Minor League Transactions - 2015 Regular Season

[Mass Haas]

In a separate transaction, RHP Hiram Burgos goes on the Temporary Inactive List at Biloxi.

 

The Biloxi Sun-Herald reports that Burgos is expected to be on the Colorado Springs roster after his Temp Inactive stint.

[dacbrewers]

In a separate transaction, RHP Hiram Burgos goes on the Temporary Inactive List at Biloxi.

 

The Biloxi Sun-Herald reports that Burgos is expected to be on the Colorado Springs roster after his Temp Inactive stint.

 

So the starter with the highest era gets promoted? I'm confused.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers announce:

 

LHP Wei-Chung Wang DFA'd to make room for waiver claim (Astros) 3B Matt Dominguez, who was optioned to AAA.

 

There is a discussion thread on Wang here.

[Mass Haas]

From two days ago, the 14th:

 

RH reliever Martin Viramontes has been placed on the Helena "taxi squad" of the Shuckers.

 

Viramontes has been returned to the Biloxi active roster, as per the Shuckers.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers announce the release of 29-year-old Sky Sox infielder Chris Nelson. Signed on May 9th, he posted a .143/.200/.343 line in 70 AB's; in comes Matt Dominguez.

[bork]

The MILB roster for the Sky Sox shows Dominguez status as "Reserve" and Burgos is still on the temporary inactive list. So with the roster full, they still need to make 2 more moves when those two become active.

[BrewersAA]

AAA just got a whole lot more fun to follow now with dominguez, wren, sardinas, and clark.

[JohnBriggs12]

In a separate transaction, RHP Hiram Burgos goes on the Temporary Inactive List at Biloxi.

 

The Biloxi Sun-Herald reports that Burgos is expected to be on the Colorado Springs roster after his Temp Inactive stint.

 

So the starter with the highest era gets promoted? I'm confused.

 

Burgos' level of experience is in line with AAA assignment. He's really been on a unofficial rehab at the lower levels. Makes sense. I'm sure they don't want to destroy confidence in the guys doing well at AA but putting them in that hitters environment. Still Burgos is an upgrade over the likes of Roenicke and Dillard who have been forced into starters' roles there.

[Mass Haas]

Story via the college --

 

Congrats to Brewers undrafted FA signee RHP Jose Flores (@JMFlores_92) out of USAO, an NAIA college in Oklahoma

 

As noted prior in this thread, switch-hitting OF Jose Cotto of USC was the first non-drafted free agent signing.

 

Cotto will be in Helena, Flores likely to Maryvale until we hear otherwise.

 

Jose Flores Player Page

 

Find 2015 Stats Here

 

Today we learn of this one (tweet):

 

LHP Shawn Clowers, a senior out of Liberty University (school's player page)

 

2015 Statistics

[Mass Haas]

Let the knashing of teeth subside (ncluding mine) -- LHP Wei-Chung Wang cleared waivers and was outrighted to Brevard County.

[Mass Haas]

Via @BrewersPD:

 

Carlos Leal has been placed on the DL with Wisconsin. Natanael Mejia has been activated from the DL. Juan Centeno also to DL w/ Col Springs.

 

Hopefully nothing too serious on the injuries (Rick Sweet indicated Centeno's injury was indeed, minor). This will be the season debut for Mejia, the 5th year pro who struggled in 93 Helena AB's last summer.

[Mass Haas]

Via @BrewersPD:

 

Carlos Leal has been placed on the DL with Wisconsin. Natanael Mejia has been activated from the DL. Juan Centeno also to DL w/ Col Springs.

 

Hopefully nothing too serious on the injuries (Rick Sweet indicated Centeno's injury was indeed, minor). This will be the season debut for Mejia, the 5th year pro who struggled in 93 Helena AB's last summer.

 

Nice note from Chris Mehring --

 

Note on the @TimberRattlers transactions: Leal should be fine for the All-Star game in Peoria next Tuesday.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers announce two more non-drafted free agent signings, both assigned to Maryvale:

 

RHP Alex Farina -- University of Lafayette (Easton, PA) senior (player page via the university)

 

Announcement on school's website

 

 

***

 

LHP Brad Kuntz -- Baylor University (Waco, TX) senior (player page via the university)

 

ARTICLE: Kuntz rebounded from offseason Tommy John surgery to post a 2.22 ERA and two saves. The left-hander was Baylor’s only pitcher to average at least a strikeout per inning, with 26 Ks in 24 1/3 innings.

