Brewers sign Pablo Reyes to minor league contract

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I always took Mark A at his word that if there a player out there and he could get hi he would. This season i think the brewers can win the NL central but can't see them getting yo the WS. they have too many holes and Grabbing a bunch of so call reclamation guys like we did last year not going to get it done. I hope the Brewers will have another nice draft so they can build up the farm because that the only way to build this team.I have also come to the conclusion that the Crew will have to move Hader in the not to distance future to build up that farm system.I hope that the Brewers can get at least one more starter from their system to tam with Woodruff and Corbin.

 

Gyorko was the only "reclamation project" type signing last year (and he ended up being good). Every other signing was coming off either their career-best or close to career-best year. The idea that that Brewers filled their roster with a bunch of reclamation projects last season has simply turned into a much larger assumption than it actually was.

 

You are beating this to death, but when you really look at it, you simply are not correct.

 

What do you consider Logan Morrison, Justin Smoak, Josh Lindblom, Justin Grimm and Mike Morin, if not reclamation projects? Including Gyorko, that's 20% of the active roster.

 

Morrison was a minor league signing that made the team on the back of strong 2019 minor league numbers and a strong spring. Smoak was coming off a consistent 3-year stretch averaging over an .800 OPS. Lindblom was coming off a Korean League Cy Young. Grimm and Morin were back-end pen arms. They were insignificant. In Morin's case, in particular, there really wasn't much of anything in his career numbers to reclaim.

 

I suppose, by the definition of the idea of a reclamation project, Morrison probably qualifies. But he certainly didn't last longer than a cup of coffee before the Brewers cut bait.

[RollieTime]

I actually think this is a solid signing. He just turned 27 and is theoretically entering his prime and has 5 years of control so through his age 31 season. He has all of 200 MLB at bats and wasn’t exactly overmatched. He has a little pop in his bat and will take his walks. It might seem like a depth signing, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s given an opportunity in 2021 to be a bench guy similar to Perez.

 

Just for discussion purposes, how about a Hiura for Jose Ramirez swap? You have Arcia, Urias, and Reyes battling it out up the middle, hoping that Arcia can replicate his 2020 and one of Urias and Reyes can take a step forward. Ramirez slides in at 3B and is on an extremely team friendly deal. Sign a solid bat for 1B like Asdrubal Cabrera and call it an offseason.

 

CF Cain

1B Cabrera

LF Yelich

3B Ramirez

C Narvaez

RF Garcia

SS Arcia

2B Urias/Reyes

P

[markedman5]

I always took Mark A at his word that if there a player out there and he could get hi he would. This season i think the brewers can win the NL central but can't see them getting yo the WS. they have too many holes and Grabbing a bunch of so call reclamation guys like we did last year not going to get it done. I hope the Brewers will have another nice draft so they can build up the farm because that the only way to build this team.I have also come to the conclusion that the Crew will have to move Hader in the not to distance future to build up that farm system.I hope that the Brewers can get at least one more starter from their system to tam with Woodruff and Corbin.

 

IIRC those comments from Mark were about adding players at the trading deadline......he liked to keep some money available so that if the Brewers were in Contention they had flexibility to add a piece or 2.

 

He never said they would try to get top free agents .....he knows that in a bidding war he will run out of ammunition quickly against the big boys.

 

He has to try and build a competitive roster while working within the constraints of the market.

[Eye Black]

Pablo Reyes was listed as the Pirates #23 overall prospect by Baseball America in 2019, which was actually lower than FanGraphs which ranked him #10 in the Pirates system around the same time. Below are his Baseball America bio and scouting report from that time.

 

TRACK RECORD: Reyes signed for $90,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, when the Pirates expected him to be an everyday shortstop. He hasn’t made more than 36 appearances at short since his first summer in the Dominican Summer League, but he has since been molded into a Josh Harrison-style super utility player.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: The Pirates called Reyes up in September and in just 18 games, he played second base, third base, left field and right field. He also got extensive work in center field as a minor leaguer. All of Reyes’ tools are average or just slightly above, but the total package might get him on the roster in 2019. He had by far the most successful September of the late-season call-ups, slashing .293/.349/.483 with three home runs in 18 games. He’s never hit below .265 in a full minor league season, he’s finished with double-digit home runs three times, and he registered 115 minor-league stolen bases. His arm isn’t great, but it plays at second or third.

 

THE FUTURE: Unlike Harrison, Reyes may never win an everyday starting job, but he could be a valuable member of the bench, especially early in 2019 with Gregory Polanco expected to miss time with a shoulder injury.

[brewmann04]

This is were we Disagree on last year Joey signing of those reclamation type prospects.

