Your 2015 Dominican Summer League Brewers

[Mass Haas]

Time for several Dominican Summer League Brewers updates!

 

First, the DSL schedule has been released. Opening day is Saturday, May 30th.

 

The schedule is much more diverse this year (even more so than last, when we started to see fewer games against fellow Santo Domingo site teams -- the Tigers, Braves, and Blue Jays). In fact, the Blue Jays must have a new facility, because they are not on the schedule at all.

 

***

 

Here are the final 2014 DSL Brewers statistics.

[Mass Haas]

Now, regarding those final statistics, a few players were released late in the season or after the season.

 

Those would be 3B Geuris Santana, RHP Marcos Padilla, OF Juan De Los Santos, C Franmy Pena, and IF Raphachel Colatosti.

 

We detailed Santana's release here, Padilla's release here, and the other three players in this post.

[Mass Haas]

Here's a portion of our post from September 2014 about the players brought in from the DSL for fall instructional league --

 

2014 Instructional League Roster

(You should be able to increase your internet browser's zoom capacity to increase the reading size there.)

 

Soon-to-be 20-year-old LHP Joan De La Cruz the only pitcher brought in from the Dominican Summer League.

 

Catchers Johel Atencio and Kevin Martinez, SS Franly Mallen, and OF's Nicolas Pierre and Joantgel Segovia brought in from the Dominican, along with prized signing Gilbert Lara.

[Mass Haas]

Here's our March 18th post (in full) about which Dominican players were in Maryvale for spring training.

 

Of this group, RHP Orlando Torrez was the only player assigned to a full-season club (Timber Rattlers).

 

***

 

Via the Brewers Player Development Staff:

 

Minor League Roster by Number

 

So we now know which 2014 Dominican Summer League players are currently stateside in Maryvale. That means it's likely, but not a guarantee, that each will remain in the U.S. and will debut with either the Arizona Rookie or Helena team this June.

 

PITCHERS

 

LHP Joan De La Cruz, 20 years old, 6'3", 12 starts last year in 3rd year in system

 

RHP Marcos Diplan, just 18 years old, prized acquisition in the Yovani Gallardo deal, click for his excellent numbers

 

RHP Orlando Torrez, turns 23 in April, rewarded after four summers in the Dominican, congrats to him

 

POSITION PLAYERS

 

SS Gilbert Lara - 17 years old (great photo here) - Little surprise that the $3.2 million bonus baby would begin stateside, since he did well in fall instructionals. 2015 will mark formal pro debut.

 

CF Nicolas Pierre, 18, $800,000 bonus, showed nice pop in his rookie DSL campaign

 

SS Franly Mallen, 18 in May, also signed to an $800,000 bonus, didn't excel in his first go-round on the island (.618 OPS in a tough environment for offense)

 

OF Joantgel Segovia, 18, right-handed slap hitter from Venezuela posted an incredible .384/.457/.446 line as a 17-year-old rookie, winning the DSL batting crown

 

OF Yerald Martinez, 19, .756 OPS in his 2nd pro season netted him a DSL All-Star nod

 

C Kevin Martinez, 20, switch-hitter improved in his 2nd and 3rd years, has played some first base as well

 

C Johel Atencio, 18, signed out of Panama for $130,000, comes stateside after just one season (.687 OPS)

 

This leaves approx. 17 players in the Dominican Academy, and the Brewers will especially be in need of outfield depth there, we'll look for any new names as the spring marches on. They won't be big-name signings at this point (not until the new July signing period).

 

We don't see RHP Doni Arias' name - his last appearance was in early July, so there's probably an injury issue there. RHP Melvin Tejada was a possibility coming off his 3rd DSL season as well.

[Mass Haas]

Keep in mind that the Brewers were very limited in their July 2nd signings, because basically their entire $3M+ international pool went towards SS Gilbert Lara. So much so, that Baseball America's Ben Badler sent out this tweet on April 1st along with a (paid subscription only) article link --

 

The Brewers did something I've never seen any team do in the international market -- You can read a preview at that link, though.

 

(By the way, the only other player signed by the Crew last summer was Yoel Vasquez, an 18-year-old Venezuelan catcher who signed for a pool-exempt $7,500 on July 2. Vasquez ended up playing in eight games starting on August 11th late last season.)

 

So it led us to thinking -- with so many 2014 DSL Brewers now stateside, how will the Brewers manage to field a full squad for the start of the 2015 DSL season? Will the Brewers have to share a co-op team with another organization?

