2016-2017 Offseason Minor League Transaction Thread

[DHonks]

Disappointing to see former student Zach Taylor cut, but obviously his stats weren't good when he was able to crack the lineup.

 

I kept hoping Garcia would work out... oh well

[Mass Haas]

Posted November 17th --

 

I've been asking for the Brewers to get re-involved in the independent league scene, and it's always especially interesting when they give a young man his first chance at affiliated ball.

 

Milwaukee has purchased 24-year-old 6'4, 225 lb. RHP Luke Barker from the Traverse City (Michigan) Beach Bums of the Frontier League. Barker will be 25 on March 11th.

 

The Traverse City roster page provides some of the background, from his signing by them last January, so please check that out now.

 

Barker was exclusively a reliever in 2016, and as his Baseball Reference page indicates, his numbers were off-the-charts impressive. Yikes. Barker was league runner-up for Rookie of the Year, and he began his pro career in the fledgling California Winter League last winter, from where he caught the attention of the Beach Bums after just a single side session, as you'll read in Barker's alma mater's webpage here. That link includes some quotes of interest, and this link includes more statistical news from what seems to have been an excellent Division II college career.

 

One would think that Barker has a good chance to open minimally at Wisconsin, likely even Carolina depending on his spring performance, given his late start in affiliated ball. Love these little offseason gifts, adding to the organizational depth.

 

The Frontier League is considered behind the more veteran Atlantic League for sure, but isn't that far behind the American Association and Can-Am League in the indy ball pecking order. But it will be a significant jump for Barker regardless of A-Ball placement.

 

VIDEO is from July 2015 --

 

 

Finally, here's the link confirming the signing.

 

New article (with a few quotes) posted Friday 12/16

[Mass Haas]

In these tweets, Brewers Player Development confirms the release of the following ten players (Mass Haas may cover these guys in more detail later):

 

1B Alan Sharkey (13th round - 2012)

OF Omar Garcia (7th round - 2013)

LHP Shawn Clowers (NDFA - 2015)

LHP Boanerges Nova (IFA - 2013)

C Zach Taylor (15th round - 2015)

RHP Jeremy Newton (NDFA - 2016)

LHP Joan De La Cruz (IFA - 2012)

IF Josue Herrera (IFA - 2015)

OF Marcos Pinero (IFA - 2014)

RHP Axel Cruz (IFA - 2016)

 

1B Alan Sharkey (13th round - 2012)

 

Alan Sharkey certainly had a name that would have made for great marketing opportunities, but the bat simply never fully came around, bottoming out with a .496 OPS in 71 Timber Rattler games in his age 22 season, after posting a more respectable .678 OPS in 2015. Defensive work aside, that's just not going to keep you around, especially as a first baseman. Sharkey toiled in Maryvale for his first two pro seasons. Every one of his 282 games in five pro campaigns was at first base, as the lefty arm never saw the outfield in terms of versatility. Rare is the mid-to-late round position player high school signee who finds future success. If he chooses to go to school, the Brewers likely included funds for that at the time of his signing.

 

VIDEOS from 2015: Defense / Offense

 

***

 

OF Omar Garcia (7th round - 2013)

 

OF Omar Garcia, 23, was successful on 74% of his 184 stolen base attempts in his four pro seasons. Thirty-eight of his 40 base hits were singles in 2016, which included a 19-game introduction to AA. Garcia was a juco draft pick, and would seem to be a good candidate for an indy ball chance before another affiliated situation.

 

AUDIO and VIDEO 2013-2015: Interviews from Helena and Brevard County, highlights from Wisconsin in 2014

 

***

 

LHP Shawn Clowers (NDFA - 2015)

 

Solid debut numbers in his age 22 Maryvale season did not translate to the Pioneer League, where batters scorched Clowers (Liberty University) for a had-to-be-a-bit-unlucky .385 average. Being a southpaw always merits a little more interest, and the undrafted guys are always easy to root for, but it was hard for the Brewers to overlook the raw 2016 numbers, apparently.