 

Looks like the initial agreement with Kuntz was back on the 12th (tweet).

 

Good luck and congrats to each, bring your sunscreen!

[Mass Haas]

Reminder of the Draft Signings postand the Draft Forum itself with news and notes -- 23 players have now signed, the latest 15th round catcher Zach Taylor and 33rd round UC-Santa Barbara RHP Connor Baits.

 

Now let's wrap up this College World Series and ink those three remaining top 10 picks!

[Mass Haas]

Regarding the Helena and Maryvale rosters --

 

Posted on May 28th:

 

The Brewers have placed 19-year-old Venezuelan RHP Yosmer Leal on the Arizona roster for the purpose of medical rehab. Leal has had elbow surgery (Tommy John, we presume, but not confirmed), and will miss the 2015 season. The tall (6'4", 170 lb.) Leal has two Dominican Summer League seasons under his belt. Leal has the distinction of being the only "Yosmer" to ever play professional baseball.

 

His player page indicates he's on the 60-day DL with Maryvale. But that player page isn't on the Maryvale roster page, a technicality we'll ask about.

 

***

 

21-year-old catcher Dustin Houle (missed 2014 due to Tommy John) and should be good to go, his individual player page lists him as on Helena's inactive list, but again, it's a ghost entry as he doesn't appear on Helena's roster page.

 

***

 

Initially posted April 13th:

 

22-year-old Matt Martin, drafted in the 27th round last June out of Wake Forest, is listed as an outfielder, not a catcher, on the Brewers' Extended Spring roster.

 

Martin posted a sweet .311/.427/.446 line in the Maryvale heat last summer (.873 OPS, 89 plate appearances).

 

With good fortune, perhaps he can develop into a corner OF prospect with some pop, seemingly always a need in the system over the years.

 

While Martin's individual player page indicates he's on the Maryvale roster, the actual roster page does not include him.

 

***

 

23-year-old Connor Narron, who converted to catcher last season, is listed as active on Helena's roster on his individual player page at MiLB, but is not listed on any Brewers roster page.

 

***

 

One of the top prospects in the chain, RHP Taylor Williams, is listed (for extended spring training rehab purposes) on Helena's roster on his player page, but not on Helena's actual roster. Again, this is just a technical oversight that will get corrected.

 

On May 30th, Adam McCalvy wrote:

 

Gord Ash had less encouraging news about another hard-throwing prospect, Taylor Williams, who received a platelet-rich plasma injection last week in an effort to treat a right forearm strain that has sidelined him since the end of Spring Training. Williams is in a mandatory shut-down period that follows such treatment.

 

Asked whether he believed Williams would pitch this season, Ash responded, "I do."

 

Williams pitched in his first Major League camp this spring and drew raves at the start from established hitters like Ryan Braun and Carlos Gomez. It is impossible to know whether doing too much, too soon contributed to his injury.

 

***

 

We get a kick that RHP Osmel Perez is still listed on the DSL roster, even though he hasn't pitched since 2011. He's on a restricted list (as the Brewers still own his rights), but that's the case with many of their former farmhands who never filed proper retirement paperwork. They'll probably finally "hide" his name upon our reminder. Even though Perez has been idle for so long, he still won't turn 22 until this July!

 

***

 

We see RHP Victor Diaz, who made six appearances (four starts) for the Timber Rattlers earlier this season, is also on the 60-day, that can't be good.

 

Finally, we'll try to learn the nature of Diaz' injury (he does appear on the roster page, it's just an injury question for him).

[Mass Haas]

To make room for RHP Hiram Burgos' activation at Colorado Springs, RHP Jim Henderson was placed on the Sky Sox 7-day DL, retroactive to 6/19.

 

No official word on the nature or severity of Henderson's injury, or whether this was a phantom move due to a roster crunch at this time.

[Mass Haas]

Got some answers to our questions --

 

21-year-old catcher Dustin Houle (missed 2014 due to Tommy John) and should be good to go, his individual player page lists him as on Helena's inactive list, but again, it's a ghost entry as he doesn't appear on Helena's roster page.

 

Houle's formal status is that he's on Helena's disabled list (no distinction as to 7-day vs. 60-day).

 

***

 

One of the top prospects in the chain, RHP Taylor Williams, is listed (for extended spring training rehab purposes) on Helena's roster on his player page, but not on Helena's actual roster. Again, this is just a technical oversight that will get corrected.

