- The Braves have outrighted right-handers Casey Kelly and Brandon Cunniff to Triple-A Gwinnett. Kelly placed anywhere from 24th to 76th in Baseball America’s prospect rankings from 2009-12, but injury- and performance-related issues have beset the former Red Sox and Padres farmhand. Notably, Kelly went from Boston to San Diego in 2010 in a deal involving then-Padres prospect and current Cubs superstar Anthony Rizzo. That trade brought first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox. The Padres then sent Kelly to the Braves last offseason for catcher/pitcher/outfielder Christian Bethancourt. The 27-year-old Kelly subsequently amassed 21 2/3 frames of 5.82 ERA pitching with matching strikeout and walk rates (2.91 over nine innings) this season. Cunniff has logged 52 big league innings – all with the Braves since last season – and recorded a 4.50 ERA, 9.17 K/9 and 5.37 BB/9.
Braves Rumors
Braves To Hire Orioles Coaches Dom Chiti, Dave Wallace
- The Braves have hired Orioles bullpen coach Dom Chiti as their new senior director of pitching, according to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko (Twitter links). Atlanta is also adding former O’s pitching coach Dave Wallace, per Kubatko. Wallace will function as a roving instructor throughout the team’s minor league system. Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes that Wallace signed a two-year deal with the Braves and adds that the loss is notable for the Orioles organization, pointing out that Zach Britton credits the duo with his development into the dominant closer he has become.
Mariners Claim Ryan Weber From Braves
The Mariners announced on Wednesday that they’ve claimed right-hander Ryan Weber off waivers from the Braves and designated catcher Steven Baron for assignment. Additionally, the team has outrighted catcher Steve Clevenger, left-hander Charlie Furbush and right-hander Ryan Cook off the 40-man roster. Beyond that, the Mariners also announced that righty Adrian Sampson has been lost on waivers to the Rangers (who made their own announcement of the move shortly before Seattle’s press release was issued).
Weber, 26, is the lone addition to the Mariners’ roster and will join the organization on the heels of a 2016 campaign that saw him post a 5.45 ERA in 16 appearances (two starts) with the Braves. Weber totaled 36 1/3 innings and averaged 5.7 K/9 against 1.2 BB/9 to go along with very solid 50.8 percent ground-ball rate. His work in Triple-A Gwinnett was considerably more impressive, as he posted a 2.76 ERA with 6.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in 62 innings there. Weber will give Seattle a depth piece for both the rotation and the bullpen and comes with a minor league option remaining, so there’s no need for him to break camp with the team next spring in order to remain in the organization (assuming he’s not trimmed off the 40-man roster later this winter).
Minor MLB Transactions: 10/31/16
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- The Brewers announced that utilityman Jake Elmore has elected free agency after rejecting an outright assignment last week. The 29-year-old Elmore logged 99 plate appearances with the Brew Crew this past season, hitting .218/.371/.244. While five of Elmore’s free passes drawn did come when he was hitting eighth in front of the pitcher, he does have a solid 10 percent walk rate for his career and has shown discipline even with another position player hitting behind him in the order. Despite that fact, though, he’s just a .215/.297/.280 hitter in 478 Major League plate appearances. His greatest asset may be his defensive versatility, as Elmore has played every position on the diamond — including pitching — in his big league career.
- According to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, veteran outfielder Matt Tuiasosopo has re-upped with the Braves on a minor league contract. The 30-year-old Tuiasosopo made a brief appearance on Atlanta’s big league roster this season and picked up three hitless plate appearances before being designated for assignment and landing back in Triple-A Gwinnett. In 248 plate appearances with Gwinnett this season, Tuiasosopo batted .246/.351/.483 with 11 homers and 17 doubles. That padded his career .247/.353/.418 line at the Triple-A level, which he’s amassed over parts of nine seasons. However, the former third-rounder (Mariners, 2004) has managed just a .206/.288/.353 line in 404 PAs across parts of five Major League seasons.
Braves Agree To Minor League Deal With Joel De La Cruz
The Braves have re-signed right-hander Joel De La Cruz to a minor league contract after outrighting him last week, according to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy.
De La Cruz, 27, signed a minor league deal with Atlanta last offseason after spending the bulk of his professional career in the Yankees’ minor league ranks. The 2016 season saw De La Cruz make his big league debut, and the Dominican-born righty wound up pitching a fairly substantial 62 2/3 innings for the Braves. Splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen, De La Cruz posted a 4.88 ERA with 5.3 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 43.1 percent ground-ball rate. Per PITCHf/x data, Cruz averaged 91.3 mph on a sinker that he threw at a 51 percent clip, and he also utilized both a slider and a changeup.
In parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level, De La Cruz has a 4.15 ERA in 184 1/3 innings to go along with 5.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9. This past season, he worked to a 4.68 ERA with Triple-A Gwinnett and posted a 47.3 percent ground-ball rate. De La Cruz will serve as a depth option for an Atlanta rotation that is currently rife with question marks. Julio Teheran figures to anchor the staff next season, and the Braves also have Mike Foltynewicz, Matt Wisler, Aaron Blair, Josh Collmenter, Williams Perez, Tyrell Jenkins and John Gant as internal options to round out the starting mix. GM John Coppolella has said that he’ll look to add a pair of Major League starters to complement that group, so De La Cruz could face an uphill battle when it comes to returning to the big league rotation, though he’ll make a handy depth option for the relief corps as well.
Latest On Brian McCann
We’ve long heard chatter about a possible reunion between Yankees catcher Brian McCann and the Braves, and MLB.com’s Mark Bowman provides some hints about where things stand. New York has asked for righty Mike Foltynewicz or center fielder Ender Inciarte to part with the veteran receiver, which certainly sounds like a non-starter from here. An arrangement could yet make sense, Bowman writes, but Atlanta won’t include either of those two players.
Minor MLB Transactions: 10/21/16
Here are today’s minor moves, with all links to the Twitter feed of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy.
- The Braves have signed lefty Sam Freeman to a minor league pact. Presumably, he’ll have at least some reasonable shot at pushing for a spot in the organization’s bullpen pecking order — if not even a big league job out of camp. The 29-year-old was rather productive from 2013 through 2015, posting a 2.74 ERA over 88 2/3 total innings, though organizations have never full trusted him with a locked-down MLB relief role. And last year was a tough one for Freeman, who not only scuffled at Triple-A (5.20 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 over 55 1/3 innings) but was hit hard in a brief stint at the major league level with the Brewers.
- Another southpaw pen candidate, Onelki Garcia, is headed to the Royals on a minor league arrangement. The 27-year-old has seen only brief MLB action (just three appearances, in fact), and did not spend any time with a major league organization last year. But he did show rather well in the competitive Mexican League, for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico. Over 33 innings, Garcia worked to a 3.82 ERA on 28 hits with 8.2 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9.
- Promising indy ball player Dalton Wheat has had his contract purchased by the Marlins, as his former team, the Kansas City T-Bones, announced recently. According to a gripping story in the Wyandotte Daily, Wheat isn’t just an interesting player who was overlooked after a strong D-II college career, leading Baseball America to name him the top indy ball prospect. He also already has a legitimately unusual, trademark attribute that will make him a fascinating player to watch as he enters the affiliated ranks. Beyond his top-end speed and solid on-base potential, Wheat truly shows up to work — taking his turns at the plate with a pair of standard-issue work gloves rather than typical baseball batting gloves. (Yes, the Wyandotte Daily provides a great photo.) Wheat tells a fan on Twitter that he’ll keep chopping wood in his signature handwear so long as the Marlins allow it.
Marksberry Awakens From Medically Induced Coma
Braves left-hander Matt Marksberry, who as of Tuesday was battling potentially serious health issues, awoke from a medically induced coma yesterday, writes David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Marksberry had been suffering from intense stomach pains and wound up suffering a seizure that led to a collapsed lung while at the hospital for treatment, according to O’Brien. Marksberry’s sister tweeted that her brother “still has a long journey ahead of him” as he recovers from the frightening incident. Needless to say, we’re happy to learn that the 26-year-old appears to be on the road to recovery and continue to hold Marksberry in our thoughts as we wish him a speedy recovery.
Matt Marksberry Hospitalized
Our thoughts at MLB Trade Rumors are with Braves left-hander Matt Marksberry and his friends and family, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the 26-year-old is being treated for “severe dehydration” at an Orlando-area hospital after originally going in for a non-baseball procedure. As O’Brien writes, Marksberry’s brother said on Facebook earlier today that he was on life support, though O’Brien cites multiple people familiar with the situation in stating that Marksberry is unconscious but has stable vital signs. Earlier this week, Marksberry tweeted: “I don’t want to sound selfish but I really could use some prayers for my health right now. Non baseball related. Thank you guys.” While the specifics surrounding Marksberry’s health are unclear, it seems certain that the complications he’s currently battling could be fairly severe. MLBTR wishes him a quick return to full health.
Braves Re-Sign Blake Lalli, Outright Three Players
- The Braves re-signed catcher Blake Lalli after recently outrighting him. Lalli, 33, received a brief MLB cameo for the first time in quite a while, but hasn’t spend much time in the majors and figures to remain in the upper minors next year. He carries a .265/.316/.376 batting line over parts of five seasons at Triple-A.
- Meanwhile, the Braves outrighted 26-year-old lefties Matt Marksberry and Andrew McKirahan as well as shortstop Daniel Castro. Marksberry has made 35 appearances over the last two seasons, posting a composite 5.06 ERA, though he was effective in 42 2/2 frames in the upper minors last year, carrying a 2.32 ERA with 8.2 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9. McKirahan spent the year recovering from Tommy John surgery. As for Castro, 23, the last two years have come with a fair amount of major league opportunities, but his bat hasn’t been up to the task. Over 239 total plate appearances, he has hit just .217/.250/.265.
