2016 Minor League Regular Season Transaction Thread

[brewmann04]

hope that Col Springs does not screw him up like others.

[Mass Haas]

Posted April 8th --

 

Brewers announced the signing of former Braves 21-year-old 6'4" RHP Jorge Zavala, on Thursday (Baseball Reference).

 

Via Braves blogger Tommy Poe earlier this week --

 

"No cut surprised me more than Zavala. In 152.1 innings over the last four years, Zavala has a 2.84 ERA. That ERA drops under 2.00 if you look at just 2014-15. It's rare to get released based on that and I'm left to wonder if he came to camp out-of-shape or with decreased velocity. Zavala is a free agent with a career 9.6 K/9 and 2.6 K/BB so he should interest other teams in giving him a look. Like Otero, Zavala was profiled in the Random Prospect Sunday series."

 

That last link, from May 2015, is worth your time.

 

Harness the escalating walk rate, may be on to something. Certainly was a quick scoop up by the Crew. An assignment to Wisconsin perhaps beckons soon, although Zavala has already seen time at the high-A level.

 

The Brewers announced Zavala's release on Wednesday.

 

Jorge, we truly hardly knew ye - in fact, we didn't.

[Crash2303]

weird, gotta wonder what his two releases were all about.

[Mass Haas]

Via the Brewers:

 

RHP David Burkhalter has been placed on the DL with Wisconsin. LHP Quintin Torres-Costa added to the roster in his place.

 

Notice they use the term "Helena roster" less lately, will be interesting to see what happens when Pioneer play begins.

 

***

 

Also --

 

RHP Tyler Cravy has been reinstated from the Col Springs DL; RHP Hiram Burgos placed on the DL retroactive to June 7

[Mass Haas]

New DSL 18-year-old RHP added to the roster - click link for height/weight/hometown

 

Jefry Tamares

[Mass Haas]

Via the Brewers:

 

RHP David Burkhalter has been placed on the DL with Wisconsin. LHP Quintin Torres-Costa added to the roster in his place.

 

If you listened to Kyle Lobner's interview with Manager Matt Erickson via the Rattler Radio Blog, then you know Burkhalter is getting his elbow checked out but "it does not look good".

 

Just awful (potential) news for the 2014 6th round high school pick out of Louisiana.

[Mass Haas]

Via @BrewersPD --

 

OF Johnny Davis has been promoted to Biloxi; OF Victor Roache placed on the DL there. OF Brandon Diaz added to Brevard County roster.

 

***

 

No word on the nature or severity or Roache's injury; Diaz was the last non-spare catcher who was on the "Helena roster".

 

Oh, and well-deserved, Johnny!

[Mass Haas]

Series of roster moves announced by the Brewers --

 

Formal promotion of LHP Josh Hader to Colorado Springs from Biloxi

 

OF Omar Garcia returns to Brevard County from Biloxi

 

IF Gabriel Noriega signed as a minor league free agent, assigned to Biloxi

 

RHP Eric Hanhold placed on the Temporary Inactive List at Brevard County

 

RHP Josh Uhen activated from the Temporary Inactive List at Brevard County

 

3B/1B Taylor Brennan was released from Brevard County

 

***

 

More on the Noriega and Brennan transactions will be posted shortly.

[Mass Haas]

From the Biloxi press release --

 

Gabriel Noriega, 25, has been signed to a Minor League contract for the Brewers and played in 31 games this season for the Mobile BayBears, batting .211 with a home run, two doubles and five RBI. Noriega was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 7. The 25-year-old carries a .255 career average and .963 career fielding percentage over nine professional seasons and 753 career games. Noriega was originally signed by the Seattle Mariners in 2010 and reached as high as the Triple-A level with the M's in 2014, being named a Pacific Coast League All-Star. The native of Venezuela is playing for his third Southern League club having played parts of four seasons with the Jackson Generals from 2011-2014.

 

***

 

Despite being just 25, Noriega is in his 9th pro season. Shucker announcer Chris Harris will be very familiar with Noriega from their stints at the Mariners' AA level. After seven seasons in the Seattle system, where he was listed on a couple of Baseball America's Top 30 lists, Noriega spent 2015 in the Royals' system, and was in the Diamondbacks' chain in 2016 prior to his release on June 7th.

 

Gabriel Noriega Baseball Reference Page

 

VIDEOS: Various highlights by Noriega over the years via MiLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Sorry to see 5th year farmhand Taylor Brennan go, if partly because he was a 37th round community college pick in 2012.

 

Brennan rode a strong OBP/SLG in 2014 as a Timber Rattler to a .778 OPS at a position of need, third base. That 2015 line at Brevard (.665 OPS) was actually pretty solid, as Space Coast Stadium dropped his 2014 HR total of 16 down to 3, but Brennan still managed 32 extra-base hits. 2016 had been a struggle.

 

Good luck moving forward, Taylor, both on the field and off.

 

Taylor Brennan interviews and highlights from MiLB.com - Check them out

[Mass Haas]

LHP Kodi Medeiros makes his first start since May 27th and comes off the Brevard County DL to do so (illness, weight loss).

 

To make room on the Manatee roster, RHP Gage Smith, who has pitched well in short relief outings since he was picked up after his Tigers release in May, gets a bump to Biloxi where he will make his AA debut.

 

The Shuckers will need to make a roster move when Smith first dons a Biloxi uniform.

[Mass Haas]

Via the Shuckers:

 

ROSTER MOVE: INF Brandon Macias has been reinstated from the 7-day DL. INF Nick Shaw has retired.