 

***

 

LHP Boanerges Nova (IFA - 2013)

 

The 6'2" southpaw spent three seasons in the Dominican, which may be fine when you start at age 17, but at 20 it will put you a bit behind once you hit stateside. A 1.66 WHIP in Maryvale last summer seemingly didn't set him up for a full-season gig heading into 2017 at age 24. At least he can say he's the only "Boanerges" to ever play pro ball.

 

***

 

NOTE: The four names above each warranted a surprise post on Rotoworld's December 14th transactions page.

 

***

 

C Zach Taylor (15th round - 2015)

 

The junior college signee spent his age 19 and age 20 seasons in Maryvale, and was behind the plate in 20 of his 40 pro games, the rest at designated hitter or pinch-hitter. Tough numbers in limited opportunities, imagine there are some educational arrangements made for players who are enticed to leave community college to join the pro ranks, not just high schoolers.

 

***

 

RHP Jeremy Newton (NDFA - 2016)

 

Help me out, guys, is the Doug Melvin / Gord Ash legacy in Canada now down to just Dustin Houle and Demi Orimoloye? Newton only walked one in his 8.1 pro innings, but the 17 hits allowed equaled a very brief and stark entry into pro ball.

 

***

 

LHP Joan De La Cruz (IFA - 2012)

 

The LHP underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2015, which was slated to be his first stateside season after three in the DSL. Tough numbers crunch to dedicate rehab efforts to a player, but then have to say goodbye at this point.

 

***

 

IF Josue Herrera (IFA - 2015)

 

The 19-year-old has now been let go by two organizations, as the Brewers picked him when he was cut after his age 17 season by the Diamondbacks. Two subsequent seasons in the Milwaukee system, including a 2016 that was limited by an injury of some sort, did not net him a stateside trip.

 

***

 

OF Marcos Pinero (IFA - 2014)

 

The Brewers always seem to do well with their Venezuelan signees, but after two DSL summers, the right-handed outfield bat managed a .375 OBP but with no pop to speak of. You know the Brewers are also evaluating players in how they are taking to coaching, their classroom and English language work, and more. We can only go by the numbers.

 

***

 

RHP Axel Cruz (NDFA - 2016)

 

Check out the 2nd half of this post to learn about the Puerto Rico native Cruz, as his signing is more reflective of Jeremy Newton's as a non-drafted free agent, rather than an international signing. So not only was the placement of the then 21-year-old in the DSL a bit unique, his release after doing a nice job in ten relief stints is a bit surprising as well.

[Mass Haas]

Help me out, guys, is the Doug Melvin / Gord Ash legacy in Canada now down to just Dustin Houle and Demi Orimoloye? Newton only walked one in his 8.1 pro innings, but the 17 hits allowed equaled a very brief and stark entry into pro ball.

 

"AndThat" reminded me of Malik Collymore's Ontario background.

[Mass Haas]

Among the recent releases --

 

C Zach Taylor (15th round - 2015)

 

The junior college signee spent his age 19 and age 20 seasons in Maryvale, and was behind the plate in 20 of his 40 pro games, the rest at designated hitter or pinch-hitter. Tough numbers in limited opportunities, imagine there are some educational arrangements made for players who are enticed to leave community college to join the pro ranks, not just high schoolers.

 

Great news for the 21-year-old, the Rockies quickly scooped up Zach Taylor after his release, so he'll continue on immediately with a new affiliated organization (hat tip to Matt Eddy and Baseball America).

[Mass Haas]

First posted March 16th --

 

Turning 22 this April, RHP Joshua Torres was an undrafted 18-year-old signing out of Puerto Rico, and after two summers in the DSL, came stateside and was the Arizona Rookie League ERA champ in 2014 with a 1.92 mark (1.10 WHIP).

 

Torres was among the 2015 Timber Rattlers who skipped Helena to begin 2015, and struggled before finding his way down to Montana in June, where he settled in nicely.

 

Based purely on numbers, this release surprises, but obviously more than raw numbers is analyzed by the development team.

