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Phillies Designate Sam Clay For Assignment

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The Phillies announced that left-hander Kent Emanuel has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To create room on the 40-man roster, fellow lefty Sam Clay has been designated for assignment.

Drafted by the Twins in the fourth round in 2014, Clay eventually reached minor league free agency at the end of the 2020 season without ever getting selected to the big league team. However, the Nationals liked him enough that they gave him a major league deal a couple of weeks later.

The Nats were likely hoping for better results than they got, as Clay put up a 5.60 ERA over 45 MLB innings last year. That came with a 15.9% strikeout rate and 10.3% walk rate, both of those numbers being worse than typical averages and Clay’s own track record in the minors. He did continue inducing ground balls, though, getting them at a 60.1% rate.

This year, it’s been a mixed bag for the 29-year-old, as he has a bloated 10.38 ERA in the big leagues, but in a tiny sample of just 4 1/3 innings. In 20 1/3 Triple-A frames, it’s a 3.10 ERA with a 64.5% ground ball rate, 21.7% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate.

This is the second DFA for Clay in the past week, as he was just cut from Washington’s roster and claimed by the Phillies in recent days. The Phillies likely knew that Emanuel was nearing a return from the injured list, making it possible that they claimed Clay with the express purpose of trying to pass him through waivers and retaining his services but without him taking up a roster spot. Regardless of their intentions, they will have one week to work out a trade, pass Clay through waivers or release him.

Cardinals Designate Angel Rondon For Assignment

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The Cardinals have announced that left-hander Genesis Cabrera has been activated from the injured list. To make room for him on the active roster, right-hander James Naile has been optioned to Triple-A. Since Cabrera was on the COVID IL, he wasn’t occupying a spot on the 40-man roster. To make room for him there, righty Angel Rondon has been designated for assignment.

Rondon, 24, was an international signing of the Cardinals out of the Dominican Republic in 2016. He largely worked as a starter in the lower levels of the minors but has gradually transitioned into more of a relief role in the upper levels and in the majors. He has just seven MLB innings on his ledger so far, five of which came in a single appearance this year. After Steven Matz started the game against the Pirates on May 22, he departed after just four pitches. Rondon entered and threw five scoreless frames, but was optioned out for a fresh arm the next day.

Through 49 Triple-A innings on the year, he has a 4.04 ERA with a 24.2% strikeout rate but a concerning walk rate of 15.3%. Five of his 18 appearances have been starts, meaning he hasn’t fully crossed the threshold that separates the rotation from the bullpen. He still has youth on his side and is in his second option year, meaning he can be stashed in the minors for the rest of this season as well as another campaign. Given the mounting injuries around the league, it’s entirely plausible that some team is intrigued enough to take a shot on him. Baseball America has considered him to be one of the top 30 prospects in the Cardinals’ system in each of the past three years, highlighting his slider as the best offering in his four-pitch mix. The Cardinals will have a week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him.

Pirates Acquire Yohan Ramirez, Designate Aaron Fletcher

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The Pirates announced a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s contest. Right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramirez was acquired from the Guardians for cash considerations and optioned to Triple-A. Infielder Kevin Newman was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. That adds two players to the 40-man roster, which had been at 39. To open up one extra spot, left-hander Aaron Fletcher was designated for assignment. Furthermore, outfielder Bligh Madris was optioned to create room on the active roster for Newman, while right-hander Bryse Wilson was returned to Triple-A after serving as the 27th man during yesterday’s doubleheader. Catcher Tyler Heineman was also transferred from the paternity list to the family medical emergency list.

Ramirez, 27, was designated for assignment by the Guardians earlier this week. He has 58 2/3 innings of MLB experience since the start of the 2020 season, mostly with the Mariners. He fared well enough in 2020 and 2021, putting up a 3.35 ERA with a 29.3% strikeout rate, though that also came with subpar walk and ground ball rates of 15.4% and 25.7%, respectively. A tiny .182 BABIP was likely helping keep his ERA down, though his good luck ran out this year. He ran up a 7.56 ERA in 8 1/3 innings before the Mariners designated him for assignment and then sent him to Cleveland for cash.

