

 

McCord hit a team-high .366 this past season. He also led the Mavericks in slugging percentage (.535), on-base percentage (.435), runs (27), hits (63), doubles (18) and total bases (92).

 

In four years with the Mavs, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Papillion-La Vista product hit .324 with nine homers and 77 RBIs.

 

Scouts showed interest in McCord, but he wasn’t selected in the 40-round draft earlier this month.

 

“Since they took 10 rounds out of the draft (it had been 50), that’s 300 guys who didn’t get drafted this year that normally would have,” Herold said. “That’s where he probably fit in. We’re just happy that he’s getting the opportunity.”

 

Herold said the Brewers were following the recommendation of one of their scouts, former Nebraska and major league outfielder Drew Anderson, in signing McCord.

 

***

 

School roster profile page

[Mass Haas]

As per the Nashville Media Notes --

 

In order to make room for RHP Mike McClendon's return to AAA, RHP Tyler Thornburg has been placed on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to June 25th.

 

No word given on a possible injury. This may be a creative way for the Brewers to juggle the AAA roster at this time. It seems minor league baseball has been pretty liberal in allowing clubs the occasional "phantom" DL stint, almost a taxi sqaud situation.

 

It does seem odd that Thornburg, who was scheduled to make his AAA debut Friday, would be the choice if the DL spot needed was phantom.

 

Hopeful that the Brewer beat guys can track down Gord Ash for details.

[Mass Haas]

Adam McCalvy with a quick hotline call to Gord Ash for the Thornburg diagnosis.

[Mass Haas]

The one draft pick that had no college eligibility left and hadn't signed yet is 32nd round RHP Nick Anderson. Based on what we had read earlier (see these two links), we had marked him in our "signed" column just on a normal assumption.

 

So we reached out to the coaching staff at Mayville (North Dakota) and Pete Pratt, their Assistant Baseball Coach / Recruiting Coordinator, was kind enough to respond:

 

Jim, thanks for note….Nick actually is heading to Milwaukee today and will be meeting with team doctors tomorrow.

 

He is raring to go the last I heard from the Brewers' scout was they were waiting to find the right place for him and finalize other signing/cap room…he won’t be costing them much at all so hopefully this gets done over the weekend they got themselves a good one!

 

So we should see that become formal soon...it's not like Helena and/or Maryvale couldn't use another arm with all their short outings.

[bkrause2]

Per Adam McCalvy, The Brewers have claimed shortstop Hector Gomez off waivers from the Rockies and optioned him to Brevard County.

 

Interesting move if he can stay healthy, certainly worth a look. Gomez was ranked as the Rockies #19 prospect by Baseball America coming in to this season. He's had a rough road as he had a son pass away in 2010 and has dealt with a ton of injuries including stress fractures in both legs, Tommy John surgery, and groin and back injuries. Here's hoping the best for the young man.