 

After not pitching during the 2016 regular season, Torres has been throwing in this winter's Puerto Rico League and has done well (stats, 2.66 ERA in 18 appearances).

 

Congrats to Torres, who has signed on with the Mets organization, as per Baseball America.

[Mass Haas]

Fantastic job by Kyle Lesniewski in this feature article at BP Milwaukee - learn about the two players picked up in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 draft, 1B Art Charles and RHP Matt Ramsey, towards latter end of the feature

 

Newly posted on Christmas Eve:

 

AUDIO via Diamond Dante Audio (begins at the 2:00 minute mark): To start off the show Milwaukee Brewers Art Charles joins us after he was picked up in the rule 5 draft by the Brewers from the Reds. Before that Art played the 2016 season in the CanAm League with the New Jersey Jackals, finishing off the year with a .353 batting average and 29 homeruns.

[Mass Haas]

Originally posted on November 17th --

 

I've been asking for the Brewers to get re-involved in the independent league scene, and it's always especially interesting when they give a young man his first chance at affiliated ball.

 

Milwaukee has purchased 24-year-old 6'4, 225 lb. RHP Luke Barker from the Traverse City (Michigan) Beach Bums of the Frontier League. Barker will be 25 on March 11th.

 

The Traverse City roster page provides some of the background, from his signing by them last January, so please check that out now.

 

Barker was exclusively a reliever in 2016, and as his Baseball Reference page indicates, his numbers were off-the-charts impressive. Yikes. Barker was league runner-up for Rookie of the Year, and he began his pro career in the fledgling California Winter League last winter, from where he caught the attention of the Beach Bums after just a single side session, as you'll read in Barker's alma mater's webpage here. That link includes some quotes of interest, and this link includes more statistical news from what seems to have been an excellent Division II college career.

 

One would think that Barker has a good chance to open minimally at Wisconsin, likely even Carolina depending on his spring performance, given his late start in affiliated ball. Love these little offseason gifts, adding to the organizational depth.

 

The Frontier League is considered behind the more veteran Atlantic League for sure, but isn't that far behind the American Association and Can-Am League in the indy ball pecking order. But it will be a significant jump for Barker regardless of A-Ball placement.

 

VIDEO is from July 2015 --

 

 

Finally, here's the link confirming the signing.

 

Only bumping this post because the Brewers finally added Barker's player page to MiLB, and when they submitted the addition, they did so to the Carolina High-A roster. That doesn't mean that's where he'll be assigned in April, but it gives us an idea what the organization has in mind.

[Mass Haas]

Just a matter of time before the Brewers have their first farmhand born in the 21st century.

 

The new youngest player in the organization is RHP Ricardo Velasquez, a Venezuelan assigned to the Dominican Summer League roster.

 

Velasquez is 17 years old, was born in August of 1999.

 

There are five other 17-year-olds in the system, each will be 18 by April. Each saw action in the DSL last summer.

 

Other than his age and place of birth, we only know that Velasquez is listed at 6'2", 175.

[Mass Haas]

Meet 6'0", 170 lb., Wilmy De Jesus, just signed by the Brewers out of the Dominican Republic.

 

Although this video, taken last spring, shows him working out as an outfielder, Milwaukee has signed him as a right-handed pitcher.

 

By the way, he's currently 16 years old, he'll be 17 next month (February 26th), so he's the very first Brewers farmhand born in the 21st century.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh_XgDbI_5o

 

***

 

The Brewers also posted the signing of a 17-year-old Dominican outfielder, Luis Valdez, a right-handed bat listed at a nice 6'3", 195. He'll turn 18 in September.

 

Both De Jesus and Valdez will assuredly be assigned to the Dominican Summer League squad for 2017 for their pro debut seasons.

 

Updated DSL Brewers page

 

Both players officially signed on December 26th.