 

We've learned that the Brewers will not have to share their team this summer, so there's that. And there's been an indication that while perhaps a couple of the players listed in the prior post may be sent back to the Dominican for the start of the regular season, the vast majority will remain stateside.

 

So the Brewers have made some bargain signings, here's hoping there's an Orlando Arcia in the bunch . Arcia, was not a big-money signing, who dazzled in his age 16 season in the Dominican.

 

***

 

We posted this on March 12th, this player will be assigned to the 2015 DSL squad --

 

We know the Brewers scout pretty heavily in Puerto Rico, as noted by the number of draft picks used on that island's players during the Melvin era.

 

Milwaukee has signed a soon-to-be 21-year-old CF who the Royals drafted in the 17th round in 2012, but released this past season (on July 1st, only four games played in 2014).

 

Ariel Estades is a LH bat, listed at only 5'11", 150 on his most recent MiLB.com player page.

 

Baseball Reference Page

[Mass Haas]

In the April 8th version of Matt Eddy's Minor League Transactionsover at Baseball America, Matt wrote:

 

New York Yankees

 

Released: RHP Scott Baker, RHP Felix Santiago, C Roybell Herrera, C Bismar Nunez, C Daniel Vavrusa, 3B Juan Lorenzo, SS Melvin Aquino, SS Allison Reyes, OF Hector Asencio, OF Adolfo Morillo, OF Adam Silva

 

Most interesting among the Yankees’ roll of released players are a pair of Dominican amateurs signed last July 2. Outfielder Adolfo Morillo signed for $50,000 (at age 16) and catcher Bismar Nunez signed for $10,000 (at age 19) just nine months ago, but New York released both players on March 31 rather than keep them in extended spring training. Neither played a game for a Yankees affiliate.

 

***

 

We have learned that the Brewers have since jumped in and signed Morillo. Given his prior release, any financial commitment must have been very minimal.

 

Morillo is listed as a LH bat and arm, 6'0", 170 - in one link he was listed as a CF. He'll turn 18 on September 21st, so this summer will be his age 17 season.

 

And no, we don't know why he never dressed for the Yankees.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have signed former DSL Cardinals player Joaquin De La Cruz, who posted ungodly poor offensive numbers in two seasons (check the link).

 

Thankfully, the Brewers will convert the 19-year-old De La Cruz to a RHP. He's listed at 6'2", 195.

 

 

The young man is not an active Tweeter (and when he is, it's in Spanish), but he is online.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have also signed two additional players since the media guide went to print in March. We won't know anything about them until the MiLB pages are created once the team begins play:

 

OF Marcos Pineiro

 

RHP Wuilder Rodriguez (not related, alas, to former longtime Brewer farmhand Guilder Rodriguez, who finally debuted in the majors with Texas last season)

 

Apparently there are a couple of signings pending their MLB-mandated name/age investigations.

[Mass Haas]

We don't see RHP Doni Arias' name - his last appearance was in early July, so there's probably an injury issue there.

 

Arias' MiLB.com page now lists him as released.

[Mass Haas]

The Dominican Summer League season opens this Saturday 5/30, and we'll be posting numerous updates to this thread this evening, starting with the following:

 

Of the several players from the 2014 DSL club who were in Maryvale for extended spring training, as detailed in this prior post, the only one reporting back to the Dominican for the start of the 2015 season will be SS Franly Mallen, who just turned 18 this past week. All the others listed in that post will be on either the Maryvale or Helena rookie squads.

 

***

 

Just posted this in our Transactions thread:

 

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.

 

In another DSL note, RHP Axel Cordero failed to report and will go on the restricted list. Cordero, also tall (6'4") and lanky, will turn 24 in July. He made his pro debut late at age 22, and struggled badly in his 2nd pro season in 2014, as his linked stat page shows.

[Mass Haas]

Two 2014 DSL Brewers will open the 2015 season on the 7-day DL, no word on the nature or severity of their injuries.

 

20-year-old RHP Melvin Tejada, a three-year DSL vet

 

18-year-old catcher Yoel Vasquez, who debuted late last season to get in eight August games

[TheCrew07]

I'm excited about a hand full of the former DSL/international players remaining stateside; Pierre, Segovia, Lara, and Diplan.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have signed 22-year-old RHP Yomelbin Almonte, a former farmhand of the Tampa Bay Rays (two years in the DSL, one year in the Florida Gulf Coast Rookie League). Almonte missed all of 2014 with an unknown injury. Click on the photo here for a nice close-up quality look. The Brewers now list Almonte at 6'1", 222, heavier than his 2013 player page notes.

