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Brewer Minor League Free Agents After the 2016 Season

Mass Haas

By Mass Haas,
in Brewers Minor League Talk

clancyphile Carolina Mudcats

clancyphile

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Finally someone else understands that Flores actually is talented enough to help a MLB team. He's young still and will use this year as a learning experience moving forward. A lefty spray hitter who can play all 3 OF spots is useful. Whether he sticks with us or not is up in the air but he can stick with someone. Glad to see Middlebrooks opted for FA. He's terrible.

 

I have a feeling, assuming he has other options, he only re-signs with the Brewers if he thinks he has a decent chance to make the big league club out of spring training. As of right now, if he doesn't, he'd be behind Brinson and likely Cordell (and possibly Phillips if he ends up in AAA) and fighting for the remaining AAA outfield at-bats with Reed and Wren. Obviously a lot can change, but there would likely be a clearer path to AAA playing time elsewhere than Milwaukee.

 

For a 5th OF, Flores is as good a choice as anyone else.

 

That said, by the end of 2017, I think it is quite plausible that the Brewers could have Hernan Perez as the 5th infielder and 4th outfielder, while Ryan Cordell is the 6th infielder and 5th outfielder. So, the other three or four bench spots could be... interesting to fill.

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reillymcshane Nashville Sounds

reillymcshane

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That said, by the end of 2017, I think it is quite plausible that the Brewers could have Hernan Perez as the 5th infielder and 4th outfielder, while Ryan Cordell is the 6th infielder and 5th outfielder.

Ryan Cordell is not an infielder. The Rangers gave him a try in the infield and he was awful. I don't know why people keep bringing him up as a potential infielder.

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clancyphile Carolina Mudcats

clancyphile

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That said, by the end of 2017, I think it is quite plausible that the Brewers could have Hernan Perez as the 5th infielder and 4th outfielder, while Ryan Cordell is the 6th infielder and 5th outfielder.

Ryan Cordell is not an infielder. The Rangers gave him a try in the infield and he was awful. I don't know why people keep bringing him up as a potential infielder.

 

With an .803 OPS, I can find a modus vivendi with an .857 fielding percentage at third and a .907 fielding percentage at shortstop from the sixth infielder/fifth outfielder on the team.

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recte44 Draft Eligible

recte44

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That said, by the end of 2017, I think it is quite plausible that the Brewers could have Hernan Perez as the 5th infielder and 4th outfielder, while Ryan Cordell is the 6th infielder and 5th outfielder.

Ryan Cordell is not an infielder. The Rangers gave him a try in the infield and he was awful. I don't know why people keep bringing him up as a potential infielder.

 

With an .803 OPS, I can find a modus vivendi with an .857 fielding percentage at third and a .907 fielding percentage at shortstop from the sixth infielder/fifth outfielder on the team.

Here we go again. :)

 

Sent from my LGLS450 using Tapatalk

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Initial post in this thread updated to show the re-signing to a minor league deal (no big league camp invite) of C/UT Fidel Pena, the 25-year-old switch-hitter coming off his first season in the Brewer system after being signed to a minor league deal last January 29th.

 

Look for him to be a "Mr. Everything" in either Carolina or Biloxi this spring.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Each of the four outrighted Brewers Friday (Sean Nolin, Jake Elmore, Andy Wilkins and Garin Cecchini) were drafted in 2010 or earlier, meaning each can declare free agency five days after the World Series (Elmore earlier).

 

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 with seven years of pro experience is eligible for free agency. Nolin did not pitch in 2010, but his draft year counts.

 

The full list of potential minor league free agents:

 

UT Tom Belza

3B/1B Garin Cecchini

RHP Hiram Burgos

RHP Tim Dillard

UT Jake Elmore - ELECTED FREE AGENCY 10/31[/b]

 

OF Ramon Flores

LHP Sam Freeman - ELECTED FREE AGENCY 10/4; SIGNED BY MIAMI ON 10/21

C Rene Garcia

RHP Brooks Hall

LHP Michael Kirkman - ELECTED FREE AGENCY 10/4

RHP Stephen Kohlscheen - RE-SIGNED BY BREWERS 10/25, INVITED TO BIG LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING

C Michael McKenry

3B Will Middlebrooks - ELECTED FREE AGENCY 10/4

C Rafael Neda - RELEASED 11/1 - EXPECTED TO BE PART OF MARYVALE COACHING STAFF IN 2017

LHP Sean Nolin

IF Gabriel Noriega - RE-SIGNED BY BREWERS 11/4

C/UT Fidel Pena - RE-SIGNED BY BREWERS 10/27

OF Shane Peterson

C/1B Josmil Pinto - ADDED TO 40-MAN ON 9/20

RHP Austin Ross

RHP Daniel Tillman

RHP Kender Villegas

1B/OF Andy Wilkins

OF Eric Young, Jr. - TRADED TO NEW YORK YANKEES ON 8/31

 

So when we strip the list above down to only those about to hit free agency, we have:

 

UT Tom Belza

3B/1B Garin Cecchini

RHP Hiram Burgos

RHP Tim Dillard

OF Ramon Flores

C Rene Garcia

RHP Brooks Hall

C Michael McKenry

LHP Sean Nolin

OF Shane Peterson

RHP Austin Ross

RHP Daniel Tillman

RHP Kender Villegas

1B/OF Andy Wilkins

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MKE81 College Ball

MKE81

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Finally someone else understands that Flores actually is talented enough to help a MLB team. He's young still and will use this year as a learning experience moving forward. A lefty spray hitter who can play all 3 OF spots is useful. Whether he sticks with us or not is up in the air but he can stick with someone. Glad to see Middlebrooks opted for FA. He's terrible.