[Mass Haas]

Fantastic job by Kyle Lesniewski in this feature article at BP Milwaukee - learn about the two players picked up in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 draft, 1B Art Charles and RHP Matt Ramsey, towards latter end of the feature

 

Newly posted on Christmas Eve:

 

AUDIO via Diamond Dante Audio (begins at the 2:00 minute mark): To start off the show Milwaukee Brewers Art Charles joins us after he was picked up in the rule 5 draft by the Brewers from the Reds. Before that Art played the 2016 season in the CanAm League with the New Jersey Jackals, finishing off the year with a .353 batting average and 29 homeruns.

 

JANUARY 13th NEW AUDIO INTERVIEW: Via 27OutsBaseball, the Art Charles interview begins just after the 07:00 minute mark.

[Mass Haas]

And yes, from the interview, Art Charles is Nelson Cruz

 

http://www.milb.com/images/543021/generic/180x270/543021.jpg

 

 

***

 

Bats/Throws: L/L Ht: 6' 6" Wt: 220

 

Charles indicates that from his original signing days -- 250 is more accurate at this point.

[Mass Haas]

As per this tweet, look for catcher Dustin Houle to be added to this list of Brewers big league camp non 40-man roster invites.

 

Others announced today by the team -- RHP David Goforth, RHP Aaron Wilkerson, C Jacob Nottingham and OF Corey Ray have been invited to Major League camp.

[Eye Black]

Per this TWEET from the Brewers Player Development account the team has signed former 2007 first round pick (#32 overall) infielder Nick Noonan to a minor league contract.

[Mass Haas]

Despite what we read back in October, please review again (the press release from the independent American Association Wichita Wingnuts), the Brewers never did sign RHP Chad Nading, we have since learned.

 

While the text of the press release was retained by us copying it (as you just read), the actual link also provided is now invalid. So at some point the Wingnuts took that down.

 

And as it turns out, the Brewers never formally announced that signing, like they did with fellow indy ball RHP Luke Barker. Nor did Baseball America make mention of it.

 

So, in this case, we were burned by an over-anxious indy league team to get the news out before anything became official. You'd think that'd be a trusted source, but hey, we're only in the quasi-official reporting business.

 

We do not know the circumstances behind the non-signing, nor if it was ever close or initiated at all.

 

Good luck to Nading, who is still listed on Wichita's roster.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Just another example of fake news!

[Mass Haas]

Recapping farmhand injury news from 2016, many of which we never got definitive updates on last summer -- these details via the Brewers' media guide, and are listed from the higher levels of the system down to the rookie levels:

 

Catcher Adam Weisenburger missed all but 11 games with a left finger fracture.

 

Wow, we sure didn't know this. We never did learn why Biloxi RHP Jorge Ortega was placed on the DL in late July, missing the remainder of the season. Turns out the Brewers' Dr. William Raasch performed Tommy John surgery on the control specialist Ortega on August 4th.

 

2012 first round OF Victor Roache last appeared for Biloxi on June 9th. The last update we had was a calf strain, but as it turned out, he missed the remainder of the season with a lower left leg fibular fracture.

 

LHP Mitch Lambson's extended absences in the upper levels of the system last year were due to left elbow tendinitis.

 

Thankfully he finished strong and has appeared in big league camp visits this spring, but a reminder that RHP Preston Gainey's 2016 debut was delayed until July with a lower back stress fracture.

 

2016 Brevard County infielder George Iskenderian's late season-ending DL stint (last played August 9th) was for a left wrist injury.

 

Well publicized, but just a reminder that Wisconsin OF Monte Harrison's approximate seven-week mid-summer injury was a left hamate fracture.

 

The Tucker Neuhaus injury that cost him all but 12 games of 2016 (four of those rehabbing in Maryvale) was officially listed as a right wrist fracture. We had heard more about a finger injury earlier. Many of you know Neuhaus spent the winter in Australia, and the 21-year-old 2B/3B showed he was healthy there.

 

Catcher Carlos Leal, who had such a fantastic surprise 2015 season with the Timber Rattlers, missed all of 2016 with right shoulder surgery. On top of that, Tom Haudricourt had learned as late as last September that Leal had suffered a major setback in his recovery process. Remember that Leal originally debuted in the Brewers' system in 2014 as a pitcher before returning to a familiar role behind the plate.