Only Gyrko proved to be a good addition.

[HiAndTight]

I always took Mark A at his word that if there a player out there and he could get hi he would. This season i think the brewers can win the NL central but can't see them getting yo the WS. they have too many holes and Grabbing a bunch of so call reclamation guys like we did last year not going to get it done. I hope the Brewers will have another nice draft so they can build up the farm because that the only way to build this team.I have also come to the conclusion that the Crew will have to move Hader in the not to distance future to build up that farm system.I hope that the Brewers can get at least one more starter from their system to tam with Woodruff and Corbin.

 

IIRC those comments from Mark were about adding players at the trading deadline......he liked to keep some money available so that if the Brewers were in Contention they had flexibility to add a piece or 2.

 

He never said they would try to get top free agents .....he knows that in a bidding war he will run out of ammunition quickly against the big boys.

 

He has to try and build a competitive roster while working within the constraints of the market.

 

I think he's said that with regard to both FA signings and at the deadline. He's said he's never said no to his GM with regard to adding payroll to the roster. But I'd also assume that GM's aren't pursuing guys like Machado and Harper and offering 300 million. So I don't know how much that really means(though they were reportedly in on Rendon last winter?)

 

Either way, it seems obvious that Mark A has done about all you could expect as a fan to put a winner on the field.

[brewcrewdue80]

Even the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and other large market teams don't make a big FA splash every year.

 

Yankees 2017 looks a lot like the Brewers 2020 signings:

Adam Lind

CC Sabathia

Neil Walker

Jace Peterson

Wade LeBlanc

Danny Espinosa

 

This was the Dodgers 2017:

Chase Utley

Tom Koehler

Travis Taijeron

 

This was the Cubs 2016 looks similar to the Brewers 2020 signings:

Brett Anderson

Gerardo Concepcio

Brian Duensing

Jon Jay

Munenori Kawasaki

Zac Rosscup

Koji Uehara

 

You can't spend big every year. I get it everyone wants to see the Brewers pick up someone good every off season but it is just not possible even if you are a large market team. There are going to be lean years in free agency where the finances just don't match up or the team is just not in a spot to spend. Players like Reyes are signed by everyone in MLB not just the Brewers and I doubt this will be the Brewers big signing this off season. Will they get someone big no but they will get someone like a Brett Anderson or a Neil Walker type which is fine. The Brewers actually made back to back big signings with Cain and then Moustakas and Grandal that was a once in awhile thing for the Brewers. I wouldn't be surprised this year if someone like Semien falls to the Brewers for a one year deal like Grandal and Moustakas did.

This is a great post. I think the Yankees had reached a get under the luxury tax threshold. And that is sorta what is happening among small market teams who were near their "Luxury Tax" threshold. Like the Dodgers did, the Mets are spending boatloads of cash to make a big impression on new ownership. These are anomalies. Tanking teams do it year to year. White Sox of last offseason. Padres now. Marlins of the past, Astros. Cubs. Different model than a new owner, but works the same. Draft big, trade big, come together all at once and splash FA big. Boom or bust though. While few did find success and a WS, it often lead to a 1-off. Wasnt sustained. In a small way Milw splashed with Cain, Moose, Grandal, and a Yelich extension. It's not sustainable and has to have a step back to return the stability. Let's see where we stand in this FA after arbitrations are settled mid to late February.

[ctmyers]

 

Gyorko was the only "reclamation project" type signing last year (and he ended up being good). Every other signing was coming off either their career-best or close to career-best year. The idea that that Brewers filled their roster with a bunch of reclamation projects last season has simply turned into a much larger assumption than it actually was.

 

You are beating this to death, but when you really look at it, you simply are not correct.

 

What do you consider Logan Morrison, Justin Smoak, Josh Lindblom, Justin Grimm and Mike Morin, if not reclamation projects? Including Gyorko, that's 20% of the active roster.

 

Morrison was a minor league signing that made the team on the back of strong 2019 minor league numbers and a strong spring. Smoak was coming off a consistent 3-year stretch averaging over an .800 OPS. Lindblom was coming off a Korean League Cy Young. Grimm and Morin were back-end pen arms. They were insignificant. In Morin's case, in particular, there really wasn't much of anything in his career numbers to reclaim.

 

I suppose, by the definition of the idea of a reclamation project, Morrison probably qualifies. But he certainly didn't last longer than a cup of coffee before the Brewers cut bait.