 

On May 30th, Adam McCalvy wrote:

 

Gord Ash had less encouraging news about another hard-throwing prospect, Taylor Williams, who received a platelet-rich plasma injection last week in an effort to treat a right forearm strain that has sidelined him since the end of Spring Training. Williams is in a mandatory shut-down period that follows such treatment.

 

Asked whether he believed Williams would pitch this season, Ash responded, "I do."

 

Williams pitched in his first Major League camp this spring and drew raves at the start from established hitters like Ryan Braun and Carlos Gomez. It is impossible to know whether doing too much, too soon contributed to his injury.

 

Williams' formal status is on the Brevard County 7-day DL.

 

***

 

23-year-old Connor Narron, who converted to catcher last season, is listed as active on Helena's roster on his individual player page at MiLB, but is not listed on any Brewers roster page.

 

Narron has been placed on the organization's Restricted List, we do not know any of the circumstances, although that list often (but not always) indicates a player failed to report, or retired without filing final paperwork.

 

***

 

Initially posted April 13th:

 

22-year-old Matt Martin, drafted in the 27th round last June out of Wake Forest, is listed as an outfielder, not a catcher, on the Brewers' Extended Spring roster.

 

Martin posted a sweet .311/.427/.446 line in the Maryvale heat last summer (.873 OPS, 89 plate appearances).

 

With good fortune, perhaps he can develop into a corner OF prospect with some pop, seemingly always a need in the system over the years.

 

While Martin's individual player page indicates he's on the Maryvale roster, the actual roster page does not include him.

 

Surprisingly, Martin was released on June 12th. We wish the young man well going forward.

[Mass Haas]

From Monday's Link Report --

 

As of this afternoon, the Manatees head into their doubleheader one player short with a 24-man roster - 13 pitchers, 11 position players (including three catchers).

 

The only players on the roster with true OF experience are the current three starters - Michael Ratterree, Omar Garcia, and Clint Coulter.

 

If Jose Pena eventually returns to Brevard from Wisconsin, that would leave a depth gap there. It's just a single position where the organization just doesn't have the numbers at this moment (health-wise or depth-wise).

 

And on cue, tweet from @BrewersPD: OF Jose Pena has been transferred to Brevard County. RHP Luke Curtis activated from Wisconsin DL. RHP Josh Torres transferred to Helena.

[Mass Haas]

At Colorado Springs, catcher Juan Centeno activated from the 7-day DL after the minimum stay. To make room, utility infielder Donnie Murphy is placed on the 7-day, no word on whether that is a legitimate injury situation or not.

 

Along with Nevin Ashley and Robinzon Diaz, the Sky Sox are carrying three catchers; Matt Clark has seen some time in left field, which has allowed for some playing time at first base.

[Mass Haas]

40th round catcher Charles Galiano of Fordham (NY) University tweeted that he has signed. Galiano, signed by former Brewer farmhand, now scout, Steffan Wilson (a Harvard guy himself), had been playing in the Cape Cod League. It's a rarity for the Brewers to snag someone who began their Cape League play after the draft. He'll almost assuredly head directly to Maryvale, not Helena.

[Mass Haas]

Latest non-drafted free agent signing --

 

Aaron Myers Signs With Milwaukee Brewers

Senior Becomes 12th Longwood University Lancer to Play Affiliated Baseball

 

http://www.longwoodlancers.com/images/2015/3/21/rp_primary_Basevscsu_2015_MK08.jpg

 

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood senior ace Aaron Myers signed a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday evening and will join the organization's rookie affiliate in the Arizona League.

 

With his signing, the two-time All-Big South selection Myers becomes the second Lancer in 2015 to agree to terms with a Major League Baseball organization, joining junior outfielder Kyri Washington who was the 23rd round selection by the Boston Red Sox in the First-Year Player Draft. Myers will also become the 12th Lancer all-time to play professional baseball.

 

"I'm extremely excited," said Myers, a 6-3, 225-pound right-hander from Newport News, Va. "To take the next step towards my childhood dream is just incredible. It still hasn't really set in. The feeling is just superb."

 

Myers finished his time at Longwood in style, breaking five records in his senior season, including three strikeout records, the all-time saves record and the most innings pitched in Lancer history. The Friday night ace broke a pair of those strikeout records in a single game, setting the career strikeouts record while fanning a single-game high 14 against North Carolina A&T. He went on to complete the strikeout trifecta, nabbing the single-season record in his final regular season start against Winthrop.

