Brewer Minor League Free Agents After the 2014 Season

[Mass Haas]

Following is a list of players who are free to leave the organization five days after the World Series when minor league free agency begins. These players and the Brewers could agree to sign an additional one-year minor league deal to extend the relationship. Or the Brewers could add the player to the 40-man roster, thus extending the "ownership" of the player.

 

A player who has exhausted all seven years of his original minor league affiliation to the organization that signed him is eligible. Here are the Brewers farmhands who have been with the organization for their full seven-year affiliated commitment (or even longer in the case of Tim Dillard, Caleb Gindl, Taylor Green, Donovan Hand and Joey Paciorek). We've been following these guys their whole affiliated pro careers.

 

RHP Tim Dillard - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract on 11/03

OF Caleb Gindl -- Signed with Toronto 12/12, received an invite to spring training

IF Taylor Green - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract on 10/30

RHP Donovan Hand - Signed with Reds 01/15

 

IF/OF/C Joey Paciorek

C Shawn Zarraga - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract on 9/18

 

Other potential (and likely) free agents:

 

RHP Manny Barreda - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract on 10/16

INF Jeff Bianchi - Signed with Boston 01/05

RHP Billy Buckner

RHP Jose De La Torre - Signed with Cincinnati 12/02

C/3B/LF Robinzon Diaz - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract on 10/16

IF Irving Falu - Signed with Cincinnati 12/02

C/LF Hector Gimenez

OF Jeremy Hermida - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract with a big league spring camp invite on 11/06

RHP Jon Huizinga

RHP Jay Jackson - Signed with Padres 01/26

OF Erik Komatsu

LHP Brent Leach - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract with a big league spring camp invite on 12/01

RHP Arcenio Leon - Signed with White Sox 12/02

RHP Johnnie Lowe

C Lucas May

RHP Dustin Molleken -- Signed with Cleveland 11/18, received an invite to spring training

IF Pete Orr - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract with a big league spring camp invite on 11/06

C Matt Pagnozzi -- Signed with Arizona 11/6

IF/OF Hainley Statia - Signed to a 2015 minor league contract on 12/04

IF/OF Eugenio Velez - Signed with Tampa Bay 12/12, received an invite to spring training

 

If you believe a player is listed in error or have an addition, let us know. We believe we're close, but don't claim to be 100% accurate.

[Mass Haas]

Please be patient on discussing Rule 5 protection possibilities.

 

That will involve a list of players still under Brewer control for 2015, so it will be a separate thread from this one, and the players listed above won't cross over to that list.

 

We'll have that thread out some time in the next week.

 

***

 

Something to keep in mind is that the initial list here doesn't currently include players who may be dropped from the current 40-man roster immediately after the season ends, and who would have enough service time to qualify for minor league free agency. Nor obviously does it include players who will be free agents on the big league level.

[Mass Haas]

Feel free to post your predictions here, and yes, it will certainly be interesting to monitor the Matt Clark situation (less than two years older than Hunter Morris).

 

Don't the Brewers have to re-add SS Hector Gomez? He'll turn prime 27 in March, and while yes, his 2013 at Huntsville was criminally bad (.494 OPS), his healthy (until just last week) 2014 at Nashville was super impressive, with 46 extra-base hits leading to an .807 OPS. One issue, however -- Gomez is out of options, so he'd be a spring training luxury hedge against any Jean Segura emergencies, but he has some (limited) experience at third base, even less so at second, and could be a utility guy.

 

Do you see anyone else worthy of keeping from minor league free agency?

[Mass Haas]

By the way, here's last year's thread, in which we documented what happened with each player during the offseason.

[Mass Haas]

As discussed in the Arizona Fall League thread here, the AFL participation of Shawn Zarraga and Hector Gomez means they will not be leaving the Brewers organization this fall. That link will describe the minor league extension vs. 40-man roster addition implications.

[JohnBriggs12]

By the way, here's last year's thread, in which we documented what happened with each player during the offseason.

 

A fair percentage were brought back last year. If a guy still has a defined role in an organization, it makes sense for both sides.

[monty57]

Zarraga makes a nice "third catcher" sitting a phone call away in AAA. Kind of scary that the Brewers didn't have another catcher on the 40-man this year in case of injury. They won't find many vets to sign with them with Lucroy and Maldonado entrenched, so Zarraga's probably the best option.

