Minor League Transaction Thread -- From 2013 All-Star Break to 2014 Opening Week

[Mass Haas]

There has to be more to the Bucci story than is being reported...

 

Any chance we pick him back up?

 

Tom H. reported he wanted to go back to school.

 

If the Brewers still wanted to retain his rights, they could have agreed with Bucci to place him on a restricted list.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers signed LHP Brad Mills to a minor league deal, and Kyle at BrewCrewBall once again saved me a write-up.

 

Mills profiles as a long reliever at Nashville, where the only other LHP currently around is LH reliever Brent Leach.

 

***

 

I'm surprised LaCrosse's R.J. Seidel still is unemployed. He'll be just 26 for all of the 2014 season, and showed enough at his first taste of AAA in 2013 to make other clubs interested, one would think.

 

The Brewers re-signed Seidel after all, and Seidel is pleased about that.

 

From late August:

 

A look at potential minor league free agent R.J. Seidel via Wisconsin Sports Tap

[JohnBriggs12]

Mills isn't a bad pickup. Numbers last year at Round Rock were quite decent. All his AAA experience has been in hitters parks. Was originally drafted fairly high (4th round). Was being fast tracked in Toronto organization at one time and dominated until he got to AAA. Might be useful at some point if an opening occurs.

[torts]

definitely not a bad pickup as a AAA depth signing!

[Mass Haas]

OF Brock Kjeldgaard has been re-signed, as per the Brewers Player Development Twitter feed.

 

I noted on Twitter that the Brewers have re-signed 11 of their end-of-season 26 minor league free agents, the list is here.

 

Kjeldgaard began his playing career in 2006, signing as a 34th round draft-and-follow from the 2005 draft (the Ryan Braun draft). He's similar to fellow Canadian Taylor Green (25th round) in that regard.

 

In fact, if you're talking current longevity in the Brewers' system, Kjeldgaard only trails Rickie Weeks (2003 draft), Yovani Gallardo (2004), and Braun.

 

The only other current Brewers to begin their playing careers in 2006 are Green and Dominican signings in RHP's Wily Peralta and Santo Manzanillo.

 

(Recently re-signed RHP R.J. Seidel signed late in the summer of his 2006 draft year, but signed a 2007 contract and debuted in '07.)

 

Entering their 9th seasons in the organization, neither Kjeldgaard (who was a pitcher his first two years as a pro) nor Manzanillo, have yet to play at the AAA level.

 

Good luck to all in 2014.

[Mass Haas]

BrewCrewBall -- Brewers sign OF Greg Golson

 

***

 

VIDEO from May -- Greg Golson remains focused on his MLB dreams

[TooLiveBrew]

Not sure if this qualifies as a transaction or not...

 

#Brewers left-handed pitching prospect Will West has been suspended again. 100 games on top of the 50-gamer he is currently serving.

Link

[And That]

This is the first time I can recall someone being suspended while they were already suspended, so that's new.

[TooLiveBrew]

This is the first time I can recall someone being suspended while they were already suspended, so that's new.

Congrats, Will West!

[MadScientist]

This is the first time I can recall someone being suspended while they were already suspended, so that's new.

Congrats, Will West!

Well Jeremy Jeffress was rumored test positive in a test given by the club while he was serving suspension. The Johnny Jolly from the Packers got a drug suspension while he was suspended.

[Invader3K]

Brewers have reportedly signed LHP Zach Duke to a minor league deal, with an invite to MLB spring training.

[JohnBriggs12]

Brewers have reportedly signed LHP Zach Duke to a minor league deal, with an invite to MLB spring training.

 

Hopefully just to pal around with Gorzelanny and give hitters confidence in BP.

 

Is there any guy the Brewers have roughed up more in the last 10 years than Zach Duke? His ERA vs. the Brewers is 5.99 in a not insignificant amount of innings (103 2/3). Brewers have walloped 19 HR off him, 10 more than he's allowed against any other team.

[Dollarbill13]

I remember a time when folks on this forum wanted us to trade Fielder straight up for Duke.

[brewmann04]

Sign as many arms as we can never know.

[JohnBriggs12]

Sign as many arms as we can never know.

 

But Zach Duke really?? So many Brewers have homered off of Duke over the years I've lost count. Sean Halton's walk off late in the year was the latest.

 

As much a fan of Halton as I have been, he shouldn't brag too much about hitting it off of Duke.

[brewmann04]

Well the positive thing he wont have to face us in games,trying to stay positive.

[TheCrew07]

I remember a time when folks on this forum wanted us to trade Fielder straight up for Duke.

 

On the Minor League Forum? I hope you mean the Transaction Forum... otherwise I'd like some proof.

[TooLiveBrew]

I remember a time when folks on this forum wanted us to trade Fielder straight up for Duke.

 

On the Minor League Forum? I hope you mean the Transaction Forum... otherwise I'd like some proof.

I took his comment to mean the BF forums in general, fwiw

[brewmann04]

Brewers Player Dev ‏@BrewersPD ·3 mins

The Brewers have signed 1B Lyle Overbay to a minor league contract with an invite to ML camp.

[Mass Haas]

Via the Brewers Player Development Twitter account and then MLB Trade Rumors:

 

The Brewers have signed outfielder Jeremy Hermida and infielder Joe Thurston to minor-league contracts, according to a team release. Hermida, formerly an everyday player with the Marlins, played the entire 2013 for Triple-A Columbus in the Indians organization, batting .247/.365/.416. Thurston collected 307 plate appearances for the Cardinals in 2009 and last appeared in the big leagues in 2010. He played in Mexico in 2013.

 

Thurston is 34, Hermida will turn 30 this week.

 

***

 

The Nashville roster is filling up when you consider the 40-man roster members who will be optioned, AAA signees, and likely callups from Huntsville's 2013 team.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks to John Walk of the York (PA) Dispatch, we learn much more about veteran Joe Thurston (see post just above) via these articles from today (and 2012):

 

Brewers sign former Revs’ INF Thurston

 

New Rev was nearly sidelined by heart defect

 

Additional video feature on Thurston

[Mass Haas]

Brewers own transaction and roster pages now indicate that IF/OF Joe Thurston and OF Jeremy Hermida did receive big league camp invites.

[Mass Haas]

Infielder Pete Orr (career major and minor league stats) has been signed to a minor league deal, no indication of a big league camp invite for the 34-year-old (yet, but likely forthcoming).

 

Somewhat amazingly, Orr has played in the big leagues in eight of the last nine seasons, although cumulatively only has 689 career big-league AB's (.617 career OPS).

 

He also has a fun twitter associated with him (but not his).

 

EDIT: Via an MLB Trade Rumors writer --

 

Pete Orr did not receive an invitation to Major League Spring Training with the Brewers but will report with big leaguers on first day.

[JohnBriggs12]

Thurston, and now Orr? Guess that speaks to the dearth in the system of infielders at the higher levels. It also seems more and more that former fringe major leaguers are willing to keep playing as long as possible. With nicer AAA parks and easier travel I suppose it's not a bad way to make a living.

[brewmann04]

Seems that we are done signing all the 1st baseman now we moved onto 3rd baseman.