The Brewers designated Roque Mercedes for assignment to create roster space for Mark Kotsay, according to the team (on Twitter). The Brewers claimed Mercedes in December after the D'Backs designated him for assignment.
Mercedes, who came up through the Brewers' system before Milwaukee sent him to Arizona in the 2009 Felipe Lopez trade, spent last year at Double-A. The 24-year-old Dominican posted a 4.36 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 53 2/3 innings of relief work.