 

Almonte must have one of those "big" arms, check out the BB and HBP numbers (but low K totals), on his player page linked above. He'll start 2015 with the DSL Brewers.

 

And yes, as Milwaukee collects great names, Almonte is the only "Yomelbin" to ever play pro ball.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have signed switch-hitting 18-year-old infielder Josue Herrera, who spent last season with the Diamondbacks DSL squad (eight games at second base, two at third base). Herrera showed a good eye in his mini 45-at-bat stint, as you'll note on his player page linked above.

 

Baseball America's Ben Badler wrote this brief note in July of 2013 -- Herrera was not cheap, a $150,000 bonus. His father was the signing scout of Starling Marte, among others. Herrera may have been a necessary sign as part of a "package deal" in what Badler describes, here's the rookie stats for the more promising player the D-Banks inked.

 

Twitter provides a couple of photos.

[Mass Haas]

Helping restock a shorthanded DSL squad, the Brewers have also signed another switch-hitting infielder with prior experience, this one an older player who will turn 24 in July, Yerison Pena, with three years of .867 OPS work on his resume in the Tigers' system. The Brewers saw plenty of Pena as the two systems meet often in divisional Dominican play.

 

Look at that 2014 line with more walks than K's, 22 SB's, and an .895 OPS against kids on average 3.7 years younger. But the Tigers never saw fit to bring Pena stateside?

 

Of course, continuing a trend, Pena is the only "Yerison" to ever play pro ball.

 

This video was posted in 2014, but was likely filmed prior to the 2012 season.

 

[Mass Haas]

First of all, please look at this box score.

 

Yes, the starting pitcher in that 2012 game, southpaw Isaac Silva, fanned 15 in his seven no-hit innings. His teammate completed the no-hit gem.

 

And now the former Cardinal farmhand is a Brewer! (Well, we'll have to see if the exclamation point is warranted.)

 

Released by St. Louis after his 2nd stateside season in 2014, the Brewers will plug the now 22-year-old native Dominican back on the island, and see what they have. He'll be old for the league both in terms of age and experience.

 

You get the sense the Brewers' front office just wanted a few of these vets to help stabilize an otherwise raw squad.

[Mass Haas]

Keep in mind that the Brewers were very limited in their July 2nd signings, because basically their entire $3M+ international pool went towards SS Gilbert Lara. So much so, that Baseball America's Ben Badler sent out this tweet on April 1st along with a (paid subscription only) article link --

 

The Brewers did something I've never seen any team do in the international market -- You can read a preview at that link, though.

 

(By the way, the only other player signed by the Crew last summer was Yoel Vasquez, an 18-year-old Venezuelan catcher who signed for a pool-exempt $7,500 on July 2. Vasquez ended up playing in eight games starting on August 11th late last season.)

 

So it led us to thinking -- with so many 2014 DSL Brewers now stateside, how will the Brewers manage to field a full squad for the start of the 2015 DSL season? Will the Brewers have to share a co-op team with another organization?

 

We've learned that the Brewers will not have to share their team this summer, so there's that. And there's been an indication that while perhaps a couple of the players listed in the prior post may be sent back to the Dominican for the start of the regular season, the vast majority will remain stateside.

 

Well, we see that the Brewers have definitely relied on signing released players from other systems to help re-stock. The list continues here --

 

Milwaukee has signed 20-year-old 6'6" LHP Starling Duval, who pitched for the DSL Diamondbacks in 2014 (17 relief appearances, click the player page link for stats).

 

Hey, we're all for 6'6" 20-year-old southpaws, just line them up and roll...

[Mass Haas]

More --

 

6'4" RHP Yan De La Cruz, now listed by the Brewers at 201 pounds, has two years of DSL experience in the Phillies' organization, including 12 starts last season. De La Cruz, unlike so many other young Dominicans, has exhibited stellar control, and posted a 1.058 WHIP last year. Nice contrast from the norm...

[Mass Haas]

In the April 8th version of Matt Eddy's Minor League Transactions over at Baseball America, Matt wrote:

 

New York Yankees

 

Released: RHP Scott Baker, RHP Felix Santiago, C Roybell Herrera, C Bismar Nunez, C Daniel Vavrusa, 3B Juan Lorenzo, SS Melvin Aquino, SS Allison Reyes, OF Hector Asencio, OF Adolfo Morillo, OF Adam Silva

 

Most interesting among the Yankees’ roll of released players are a pair of Dominican amateurs signed last July 2. Outfielder Adolfo Morillo signed for $50,000 (at age 16) and catcher Bismar Nunez signed for $10,000 (at age 19) just nine months ago, but New York released both players on March 31 rather than keep them in extended spring training. Neither played a game for a Yankees affiliate.