 

Saying a guy "averaged" an 800 OPS over three seasons while not pointing out that he regressed from an .883 ops in 2017, to an .808 ops in 2018, to a .748 ops in 2019, is a disingenuous way to look at the data. Signing a 32-year old soft tossing starter, who had to move to Korea to continue playing baseball, is the definition of a reclamation project. Grimm hadn't pitched in the major leagues since 2018. Morin was coming off a season where he had an ERA with the Phillies of 5.79.

 

So, your assertion that these guys were coming off of "career best" or "near career best" years is simply wrong.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Saying a guy "averaged" an 800 OPS over three seasons while not pointing out that he regressed from an .883 ops in 2017, to an .808 ops in 2018, to a .748 ops in 2019, is a disingenuous way to look at the data. Signing a 32-year old soft tossing starter, who had to move to Korea to continue playing baseball, is the definition of a reclamation project. Grimm hadn't pitched in the major leagues since 2018. Morin was coming off a season where he had an ERA with the Phillies of 5.79.

 

So, your assertion that these guys were coming off of "career best" or "near career best" years is simply wrong.

 

Grimm and Morin were back of the pen junk, as I alluded to before. I don't think they are proof of anything.

 

My definition of a reclamation project is signing a guy to a cheap deal who was once an MLB stand-out but fell on hard times, and is looking to find "it" again. I don't think Lindblom qualifies, as he never had an "it" to find, at least in MLB. Smoak also wasn't a guy who fell on hard times. He was a pretty consistent performer prior to signing with the Brewers.

 

But whatever, guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I still say Gyorko was the only true "reclamation" signing, as he was utterly terrible in 2019, but had previous success to fall back on. I suppose Grimm could qualify under the way I described it, but he was a minor league signing that never did much of anything in a Brewer uniform. He was more hope and prayer signing I guess.

[CheeseheadInQC]

The problem with counting guys like Grimm and Morin, who came in on minor league deals, is that every team signs those. Look through the NRIs once spring training starts and you will probably see at least one or two on every roster. Heck, the Brewers had a more noteworthy one name-wise (Shelby Miller).

 

Who cares if you bring in reclamation projects on minor league deals or even non-guaranteed big league deals? There is zero risk and occasionally you get a Wade Miley or a Jeremy Jeffress.

 

Smoak wasn't really a reclamation project so much as he was just a vaguely underwhelming signing. You could argue the Brewers' strategy of bringing in a lot of fringy guys and counting on the whole being greater than the sum of the parts through either usage or just the law of large numbers was flawed, but that is different than reclamation projects.

[sveumrules]

What do you consider Logan Morrison, Justin Smoak, Josh Lindblom, Justin Grimm and Mike Morin, if not reclamation projects? Including Gyorko, that's 20% of the active roster.

 

Morrisson (28 PAs), Smoak (126 PAs) & Gyorko (135 PAs) combined for about 13% of the Brewers 2,188 PAs in 2020.

 

Linblom (45.1 IP), Grimm (4.2 IP) & Morin (0 IP) combined for less than 10% of the Brewers 517 IP in 2020.

 

I'd personally only classify Gyorko as a reclamation project out of those six (Morrison/Grimm/Morin were minor league depth signings, Smoak was just a blah veteran & Lindblom must have had multiple teams interested in reclaiming him since he got a multi year deal), but even if you want to count all six they still came in well under 20% on both PAs & IPs for the season.

[HiAndTight]

What do you consider Logan Morrison, Justin Smoak, Josh Lindblom, Justin Grimm and Mike Morin, if not reclamation projects? Including Gyorko, that's 20% of the active roster.

 

Morrisson (28 PAs), Smoak (126 PAs) & Gyorko (135 PAs) combined for about 13% of the Brewers 2,188 PAs in 2020.

 

Linblom (45.1 IP), Grimm (4.2 IP) & Morin (0 IP) combined for less than 10% of the Brewers 517 IP in 2020.

 

I'd personally only classify Gyorko as a reclamation project out of those six (Morrison/Grimm/Morin were minor league depth signings, Smoak was just a blah veteran & Lindblom must have had multiple teams interested in reclaiming him since he got a multi year deal), but even if you want to count all six they still came in well under 20% on both PAs & IPs for the season.

 

 

I'm just getting to the point where I'd almost not hear about any of the off-season signings because every thread I read goes the same way. We sign someone who's young, has some obvious warts and hasn't really made it in the big leagues yet and then people complain about that player because he's not a star and look at what the Mets and Padres are doing.

 

Just...rinse and repeat.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

What do you consider Logan Morrison, Justin Smoak, Josh Lindblom, Justin Grimm and Mike Morin, if not reclamation projects? Including Gyorko, that's 20% of the active roster.