[guylanderfridancies]

Zarraga makes a nice "third catcher" sitting a phone call away in AAA. Kind of scary that the Brewers didn't have another catcher on the 40-man this year in case of injury. They won't find many vets to sign with them with Lucroy and Maldonado entrenched, so Zarraga's probably the best option.

 

The Zarg is back in AA Huntsville now, and not doing too hot. In the last 11 days his average has fell from .363 to .338. Was as high as .380 to start the month.

[Mass Haas]

Matt Clark (2-for-4) knotted the contest at 1-1 when he led off the seventh with his team-leading 16th homer of the year, a solo shot to straightaway center off Lisalverto Bonilla. Clark has smashed 12 of those roundtrippers during the month of August.

 

My goodness, get this 27-year-old on the 40-man roster and in a Brewer uniform today to make his MLB debut as a LH masher off the bench, at minimum.

 

They can't let this guy walk after the season, can they? Hunter who?

[Mass Haas]

Update: Removed C Matt Pagnozzi from the list in the initial post with his contract purchased by the big league club, although it is very likely he will be removed from the 40-man roster at the end of thes season.

[Mass Haas]

UPDATE: Removed SS Hector Gomez and 1B Matt Clark from the initial post, each player about to be added to Brewers' 40-man roster.

[Mass Haas]

Added Caleb Gindl to the initial post today after his DFA.

 

If he's claimed by another team, we'll move him off the list.

 

Players like Gindl, RHP Jose De La Torre, and IF Irving Falu will be eligible for an earlier form of minor league free agency because they spent time on the 40-man roster in 2014 (De La Torre's outright came during spring training, so not 100% sure that will be the case for him).

[Mass Haas]

One player, who will only turn 26 this week, who may be a prime candidate for a minor league contract extension based on age/performance, is RHP Manny Barreda, who was solid for Huntsville once signed.

 

There was an article about Barreda via the Arizona Daily Star this AM.

 

The Brewers were very quick to contact agent39 (Joshua Kusnick) upon his release by the Yankees, we'll reach out to Josh to learn the latest.

[Mass Haas]

One player, who will only turn 26 this week, who may be a prime candidate for a minor league contract extension based on age/performance, is RHP Manny Barreda, who was solid for Huntsville once signed.

 

There was an article about Barreda via the Arizona Daily Star this AM.

 

The Brewers were very quick to contact agent39 (Joshua Kusnick) upon his release by the Yankees, we'll reach out to Josh to learn the latest.

 

Josh indicated:

 

"Manny would very much welcome coming back. I would imagine the market should be huge for him. He loves the Brewers a lot and is quite grateful for the opportunity so we'll have to see."

[Mass Haas]

The initial post in this thread has been updated to indicate that INF Jeff Bianchi and C Matt Pagnozzi have elected minor league free agency, as was their right after their recent DFA's.

[Mass Haas]

From Adam McCalvy, likely informed by agent Josh - click to see replies as well.

 

Tweet -- Hearing hard-throwing RHP Manny Barreda will be back in #Brewers system next year. Could have been an MiLB free agent.

 

Tweet -- Barreda just turned 26 and had a 1.99 ERA at Double-A after #Brewers picked him up. Maybe a closer candidate for Triple-A in '15?

[agent39]

A certain client is coming back to the brewers in a surprising turn of events. Im beyond elated. Team should announce this week.

[brewmann04]

T G

[Mass Haas]

Taylor Green, who turns 28 this Sunday, is set to return for a 10th season in the Brewers system, as per hints dropped to us and Adam McCalvy via his agent Josh Kusnick.

[DHonks]

Josh, good for Taylor. He still has a strong chance to contribute. His set of skills (lefty, OBP, etc) make him a strong candidate for 1b/3b.

[Mass Haas]

The players who have not been re-signed in the initial post above become minor league free agents at 11:00 PM Central tonight (Mon. 11/3).

[Mass Haas]

Last year Blake Lalli signed with the D-Backs, this year, Matt Pagnozzi does the same.

 

We've updated the initial post in this thread and will continue to do so.

[Mass Haas]

Hard-throwing Canadian RHP Dustin Molleken signs with Cleveland (with a big league camp invite), and signings like that will be tracked in the initial post in this thread.

 

(Hat tip to Andrew Gruman)

[Mass Haas]

Initial post in this thread updated to indicate current status of all Brewer minor league FA's (re-signings and new homes).

[Mass Haas]

The Brewer Nation tweeted that Caleb Gindl will be signing a minor league deal with a big league camp invite soon.

 

Let's see if I'm right on this -- Blue Jays.