 

The final campaign in Myers' Longwood career capped off a storied four years which saw the Brewers signee serve time as the closer before progressing to the Friday night spot. Myers set or tied eight records as a Lancer, adding the career saves mark by earning his 17th save against UNC Asheville. He surpassed former Lancer great Mark Montgomery, a man he now joins as the two active Lancers in affiliated baseball.

 

"All I wanted to do was play ball and I was getting antsy just waiting around for a call," Myers said. "Just as I was considering playing for an independent team, I got the call. It was truly a phenomenal feeling."

[Mass Haas]

From Monday's Link Report --

 

Please check out the box score and you'll see that all six Brewer pitchers that preceded Lucroy were making their professional debuts (18th round Florida HS pick Gentry Fortuno, 24th round Ole Miss LHP Christian Trent, undrafted LHP Brad Kuntz, 21st round NC State RHP Jon Olczak, 35th round University of Hawaii LHP Quintin Torres-Costa, and undrafted RHP Alex Farina), and each fared well enough, as you could gather from the final score.

 

Brewers announce that southpaw Christian Trent escapes the heat and joins the Helena Crew.

[Mass Haas]

As per this tweet from his agency --

 

27-year-old RHP Derek Eitel (MiLB Player Page; Baseball Reference Page), released earlier this month by the Diamondbacks, has been signed by the Brewers. It's not known at this time to which level Eitel will be reporting to in the Milwaukee chain.

 

Eitel was particularly strong last year (a AAA All-Star, as you'll read below), so despite wildness in a small sample this year, it's not hard to see why the Brewers were interested in snapping him up.

 

You can follow Eitel on Twitter here.

 

Here's an April 2015 press release from his college, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Eitel was drafted in the 17th round in 2010 by Arizona):

 

Derek Eitel to Open 2015 Season at AAA Reno

 

RENO, NEVADA -- Four-year varsity letter winner Derek Eitel, the first Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology athlete selected in a professional sports draft, will open the 2015 season with the Class AAA Reno Aces as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization on April 9.

 

Eitel was named to the AAA All-Star Game in 2014 before missing the remainder of the season to an injury. He finished 5-1 with a 2.70 earned run average in 30 appearances last year, striking out 60 in 46.2 innings of work.

 

The 2013 season was also solid for Eitel, who finished 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 68.1 innings at Class AA Mobile. His career Minor League numbers include a 31-26 record in 141 career appearances and 58 starts in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He has 373 career strikeouts in 462.1 innings of work.

 

Eitel was selected in the 17th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball by the Diamondbacks and began his Minor League pitching career in Rookie League Missoula and Class A South Bend.

 

In 2011, he pitched with the Visalia Rawhide in the Class A California League, in addition to making two starts for Reno. In 2012, he recorded an 8-11 record and a 4.37 ERA in 25 starts for Mobile.

 

At Rose-Hulman, Eitel established school records for innings pitched (320.1) and wins (29). Eitel ranks second in school history with 299 career strikeouts and ranked third in school history with 92 strikeouts in 2010.

 

Eitel helped Rose-Hulman reach the NCAA Division III Mideast Baseball Regional in 2008, 2009 and 2010, highlighted by Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament titles in 2009 and 2010.

 

In his NCAA Division III Tournament career, Eitel finished 2-0 with a 1.11 earned run average and 26 strikeouts in 24 innings of work. He also served as the starting pitcher in all three NCAA tournament victories in Rose-Hulman baseball history.

 

His Rose-Hulman baseball honors also included two first-team all-conference awards and a pair of all-Mideast Region accolades from the American Baseball Coaches Association.

 

The two-sport athlete also completed a four-year varsity career as the team's quarterback in football. Eitel established career school records with 7,507 passing yards, 576 completions and 52 touchdown passes.

[Mass Haas]

From last summer, pre AAA All-Star Game:

 

Eitel won't be able to pitch in the game after being placed on the 7-day disabled list due to a lower abdominal injury he suffered working out.

 

Unfortunately, Eitel found out he was an all-star the same day he suffered his injury, but he still is honored to be selected.

 

"Phil came in and told me; it was the same morning when I'd injured myself lifting," Eitel said. "It was a little bittersweet because I knew I was going to be out for a little while, but I was still really excited. It's a great honor."

[Mass Haas]

Brewers announce catcher Juan Centeno is back on the Colorado Springs 7-day DL (second time this month), and OF Bryan Petersen is activated from the DL to fill that spot.