 

A month ago, we read this translated Q&A piece with RHP Daniel Missaki, one of the three youngsters acquired from Seattle in the Adam Lind trade. In that linked article, Missaki mentions a second Tommy John surgery, and indeed, Dr. Raasch of the Brewers performed that second TJ on March 24th of 2016. That was only ten months after Missaki's original Tommy John surgery under the Mariners' care.

 

We did know about this one, but a reminder that 1B Tyrone Perry missed all but four games with a right hand hamate fracture. Perry is listed at 6'2", 300 in this year's guide.

 

We know much about Wisconsin OF Trent Clark's season, which was interrupted significantly by two distinct hamstring injuries. Clark ended up appearing in 59 games and finished the season healthy.

 

Crossing our fingers on 2014 6th round RHP David Burkhalter, still just 21 years old. Sidelined in early June with a right elbow strain that wiped out the rest of the season, Burkhalter avoided surgery this offseason. Re-read this article to remind you that Burkhalter had just been named a Midwest League All-Star prior to his injury.

 

A reminder that we learned the date of RHP Milton Gomez' Tommy John surgery was March 25th of last year. Gomez had split 2015 between Helena and Wisconsin.

 

Again in the reminder category, RHP Victor Diaz' ten Maryvale appearances in July and August represented his return from Tommy John surgery on 5/15/15.

 

2016 26th round infielder Nick Roscetti was sidelined after only 13 Maryvale games by a right foot fracture.

 

RHP Junior Flores finally made his stateside debut in Maryvale after four campaigns in the Dominican Summer League. His 2016 season began in July due to right wrist surgery.

 

Promising Panamanian RHP Carlos Luna did miss all of 2016 with Tommy John surgery, which we did know about. The Brewers don't list a specific date, but it was post-April, likely not long after.

 

Now 21 years old, Venezuelan RHP Yosmer Leal had Tommy John surgery on 5/28/15, and missed the entirety of the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2013-2014.

[Mass Haas]

According to the updated "career transaction" sections within Baseball America's individual player pages, the Brewers have released three farmhands. Each of these players were not included in the complete list of minor league players in Maryvale camp provided by the Brewers' Player Development twitter feed.

 

Now 20 years old, catcher Johel Atencio was signed by the Brewers out of Panama at the July 2nd signing period in 2013 for $130,000. Read this post and the one just beneath it to learn of a March 2014 wrist fracture. But Atencio would recover from that and make a somewhat splashy 2014 Dominican Summer League debut, .290/.332/.355 in 55 games as a 17-year-old. Unfortunately, Atencio would get injured again in a more significant way, undergoing surgery for a right elbow fracture in May of 2015, wiping out that entire season. As you'll see on his stat page linked above, Atencio struggled in very limited action with Helena and Maryvale last season (just 25 games). Baseball America's player page indicates Atencio was released on March 2nd.

 

***

 

2016 33rd round RHP Emerson Gibbs (Tulane) will be 23 in June. He was rock-solid, as most college pitchers are, during his nine-game Maryvale debut, found the going a bit rougher in Big Sky country in six Helena appearances, including three starts. Regardless of age and a .316 batting average against overall, a 47-to-6 K-to-BB ratio in 46.2 innings is something to hang your hat on. Baseball America's player page indicates Gibbs was released on March 2nd.

 

***

 

Venezuelan first baseman Nicol Valderrey turned 20 years old this past January. He made his stateside debut in 2016 after two seasons in the Dominican Summer League (All-Star there in 2015), but only appeared in 18 Maryvale games (.629 OPS in the small sample there). Listed at 6'2", the RH-hitting Valderrey had only played first base in his pro career thus far. Valderrey had been signed in October of 2013, so he was a part of that year's international signing class, but wasn't a priority July 2nd signing. Baseball America's player page indicates Valderrey was released on March 3rd.