 

Morrisson (28 PAs), Smoak (126 PAs) & Gyorko (135 PAs) combined for about 13% of the Brewers 2,188 PAs in 2020.

 

Linblom (45.1 IP), Grimm (4.2 IP) & Morin (0 IP) combined for less than 10% of the Brewers 517 IP in 2020.

 

I'd personally only classify Gyorko as a reclamation project out of those six (Morrison/Grimm/Morin were minor league depth signings, Smoak was just a blah veteran & Lindblom must have had multiple teams interested in reclaiming him since he got a multi year deal), but even if you want to count all six they still came in well under 20% on both PAs & IPs for the season.

 

 

I'm just getting to the point where I'd almost not hear about any of the off-season signings because every thread I read goes the same way. We sign someone who's young, has some obvious warts and hasn't really made it in the big leagues yet and then people complain about that player because he's not a star and look at what the Mets and Padres are doing.

 

Just...rinse and repeat.

 

Yep, just change the active teams for each year. Last year it was the Reds. Phillies year before that.

[monty57]

Pablo Reyes was listed as the Pirates #23 overall prospect by Baseball America in 2019, which was actually lower than FanGraphs which ranked him #10 in the Pirates system around the same time. Below are his Baseball America bio and scouting report from that time.

 

TRACK RECORD: Reyes signed for $90,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, when the Pirates expected him to be an everyday shortstop. He hasn’t made more than 36 appearances at short since his first summer in the Dominican Summer League, but he has since been molded into a Josh Harrison-style super utility player.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: The Pirates called Reyes up in September and in just 18 games, he played second base, third base, left field and right field. He also got extensive work in center field as a minor leaguer. All of Reyes’ tools are average or just slightly above, but the total package might get him on the roster in 2019. He had by far the most successful September of the late-season call-ups, slashing .293/.349/.483 with three home runs in 18 games. He’s never hit below .265 in a full minor league season, he’s finished with double-digit home runs three times, and he registered 115 minor-league stolen bases. His arm isn’t great, but it plays at second or third.

 

THE FUTURE: Unlike Harrison, Reyes may never win an everyday starting job, but he could be a valuable member of the bench, especially early in 2019 with Gregory Polanco expected to miss time with a shoulder injury.

 

Looks like a nice guy to add on a minor league deal, and he fits Stearns' mold of liking guys with flexibility. Most of his history is in the minors, but he looks like he knows what he's doing at the plate, so it's possible he could be more than just a "defensive replacement" guy. He seems to have a decent eye at the plate and gets on base, but doesn't have a lot of power. Looks like he has some speed, with two minor league seasons with over 20 stolen bases.

 

He has a shot to make the MLB roster as a utility guy, or he could be good minor league depth to cover multiple positions. I wonder if he hasn't played much shortstop because the Pirates had other options, or because he's not a good defender there. It would obviously be a big plus if he can cover SS as well as 2B/3B/OF.

[TURBO]

Well, since you guys painted this signing as a positive, I guess I'll make myself be excited about it then...

 

I think we have the right to be underwhelmed...

 

If this ends up being a low level signing, and we still have some other things to actually get excited about, I'm fine with it. If this is one of many signings that look the same, I will not be thrilled.

[brewerfan82]

If this is one of many signings that look the same, I will not be thrilled.

I think everyone agrees with that and it doesn't need to be stated in every thread. I think everyone also needs to adjust to the fact that 1.) offseason signings happen later and later every year, and 2.) this offseason with all the uncertainty with COVID and rules and attendances is making things especially slower.

 

Of the top 100 free agents according to projected WAR, only 20 have signed so far. And only 13 teams have signed one of those free agents (https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/free-agent-tracker).

 

I don't think the Brewers are going to sign anyone that's going to knock our socks off, but I'm hoping for a couple okay signings to fill 1B and 3B and perhaps a veteran SP signing. Once they sign someone that actually seems like they're meant to get significant playing time, that will be a good time to discuss how underwhelming they are, but it seems unnecessary bringing it up on all these filler signings.

 

Now all that said, if pitchers and catchers report and Pablo Reyes is our big offseason acquisition, I'm right there with ya, but as of now this all feels very premature and exhausting.

[wibadgers23]

Can we just fast forward to mid-February already and get this offseason over with? Free agency in MLB has really become a joke.

[monty57]

Well, since you guys painted this signing as a positive, I guess I'll make myself be excited about it then...

 

I think we have the right to be underwhelmed...

 

If this ends up being a low level signing, and we still have some other things to actually get excited about, I'm fine with it. If this is one of many signings that look the same, I will not be thrilled.

 

This seems to have been in response to my saying "...a nice guy to add on a minor league deal," and "He has a shot to make the MLB roster as a utility guy, or he could be good minor league depth to cover multiple positions."

