2016 Minor League Regular Season Transaction Thread

[Mass Haas]

As per this wall collision, Sky Sox OF Michael Reed lands on the 7-day DL (concussion protocol list).

[Mass Haas]

Catcher Adam Weisenburger activated from the DL (phantom or not) at Colorado Springs after a minimal stay.

 

***

 

The Brewers announced the release of 26-year-old (27 in July) RHP Martin Viramontes.

 

Out of USC after a stint at Loyola Marymount (28th round, 2012), Viramontes topped out at AA, as the fireballer posted big K and BB numbers.

 

AUDIO with Viramontes during his Brewers pro career

 

Good luck to Viramontes moving forward.

[TheCrew07]

That makes me sad as i always liked the good Martin who was just filthy, but given his performance isn't unexpected.

[Mass Haas]

Via the Sky Sox:

 

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers have announced that INF Yadiel Rivera has been optioned to Colorado Springs and C Josmil Pinto has been activated from the temporary inactive list.

 

In a pair of corresponding moves, C Parker Berberet has been transferred to Rookie Helena and RHP Jacob Barnes has been placed on the temporary inactive list retroactive to May 13.

 

***

 

Barnes is a new dad (baby girl).

[Mass Haas]

Given RHP Tim Dillard's recent heavy (but successful) workload, the Sky Sox took advantage prior to Sunday's game of whatever MiLB "taxi squad" rules currently are, and have sent Dillard to the Helena paper roster, while activating RHP Jim Miller from the same.

[Mass Haas]

Congratulations to 23-year-old RHP Brandon Woodruff, who has been dominant in his repeat season with Brevard County.

 

For his efforts (click link above, leading the Florida State League in K's with a WHIP of 0.97), Woodruff has been promoted to AA Biloxi.

 

As of this moment, no corresponding move for the Shuckers has been announced, although a roster move will be necessary. Currently the Biloxi rotation is Wang - Ortega - Houser - Hader - Salas, with Javier Salas struggling the most as of late.

 

Backfilling Woodruff's spot on the Manatee staff is LHP Zach Hirsch, who does have starting experience; we'll need to see how all that shakes out.

 

In the larger picture, some folks may be projecting a Josh Hader promotion to Milwaukee in order to make room for Woodruff in Biloxi. As far as we know, Hader remains Monday night's starting pitcher in Chattanooga, but wouldn't a last-minute change there make things interesting!

[Outlander]

I don't really know if they are thinking of Hader but he could still start tonight and then fill a spot Saturday since the Brewers have an off day Monday.

[FVBrewerFan]

No, just no. I don't even want Hader to step foot in CS, much less Milwaukee.

[sfl2hnq17]

Why not bring him up? I don't believe he should go to CS either but how much more can he do in AA?

[Mass Haas]

Catcher Adam Weisenburger draws the short straw again, so frustrating, back to the Helena taxi squad, in order for Colorado Springs to get to the 25-man limit (13 pitchers, 12 position players).

[Mass Haas]

RHP Jacob Barnes (new dad) has been activated from the Sky Sox Temp Inactive List.

 

To make room, RHP Jim Miller has been released. Miller had a nice backstory since last year with the agent so well known to us, Josh Kusnick. Good luck to Jim, a fine dubsmash partner of Tim Dillard, in the future.

 

If LHP Michael Kirkman accepts his outright assignment to the Sky Sox (initial reactions from Kirkman indicated he would), then the Brewers will need to make another move at what's become a somewhat bloated roster (OF's Michael Reed and Shane Peterson expected back soon).

 

***

 

At Biloxi, RHP Javier Salas was placed on the 7-day DL, retroactive to 5/13. RHP Brandon Woodruff, as previously mentioned, takes the AA roster spot.

[Mass Haas]

OF Brett Phillips' hamstring strain has landed him on Biloxi's 7-day DL as of 5/18; 22-year-old OF Omar Garcia and his .443 2016 OPS is brought up from Brevard County to backfill.

 

Guess with Johnny Davis bypassed for the bump up, perhaps the Brewers know Phillips' absence will be brief.

 

OF Malik Collymore joins the Manatees from extended spring training.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers wasted little time in picking up recently-released RH reliever Gage Smith, the 2014 25th round pick out of Florida State by the Tigers.

 

Smith has posted a 2.01 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 121 pro innings, topping out at High-A. The 25-year-old likely will head to Maryvale for a bit before being formally assigned to an affiliate.

 

Smith joins Biloxi RHP Stephen Kohlscheen and LHP Brett Lee as other relievers scooped up shortly after their releases this spring.

[markedman5]

http://www.stompersbaseball.com/news/

[bork]

I see that Guez was released when Reed was activated.

[Mass Haas]

http://www.stompersbaseball.com/news/

 

Thanks for posting.

 

The Pacific Association would be considered a "low-end" independent league, not near the history nor stature of the Atlantic League, American Association, or Can-Am and Frontier Leagues.

 

Saldivar, out of Southern University, (Baseball Reference) started one Frontier League game for River City (Sauget, IL) before moving west to the Pacific Association and his 2015 success.

 

Here's the text for archiving purposes.

 

Spreadsheet Success Saldivar Signed By Brewers

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Theo Fightmaster, General Manager

 

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/56faeb1160b5e91eb04bfd6e/t/573e44402b8dde4d0db71eaa/1463698584673/?format=1000w

 

The Milwaukee Brewers have purchased the contract of Sonoma Stompers ace right-hander, Santos Saldivar, the team’s general manager Theo Fightmaster announced Thursday.