 

As always, we wish all released players well in their post-Brewer careers, whether off the field in a new venture, in indy ball, or as young catcher Zach Taylor was this past December, get scooped up immediately by another MLB organization.

 

Hat-tip and thanks to fellow transaction maven "Jim" (not me) for bringing these updates to my attention.

[Mass Haas]

2016 33rd round RHP Emerson Gibbs (Tulane) will be 23 in June. He was rock-solid, as most college pitchers are, during his nine-game Maryvale debut, found the going a bit rougher in Big Sky country in six Helena appearances, including three starts. Regardless of age and a .316 batting average against overall, a 47-to-6 K-to-BB ratio in 46.2 innings is something to hang your hat on. Baseball America's player page indicates Gibbs was released on March 2nd.

 

@BrewersPD now indicates Gibbs retired, so he likely just recently completed the necessary paperwork for that designation.

 

Not a guarantee that minor league wages was the primary factor in Gibbs' decision, but our lengthy thread on that topic exists elsewhere on this forum.

[Mass Haas]

RHP Junior Flores has been released, as per @BrewersPD.

 

Flores, entering his age 22 season, is a five-year Brewer, having pitched in Maryvale last summer after four (yes, four full seasons, age 17-20) in the Dominican Summer League. The Venezuelan signed in March of 2012, so he was not a high-priority, high dollar July 2nd international find.

 

A lot of work to garner seven appearances and eight innings on the mainland. Hopefully Flores was able to take advantage of educational and English as a second language opportunities academy life likely provided.

[Mass Haas]

Miller Park Prospects (@BrewersMPP) brings to our attention David Denson's retirement.

 

If you haven't checked out the updated MPP site (be sure to see Brad's photos from Monday night in Arizona), then you are missing out. Bookmark Marcus and Brad's site efforts for part of your daily tour of the Brewers webisphere.

[Mass Haas]

Two new Dominican Summer League RHP's--

 

Jose Parra, just turned 20 years old last Saturday, 6'3", 180, out of Venezuela; as per this 2013 article in Spanish, he had signed (or was about to sign) with Pittsburgh as a 16-year-old, but apparently that never happened. Parra will be making his professional debut in the Brewers system.

 

***

 

Julio Raudez turned 18 last October, he is listed at 6'3", 170. Raudez is from Nicaragua, and is a 3rd generation player. His father, also "Julio", is the all-time leader in Nicaraguan professional baseball with 170 wins. He's still active at age 40.

 

Julio César Raudez Jr. was signed by the Milwaukee Cervercer's organization on Thursday, according to his father, of the same name, confirmed to LA PRENSA.

 

Son Raudez is an 18-year-old right-handed pitcher who shows good features on the mound, as a good control and maturity, despite his young age.

 

One of the first people to share the news was his cousin, Roniel Raudes, who is a consensus top ten best prospect currently in the Boston Red Sox organization.

 

"Yesterday (Wednesday) he was tested and passed and today his signature became official," said Julio César Raudez, father.

 

Julio César was very happy for the opportunity that opens to him to his son and emphasized the pride that represents for his family the fact to have three of its members with history in the organized baseball, since he was part of the organization of the Giants Of San Francisco, also, it holds the historical record of victories in the Nicaraguan baseball, with 170.

 

"I tell him to keep working hard, he's starting the road and it's long, this is about sacrifices," he added.

[Mass Haas]

20-year-old RHP Gentry Fortuno (18th round out of a Florida high school, 2015) has been released.

 

It was a pretty debut in Maryvale two years ago, and a troubling mess of numbers in Helena last summer.

 

Good luck, young man, hopefully apply any college money well.

[ZBTMP]

Surprising, he was young for his class and won't turn 20 until September. His numbers last season werent inspiring but he was young and the Pioneer League isnt pitcher friendly.

[markedman5]

 

Player releases: LHP Steve Peterson, RHP David Lucroy, LHP Clint Terry, OF Malik Collymore, 2B Chris McFarland, & RHP Santos Saldivar