 

I have a feeling, assuming he has other options, he only re-signs with the Brewers if he thinks he has a decent chance to make the big league club out of spring training. As of right now, if he doesn't, he'd be behind Brinson and likely Cordell (and possibly Phillips if he ends up in AAA) and fighting for the remaining AAA outfield at-bats with Reed and Wren. Obviously a lot can change, but there would likely be a clearer path to AAA playing time elsewhere than Milwaukee.

 

For a 5th OF, Flores is as good a choice as anyone else.

 

That said, by the end of 2017, I think it is quite plausible that the Brewers could have Hernan Perez as the 5th infielder and 4th outfielder, while Ryan Cordell is the 6th infielder and 5th outfielder. So, the other three or four bench spots could be... interesting to fill.

If Flores is even re-signed there's a strong chance he's not sticking with the Brewers beyond 2017 anyway. If he's re-signed and doesn't make the MLB roster I would cut him because he's not going to play in AAA with Brinson, Cordell and potentially Phillips there too plus Reed or Wren. Definitely a log jam. This year we have Braun/Puig, Broxton, Santana starting with Reed/Wren as the only players currently in the org that are competing for a backup OF spot. Perez will also see time in the OF and will most likely be the 4th OF to start. But if the starters remain healthy you're probably only looking at a total of 40 or so games where a backup will fill in for the starters (especially if we have Puig instead of Braun as he'll play more games for sure). I just think Kirk is far too inconsistent to come back even if he does provide punch at home plus he'll be 30. I'd rather give a younger Reed/Wren or Flores the opportunity to earn the other backup job. Plus, Brinson will be up at some point in 2017. In 2018 you're looking at Brinson/Santana/Puig/Broxton/Cordell and maybe even Phillips but some of them will be traded since not enough spots. Lot of moving pieces coming by the end of next season.

 

Regarding Cordell, there is no way the Brewers would/should put Perez over him on the depth chart when it comes to backup OFs. Cordell is a true OF so he's much better at tracking balls and will not only get on base more but hit for more power while also stealing some bases. Perez is fine in the OF with a strong arm but he's not a better option on either side of the ball than Cordell when it comes to being the 4th OF. But until these guys come up from AAA Perez will be the 4th OF, at least to start.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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So when we strip the list above down to only those about to hit free agency, we have:

 

RHP Yhonathan Barrios

UT Tom Belza

3B/1B Garin Cecchini

RHP Hiram Burgos

RHP Tim Dillard

OF Ramon Flores

C Rene Garcia

RHP Brooks Hall

C Michael McKenry

LHP Sean Nolin

OF Shane Peterson

C/1B Josmil Pinto

RHP Austin Ross

RHP Ben Rowen

RHP Daniel Tillman

RHP Kender Villegas

1B/OF Andy Wilkins

 

Updated list based on the outrights of Barrios, Pinto and Rowen today...

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Turns out LHP Sean Nolin will be rehabbing Tommy John under Brewers watch, if goes well, hopefully re-ups in 2018

 

Via @BrewersPD:

 

Not eligible for free agency; has six years of minor league service. One year is left on his 2010 minor league contract.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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So when we strip the list above down to only those about to hit free agency, we have:

 

UT Tom Belza

3B/1B Garin Cecchini

RHP Hiram Burgos

RHP Tim Dillard

OF Ramon Flores

C Rene Garcia

RHP Brooks Hall

C Michael McKenry

OF Shane Peterson

C/1B Josmil Pinto

RHP Austin Ross

RHP Ben Rowen

RHP Daniel Tillman

RHP Kender Villegas - Signed with Blue Jays on 11/11

1B/OF Andy Wilkins

 

RHP Kender Villegas, who the Brewers plucked from the Cardinals' system in the minor league phase of Rule 5 last December, has signed with the Blue Jays. Villegas was at Brevard County for all of 2016 (stats at link), and won't be 24 until next June, by far the youngest of all the Brewers' minor league free agents. Outstanding 8.8 to 1.6 K-to-BB ratios in 2016.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Former Brewers 2008 4th round LHP Josh Romanski, converted to outfield in 2014, and used the indy route to gain a Minnesota Twins minor league deal yesterday (story here).

 

Way back in 2010, we read about the reasons why Romanski was released by the Crew without ever throwing a pitch for them (link). Romanski had some initial success with the Yankees organization, which had us keeping a close watch on him, and would later wrap up his mound career on the White Sox farm.

 

Certainly no grief on our part at this point, I wasted too many keystrokes back in the day mourning that decision by the Crew, just happy for the now 30-year-old and wish him well in AA / AAA and maybe beyond with the Twins.

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