 

Saldivar started the Pacific Association championship game for the Stompers last season thanks to his brilliant second-half run. He had a 2.05 ERA in 13 appearances, including five starts, and across his 48 1/3 innings, he struck out 58 and walked 17 while allowing only 44 hits.

 

Advanced metrics showed how dominant he was in such a short time, as his 2.23 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) was the best in the Pacific Association for players with at least 40 innings. He also had the best strikeout rate in that sample size at 28.9%. He placed fourth in the year-end awards for Pitcher of the Year, the only player in the Top 5 to pitch fewer than 75 innings.

 

“I’m excited for this opportunity, and I have to thank the Stompers for giving me this chance,” Saldivar said. “Without them, I wouldn’t have this chance. ... I’m also going to miss Sonoma, and my host mom, Ms. Sandy (Popovich), and Ms. Gail (Brodkey, who I stayed with last summer).”

 

Saldivar was originally identified by the Stompers by the work of authors Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller, who took over baseball operations for the team in 2015, and chronicled their experience in a New York Time Best-Selling book, “The Only Rule is it Has to Work.”

 

“We couldn't be happier for Santos. He's a great guy with awesome stuff and amazing makeup, and we loved him from the second we saw his name (and his eye-popping stats!) on a spreadsheet,” Lindbergh said. “Both the Stompers and the Brewers signed him without ever seeing him pitch in person, because his performance is impressive enough to stand out from across the country.”

 

The 5-foot-10-inch right-hander will be only 23 years old this season and has a great four-pitch mix, with a fastball that can sit in the low 90’s to go along with a great curveball, change-up and slider.

 

Saldivar joins Sonoma’s own Jayce Ray as the first Stompers players to be signed by a Major League organization.

 

The Stompers open the season May 31, 2016, and start their home season in Sonoma on Tuesday, June 7, at 6 p.m. against the Vallejo Admirals.

 

***

 

Here is an extensive sample of his work, it's as if the league posted this as a promotional video --

 

 

***

 

Story on Saldivar's final college game last spring

 

***

 

Today's Knuckleball with more on the signing

[Mass Haas]

I see that (OF Ben) Guez was released when Michael Reed was activated.

 

Our best to Ben, seemed to be a good dude, worked hard to overcome his major hamstring injury last year.

 

***

 

The Brewers also announced moves at AA, as RHP Daniel Tillman (oblique, out since April 17th) was activated from the DL, while LHP Hobbs Johnson was placed on the 7-day DL for the second time this season (was out April 21st through the 28th).

[Mass Haas]

Brewers wasted little time in picking up recently-released RH reliever Gage Smith, the 2014 25th round pick out of Florida State by the Tigers.

 

Smith has posted a 2.01 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 121 pro innings, topping out at High-A. The 25-year-old likely will head to Maryvale for a bit before being formally assigned to an affiliate.

 

Smith joins Biloxi RHP Stephen Kohlscheen and LHP Brett Lee as other relievers scooped up shortly after their releases this spring.

 

Via the Manatees, we learn that Smith has been placed on the Brevard roster, with LHP Brad Kuntz placed on the Helena paper roster.

[Mass Haas]

In order to get down to the 25-man roster limit at AAA, the Brewers placed LHP Brent Suter on the Helena paper roster.

 

The players currently in taxi squad purgatory are Suter, Sky Sox RHP Tim Dillard, Brevard County LHP Brad Kuntz, and catchers Adam Weisenburger, Parker Berberet and Natanael Mejia.

[Eye Black]

Per @BrewersPD via Twitter...

 

OF Trent Clark has been placed on the DL in Wisconsin. IF Sthervin Matos has been activated from the DL to replace him on their roster

[TURBO]

I wonder how long it will be before Diplan is moved up?

 

I hope they give him a few more starts in Appleton, he is an absolute joy to watch pitch!

[Eye Black]

Audio interview of recent Brewers signee Santos Saldivar who was signed after an email exchange between the Effectively Wild co-hosts and a member of the Brewers organization.

 

Baseball Prospectus' Effectively Wild Episode 888:

Ben and Sam talk to former Sonoma Stomper (and The Only Rule Is It Has to Work character) Santos Saldivar, a pitcher they discovered on a spreadsheet last summer who was just signed by the Brewers.

 

I HIGHLY recommend you take a listen to the audio interview. As a fan of baseball it is just a great story. A player that was written off a couple of times and ready to give-up on his dream finding an unorthodox path into professional baseball with the encouragement of Sonoma Stompers front office (Sam and Ben).

[FVBrewerFan]

I wonder how long it will be before Diplan is moved up?

 

I hope they give him a few more starts in Appleton, he is an absolute joy to watch pitch!

 

My guess is he stays there all year. He's young, and I can see them stretching out his starts more in the 2nd half of the season. Same thing with Peralta, I predict they split up that combo for the 2nd half of the season, then they're both in high A (wherever that is) next year.

[Mass Haas]

Via @BrewersPD:

 

IF George Iskenderian has been placed on the DL with Brevard Co, retro to 5/20. C Adam Weisenburger has been transferred to Brevard Co.

 

***

 

Well, it's a way for Adam to get some live AB's, at least.

[CheezWizHed]

My guess is he stays there all year. He's young, and I can see them stretching out his starts more in the 2nd half of the season. Same thing with Peralta, I predict they split up that combo for the 2nd half of the season, then they're both in high A (wherever that is) next year.

 

My thoughts exactly. I could see a bump up if they weren't in the piggy-back rotation, but just as part of building up the arms, I doubt they go this year. Maybe they get their own rotation spot in the second half at Appleton.