 

***

 

We have learned that the Brewers have since jumped in and signed Morillo. Given his prior release, any financial commitment must have been very minimal.

 

Morillo is listed as a LH bat and arm, 6'0", 170 - in one link he was listed as a CF. He'll turn 18 on September 21st, so this summer will be his age 17 season.

 

And no, we don't know why he never dressed for the Yankees.

 

We posted that earlier in this thread, back in April. Now notice another name on that release list, catcher Bismar Nunez, mentioned in Eddy's note above.

 

Like Morillo, we now learn the Brewers have signed the former Yankee signee Nunez, who never played at all for the Yankees organization.

[Mass Haas]

So, all documented in this thread, Milwaukee signed ten players for their 2015 DSL squad who had previously signed with other organizations. Eight of those ten have experience, plus the two former Yankees who do not.

 

On Friday, we'll list four players the Brewers have signed as their own DSL rookies for 2015, not previously mentioned in this thread.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have also signed two additional players since the media guide went to print in March. We won't know anything about them until the MiLB pages are created once the team begins play:

 

OF Marcos Pineiro

 

RHP Wuilder Rodriguez (not related, alas, to former longtime Brewer farmhand Guilder Rodriguez, who finally debuted in the majors with Texas last season)

 

Apparently there are a couple of signings pending their MLB-mandated name/age investigations.

 

Thanks to the Brewers, we now know that OF Marcos Pineiro is a 19-year-old Venezuelan (the Brewers always seem to hit on a higher success rate with Venezuelan kids, so that's a good thing). He's listed at 6'1", 175, and is a right-handed bat.

 

RHP Wuilder Rodriguez is a fellow Venezuelan, and is listed at 6'0", 189. He's making his pro debut at age 22.

[Mass Haas]

Yikes! How's that Dominican Academy cooking?!

 

Last year rookie Venezuelan 1B Nicol Valderrey was listed at 6'2", 180 in his age 17 season.

 

For 2015, 6'2", 233!

 

Guess he got the message that 1B have to play big, hit big.

 

***

 

A DSL rookie last year, RHP Jesus Brea was listed at 6'3", 194.

 

For 2015, 6'3", 245!

 

***

 

RHP Junior Flores is heading into his 4th DSL season with the Crew, but will still be just 20 years old all season. He has gone from 6'1", 175 to 6'1", 200.

 

***

 

Venezuelan RHP Nelson Hernandez has packed on 21 pounds (to 6'2", 191) from his rookie age 17 season to this spring. Boys growing into men...

 

***

 

Also from 17 to 18, RHP Carlos Luna - 6'1", 175 to 6'1", 195. Isn't anybody getting taller?

 

***

 

Second-year catcher Dilson Fernandez, one of only two catchers on the roster (Bismar Nunez, the Yankee dropped signing, is the other) - Fernandez bulked up, nice to see, 5'11", 185 to 5'11", 208, he just turned 21.

 

**

 

SS Franly Mallen is 11 pounds heavier at 6'1", 171, in his 2nd year and age 18 season.

 

***

 

Tiny infielder Julio Mendez isn't tiny anymore. Now 18 years old, he's gone from 5'10", 140 (!) to 5'10", 171.

[Mass Haas]

Here are the final names of new DSL Brewers not previously mentioned in this thread, making their pro debuts in 2015, certainly another Orlando Arcia-type among them (or perhaps, a Joantgel Segovia, who won a batting title in his 2014 rookie season at age 17 and will be playing stateside at age 18 this summer).

 

Infielder Javier Castillo -- a Venezuelan native, 5'11", 154, just turned 17 this past April.

 

Here's Castillo's Instagram page, which includes several photos in Brewers' gear.

 

***

 

Infielder Ignacio Otano is an 18-year-old Dominican, 6'0", 175. Otano is from a different town in the Dominican than former Brewer farmhand Leudi Otano (2011-2014).

[Mass Haas]

The entire 2014 DSL outfield made its way stateside this spring, so among the Brewers' re-loads is another signing with prior experience.

 

OF Anderson Jesus -- love the "backwards" names -- listed at 6'2, 168, the same as Baseball Reference listed him back when he played for the DSL Rangers in 2011 and 2012. Now 21 years old, Jesus has been idle (not sure if injury-related) for the past two seasons.

[Mass Haas]

Finally, there is one pending signee, awaiting MLB paperwork approval -- RHP Joel Pinto is 6'3", 180, 18 years old out of Venezuela, so we may see him debut later in the DSL season.