2017 Minor League Transaction Thread

[idgafkurt]

Is anyone aware of when Josh Pennington and Phil Bickford are expected back from their injuries and/or where they will be assigned (MiLB shows Appleton and Carolina respectively but not sure how accurate that is)? Easy to forget we still have those two quality arms in the system.

[And That]

Pennington is throwing off the mound but at last check was still a ways off from assignment. He probably goes to Wisconsin when he is assigned.

 

Bickford is out until August with his hand injury. I would guess if he sees full season ball this year, it will be with Carolina.

[And That]

Undaunted by lack of roster spaces at the rookie levels, the Brewers have signed two more undrafted free agents:

 

IF Julian Jarrard, from Menlo College (see: Erceg, Lucas)

 

Big RHP Tyler Thorne out of Stanford

[82brewcrew82]

Maybe more guys are injured than we know of? Or maybe they are planning on cutting loose a larger number than usual?

[DHonks]

The draft used to be 50 rounds, and more than that 25 years ago. So this is just adding some players they like to the system. Sometimes undrafted guys work out. Elliot Johnson made it to the big despite being a rare undrafted free agent from HS. His Fall League teammate Stokes (can't remember first name) was also undrafted. Vinny Rottino made it. I also get the feeling from the way the draft went that we may only sign 20-25 picks this year

[Mass Haas]

We've only been burned once before by an independent league's transaction page, so hopefully this signing becomes official.

 

As per the Frontier League's page:

 

GATEWAY GRIZZLIES: Sold the contract of RHP Brandon Texiera to the Milwaukee Brewers

 

And yes, as I type this, their site was just knocked offline...

 

It does not appear that Texiera had made an appearance as of yet for Gateway. It also appears the unusual spelling of his last name (I before E for that last name) is correct, as per his little-used Twitter page.

 

From his bio page on the team website:

 

6'2", 205, 24 years old (4/21/93)

 

Brandon is in his first year as a professional after playing college ball for Miami Dade Community College and LSU Shreveport.

 

In this three seasons with LSU Shreveport, the Florida native put up a 12-5 record with 109 strikeouts. He threw for 129.2 innings and posted a 3.54 career ERA.

 

Brandon is finishing up his degree in 2017 and wants to pursue a career in either professional baseball or sports management.

 

***

 

Texiera has been a teammate of just-signed non-drafted free agent left-hander Trey Robledo at LSU Shreveport, we had just posted on Robledo's signing here.

 

So although this is an independent league purchase, Texiera will be making both his affiliated debut and professional debut with the Brewers.

 

If he had pitched for the Grizzlies, he would have been a teammate of former Brewers farmhand RHP Kaleb Earls.

[Mass Haas]

UPDATE: The Head Baseball Coach at LSU Shreveport has congratulated Texiera, so consider it official .

[And That]

Brewers add another college senior, this time RHP Cole Lipscomb from Auburn.

[Mass Haas]

As per the Sky Sox roster page and his own MiLB Player Page, INF Nick Noonan has been traded back to the Brewers by the Marlins.

 

You may remember that it was on May 11th when Noonan was traded to Miami (MLB Trade Rumors link).

 

Noonan posted just a .156/.241/.221 line in 77 AAA at-bats with New Orleans.

 

The Brewers had acquired cash for Noonan, perhaps the same was the case on the return.

 

With the move, the Sky Sox roster is at 26 (13 pitchers, 13 position plaers), so a pending transaction will be needed.

[Mass Haas]

Carolina Press Release --

 

Roster Update: Brandon Diaz activated from the DL

Outfielder Brandon Diaz was activated off the disabled list today

 

Indicates roster is at 25, but we count 26 "Active's" as of this post on the listed roster.

[And That]

Wichita State RHP Landon Holifield has also signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Brewers.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have signed undrafted free agent:

 

IF Julian Jarrard, from Menlo College (see: Erceg, Lucas)

 

Jarrard receives call from Milwaukee Brewers

by Charles Rich, Los Angeles Times

 

http://www.trbimg.com/img-5944e848/turbine/la-1497688133-nqmygp6sik-snap-image/950/950x534

Glendale Community College product (2012-2013) Julian Jarrard signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. (File Photo by Libby Cline)

 

Having played several positions successfully throughout his collegiate career, Julian Jarrard hoped someday his versatility would put him in position to play professional baseball.

 

The Glendale Community College product will no longer have to ponder over reaching the next level.

 

Jarrard received a phone call Thursday from Milwaukee Brewers area scout Joe Graham, who informed Jarrard that the organization planned to sign him as a minor league free agent. It came a day after the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft concluded.

 

Jarrard, who played shortstop this past season at Menlo after previously playing at Biola University, was set to report to the Brewers spring training site in Arizona on Monday. He will be assigned to one of their lower-level squads.

 

“It’s just indescribable right now and it’s something I’ve looked forward to my entire life,” said Jarrard, who helped Glendale win Western State Conference South Division championships in 2012 and 2013. “To get this kind of opportunity, I’m more than grateful. Now I have a chance to prove myself at the next level and that’s what I intend to do.