 

How many teams have star players as minor league depth or MLB utility guys? Every team needs guys like this. I get that you want to see something big happen. We all do. However, we also need to make signings like this to fill out our AAA roster and our MLB bench. Most moves that teams make are minor ones, and this fits into that category.

 

Our biggest "upgrade" this offseason will be in having our good players hit better than they did last year. If that doesn't happen, we're in trouble for a long time, because we can't afford to pay Yelich his contract if he's a AAAA player. However, in the likely scenario that guys like Yelich and Hiura remember how to hit, we have a pretty good team that really just needs a corner IF or two to be the odds on favorite to win the NL Central.

 

My guess is that they brought in Reyes to fight for the utility spot, so that when they add a third baseman, they will be able to trade Arcia and make Urias the everyday shortstop. There is absolutely no way that they signed Reyes to be an everyday player, so I wouldn't get too worried about this signing.

[Jopal78]

Well, since you guys painted this signing as a positive, I guess I'll make myself be excited about it then...

 

I think we have the right to be underwhelmed...

 

If this ends up being a low level signing, and we still have some other things to actually get excited about, I'm fine with it. If this is one of many signings that look the same, I will not be thrilled.

 

This seems to have been in response to my saying "...a nice guy to add on a minor league deal," and "He has a shot to make the MLB roster as a utility guy, or he could be good minor league depth to cover multiple positions."

 

How many teams have star players as minor league depth or MLB utility guys? Every team needs guys like this. I get that you want to see something big happen. We all do. However, we also need to make signings like this to fill out our AAA roster and our MLB bench. Most moves that teams make are minor ones, and this fits into that category.

 

Our biggest "upgrade" this offseason will be in having our good players hit better than they did last year. If that doesn't happen, we're in trouble for a long time, because we can't afford to pay Yelich his contract if he's a AAAA player. However, in the likely scenario that guys like Yelich and Hiura remember how to hit, we have a pretty good team that really just needs a corner IF or two to be the odds on favorite to win the NL Central.

 

My guess is that they brought in Reyes to fight for the utility spot, so that when they add a third baseman, they will be able to trade Arcia and make Urias the everyday shortstop. There is absolutely no way that they signed Reyes to be an everyday player, so I wouldn't get too worried about this signing.

 

Every year the Brewers sign guys just like Pablo Reyes. Players like Will Middlebrooks, Jake Elmore, Nick Franklin, Saladino, Corey Spangenberg, etc. They all get 100-150 at bats then get released when a roster spot is needed.

 

I wouldn't sleep on Arcia either. He's still just 26 years old, and while the 2020 season was a strange one, Arcia did strike out less, barrel up more balls and improved his exit velocity. There's a chance he could become an average hitter which with his defense would give them a nice player with multiple years of team control remaining.

[MNBrew]

Minor league NRI deal. No one's expecting an All-Star. Might work out well. Might not. If all goes well with the major league roster, Reyes shouldn't see much MIL time unless he's totally raking in AAA. If he comes up, hope it goes well.

 

Guys like this are signed every year. Unfortunately it's really about all we have to talk about so far (and Zach Green & Dylan Cozens & Hoby Milner) -- all necessary signings but rather boring compared to what we'd like to be talking about (that is, appealing players signed to good major-league deals).

[brewmann04]

It is what it is a Minor league player for the New Triple A team.

[djoctagone]

pablo reyes has been reassigned to minor league camp.

[djoctagone]

pablo reyes appears to have two minor league options remaining. he has been outrighted to the minor leagues before.

notable in that the brewers do not have any infield depth on optional assignment at the moment.

 

also notable in that reyes has already cleared intake, and it's very likely that he traveled with the team as part of their taxi squad.

 

a 40-man roster spot would have to be vacated to add reyes.

[JohnBriggs12]

pablo reyes appears to have two minor league options remaining. he has been outrighted to the minor leagues before.

notable in that the brewers do not have any infield depth on optional assignment at the moment.

 

also notable in that reyes has already cleared intake, and it's very likely that he traveled with the team as part of their taxi squad.

 

a 40-man roster spot would have to be vacated to add reyes.

 

They're going to need a roster spot for Blaine Hardy very soon too. The inexperience in the pen is a problem. I think they can sneak McKinney through waivers, and even if they don't, they have Taylor ready if an outfielder is needed already on the 40 man.

[patrickgpe]

if wong goes on the DL, he will probably be called up. You can't expect Roberston to hold down the fort for a DL stint and the only other options is either move Hiura back or bring Gordon straight to the MLB club.