 

***

 

Nick Shaw had a nice run as a 25th round pick (2010) out of Barry University (Miami, FL).

 

Shaw, who will turn 28 in August, was in the midst of his 7th pro season, and would have qualified as a minor league free agent this fall. Shaw posted a sweet .364 career OBP (.348 at the AA level, where he topped out in the ladder). Of course, average and slugging were lacking, otherwise Shaw wouldn't have been at the AA level in 2016 for the 4th consecutive season.

 

Shaw appeared in 337 games at second base, 324 at shortstop.

 

VIDEO and AUDIO: Nick Shaw with Wisconsin, Huntsville and Biloxi over the years

 

Our very best to Nick in his post-baseball career.

 

July 27th, 2011

 

[Mass Haas]

Darn it!

 

Catcher Manny Pina, who has been so very hot literally all season, left Game One of the Sky Sox doubleheader with what looks like a hamstring injury.

 

Col. Springs Bottom of the 6th

 

Yadiel Rivera strikes out swinging.

Orlando Arcia singles on a line drive to center fielder John Andreoli.

Manny Pina doubles (17) on a fly ball to left fielder Matt Murton. Orlando Arcia to 3rd.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Ariel Pena replaces Manny Pina.

 

 

Sky Sox will need a backup for Josmil Pinto starting Wednesday.

 

As per Dan at the Sky Sox blog --

 

ADD: C Rene Garcia promoted from Double-A Biloxi

RHP Hiram Burgos reinstated from the disabled list

DEL: C Manny Pina placed on the disabled list

 

Biloxi hasn't announced a corresponding move to get their own 2nd catcher to back up Jacob Nottingham, we imagine Parker Berberet will be summoned from the paper taxi squad.

[jerichoholicninja]

It's a shame Nick Shaw never even got a crack at AAA. He was a guy I was really rooting for. Even without average or power, OBP skills are very valuable, especially off the bench.

[Mass Haas]

We imagine Parker Berberet will be summoned from the paper taxi squad.

 

Yes, that is the case.

[Mass Haas]

To make room for RHP's Gage Smith's AA debut, LHP Hobbs Johnson was placed on the DL at Biloxi.

[Mass Haas]

Partly in order to help protect their younger Dominican Summer League arms from overuse, the Brewers have signed three "older" but new arms to their DSL squad, bolstering what was a lean pitching staff, given the usual innings limits.

 

23-year-old Dominican native Francisco Pena has two years under his belt in the Rays system, you'll see his stat lines at the link.

 

24-year-old Luis Benitez is a Puerto Rico native, and was drafted way back in 2010 out of a Georgia high school by Toronto (31st round). Here's a 2012 photo and bio from his time at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (Bradenton , FL). He'll be making his pro debut with the Crew. The Phillies had signed him to a deal in January 2015, but he did not appear in a game for them.

 

25-year-old RHP Alberto Paulino, a native Dominican, was signed to a pro contract in January 2012 by the Diamondbacks but never pitched for them and was released the following winter. He'll be facing batters this summer as much as eight years younger.

[Mass Haas]

RHP Jorge Lopez was placed on the Temporary Inactive List at Colorado Springs, which allowed a roster spot to free up for RHP Wily Peralta.

[Mass Haas]

At Wisconsin, RH reliever Alex Farina was placed on the seven-day DL, and IF/OF Shtervin Matos was activated from the Helena roster.

 

For the moment, the Timber Rattlers are the rare Brewers affiliate with 12 pitchers and 13 position players instead of vice versa.

[Mass Haas]

At Wisconsin, LHP Drake Owenby was placed on the Temporary Inactive List.

 

For the time being, the Rattlers have a 24-man roster. The three-day All-Star break begins Monday.

[Mass Haas]

At Helena, catcher Natanael Mejia has been added to the club from extended spring training. He is now one of five catchers on the Helena roster.

 

Mejia, 24 this July, spent his first three years in the system in the Dominican Summer League, has seen time in Wisconsin, and enters his 6th pro season.

[And That]

Jay Feliciano has been promoted from the DSL Brewers to the AZL Brewers. In 32 ABs to open this season in the DSL, he hit .156/.308/.344. I thought he might be a candidate to open in Maryvale, and it looks like they just wanted him to get started before the short-season AZL started.

[Mass Haas]

Infielder Nate Orf back to AAA Colorado Springs now that Biloxi's first-half is done.

 

RHP Jaye Chapman to the 7-day DL to make room.

 

When RHP Corey Knebel arrives from his big league option, a pitcher will have to be shuttled off somewhere to make room.

 

Biloxi has an open roster spot.

[Mass Haas]

At Helena, catcher Natanael Mejia has been added to the club from extended spring training. He is now one of five catchers on the Helena roster.

 

Mejia, 24 this July, spent his first three years in the system in the Dominican Summer League, has seen time in Wisconsin, and enters his 6th pro season.

 

And now, just a couple of days later, Mejia is bumped to Wisconsin, where there is now a 14-to-11 position player-to-pitcher ratio, so look for changes there prior to Thursday's return to action.

[Madhawk23]

RHP Jorge Lopez was placed on the Temporary Inactive List at Colorado Springs, which allowed a roster spot to free up for RHP Wily Peralta.

 

I'm sorry if I missed this in a different thread, but what happened to Jorge Lopez that caused him to go to the Inactive List? Is this just a mid-season "clear the head" move, or is something going on with him personally?