 

“I got a call first from [Menlo coach Victor Brankovich] telling me the Brewers were interested. Then I spoke to Joe Graham for about 20 minutes and we talked about a few things and I told him I’d do anything I could to help out. It comes back to spending a lot of extra hours in the cage and in the field and trying to find ways to get better. It paid off.”

 

Jarrad enjoyed a fantastic season at Menlo (34-20, 17-13 in the Golden State Athletic Conference). In 51 games, he batted .330 (62 for 188) with 22 home runs and 56 runs batted in. He added six doubles, 13 walks and scored 36 runs. Jarrard received National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics honorable mention.

 

Jarrard was a two-time All-Western State Conference selection at Glendale, where he played infield and catcher..

 

“I thanked [Glendale coach] Chris Ccicuto and [assistant] Alex Kocol for teaching me so much about the game. They showed me how to go about my business on the field and I really couldn’t have done it without all of their help.”

 

Cicuto, who has led the Vaqueros to five division championships in the past seven seasons, said Jarrard provided stability in helping the Vaqueros succeed.

 

“He’s a super-talented athlete and we could put him in a lot of positions,” Cicuto said. “It’s exciting to be able to see Julian get a chance to go after his dream. It’s about how the Brewers see him in terms of where to play.

 

“I got emotional after he sent me a text telling me he had been signed. He’s a very humble guy and I wish him nothing but the best.”

[And That]

Two Three more undrafted senior signs:

 

Missouri Baptist RHP Brandon Nunn

 

UC Irvine catcher Alex Guenette

 

Kennesaw State RHP Gabe Friese

[Mass Haas]

From the 2017 Helena Brewers thread this AM --

 

NOTE: 6'7", 253 lb. RHP Braulio Ortiz is a Dominican native in his 8th year of pro ball. He was released on May 30th from the High-A level by Cincinnati. The Reds had signed him in May of 2016 after his January 2016 release by his original club, the White Sox. One would imagine Ortiz could be a Timber Rattler before too long, given his advanced age and status. In his career, Ortiz has struck out 300 but walked 191 in 267.1 innings. He is certainly the most experienced player we can remember to suit up for Helena in quite some time.

[Mass Haas]

The Sky Sox roster is at 26 (13 pitchers, 13 position plaers), so a pending transaction will be needed.

 

With RHP Rob Scahill officially reporting after his outright, catcher Tyler Heineman has been transferred to Biloxi.

 

Biloxi has a roster that surely will be tweaked during the current All-Star Break. It features 14 position players and 11 pitchers, and with Heineman's arrival, there are four catchers (Jacob Nottingham, Dustin Houle, Heineman, and Natanael Mejia).

 

Andrew Susac and Rene Garcia will now share catching duties for the Sky Sox.

[And That]

Series of Timber Rattlers moves:

 

RHP Andrew Vernon has been transferred to Helena. I believe this is not a paper move and he's actually going to Helena, but will confirm.

 

C Mario Feliciano and RHP Braden Webb are now both back on the Rattlers' roster, having been reassigned from the Helena paper roster.

 

New C A.J. Murray has been placed on the Rattlers' 7-day DL.

 

SS Trever Morrison has been reassigned from the Helena roster to the Rattlers' roster, and then placed on the Rattlers' 7-day DL.

 

Wisconsin LHP Cam Roegner, Biloxi RHP Tyler Spurling, and Biloxi IF George Iskendarian are all three still in Helena roster limbo. That should be resolved shortly.

[WV Brew]

Brewers ink Wilhelmsen to Minors deal

 

Well why not I guess?

[Mass Haas]

TWEET: Murray State (KY) C/1B Tyler Lawrence inked a non-drafted free agent deal this week.

[And That]

Brewers add two more UDFAs, this time announced by the team's Twitter:

 

RHP Matt Hardy (insert wrestling joke) from Nova Southeastern (same school as Mike Fiers); and, catcher Johan Mojica from Grambling State.

[markedman5]

Monte Harrison promoted to Carolina per his twitter

[Greenleaf1]

Bad news for Troy Stokes at Carolina. He's been having a quietly good first half to his season there, but with Ray/Clark/Harrison there now he probably figures to get his playing time reduced, unless they decided to promote Ray to AA which is technically possible but not very likely at this point (batting .191 in June despite a .333 BABIP).

 

Hoping Harrison injects some life into that Carolina lineup, the top prospects there have been pretty disappointing lately (except, ironically enough, Lucas Erceg, who is batting .333/.377/.464 in his last 19 games).

[Mass Haas]

Brewers release LHP Andy Oliver, who never found footing with the Sky Sox this season.

[And That]

Add one more to the UDFA pile - catcher Kyle Beam from Old Dominion.

[JDBrewCrew]

Brewers Player Dev‏ @BrewersPD 29m29 minutes ago

We've signed RHP Tom Wilhelmsen and LHP Frank Lopez and assigned them to Col Springs and Carolina, respectively.

[reillymcshane]

Monte Harrison promoted to Carolina per his twitter

I was wondering if they'd just leave Monte alone for the an entire year - let him settle in and have some success for a full season.

 

Oh well, I guess if they think he's ready - go for it.