The Guardians gave him just a single appearance at the big league level but 10 1/3 innings in Triple-A. His 4.35 ERA with Columbus isn’t awful, but that’s come despite an alarming 22.7% walk rate. The 27-year-old still has options and intriguing strikeout numbers, however, making him a fairly sensible add for a rebuilding Pirates club. They can continue giving him looks in the minors for the rest of this year as well as next year, as long as he continues to hold onto a 40-man roster spot.

As for Fletcher, 26, he’s had some very brief stints at the big league level with the Mariners and Pirates, going from Seattle to Pittsburgh on a waiver claim back in March. Combined, he has 19 2/3 innings of MLB experience with an unfortunate 9.15 ERA in that small sample. This year, his mark is 6.94, significantly better but still not great, though that’s an even smaller sample size of just 11 2/3 frames. He’s fared much better in the minors, throwing 18 2/3 innings at Triple-A this year with a 1.45 ERA. He’s typically been a ground ball pitcher, never racking up huge strikeout numbers at Triple-A or the majors. This year’s no exception, as he has a 55.2% grounder rate and an 11% strikeout rate for Indianapolis.

Left-handed relief is always in demand somewhere, making it likely Fletcher finds some interest from other clubs. He also has another option year remaining after this one, meaning an acquiring club could potentially keep him stashed in the minors as depth for another year and a half. The Bucs will have one week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him.

Guardians Promote Nolan Jones, Designate Sandy Leon

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The Guardians announced a series of roster moves to reporters tonight, with Zack Meisel of The Athletic among those to relay them on Twitter. Prospect Nolan Jones has been promoted to the big leagues, while catcher Austin Hedges was activated from the seven-day concussion list. To create room for those two, outfielder Richie Palacios was optioned to Triple-A and catcher Sandy Leon was designated for assignment.

Jones, 24, was a second round selection of Cleveland in the 2016 draft. Considered by most evaluators to be a bat-first prospect, he mashed his way through the lower levels of the minors and jumped onto top prospect lists in 2019. Baseball America ranked him the #96 prospect in the league that year, with Jones pushing up the list as the season went on. However, that campaign ended on a bit of a sour note, as Jones underwent thumb surgery in October of 2019.

That was the first of a couple of obstacles that slowed his ascent to the big leagues. 2020 saw the minor leagues wiped out entirely by the pandemic, and Jones showed some rust when organized games returned in 2021. He improved as the season went along, though, finishing the year with a .238/.356/.431 line in 407 Triple-A plate appearances, good enough for a wRC+ of 113. Unfortunately, an ankle injury in August finished his season and caused him to start his offseason with a surgery for a second time.

Things seem to be back on track here in 2022, however, as Jones has hit .311/.417/.500 through 108 plate appearances in Triple-A this year, producing a 146 wRC+. If he can carry any of that over to the big leagues, it will provide an offensive boost to a team that’s lacking in that department. Despite an even 40-40 record, the team’s overall slash line is .243/.307/.377 for a wRC+ of 95, ranking them 21st in the league.

Defensively, things are a bit less certain for Jones. He largely played third base in his first few minor league seasons, but due to questions about his abilities there, coupled with the presence of Jose Ramirez, Jones has been moved to other places on the diamond. He started playing right field last year, with that spot becoming his regular home so far this season. He also played one game at first base last year and a couple in left field here in 2020. With Palacios being optioned out, Jones should step into the outfield mix next to Myles Straw and Steven Kwan.

As for Leon, 33, he started the year with the Reds on a minor league deal. The Guardians acquired him recently when Hedges landed on the IL. He got into nine games and hit .133/.381/.133. He’s never been much of a hitter outside of a surprise surge in 2016, instead earning his keep with quality game-calling and defense. The Guardians will have one week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him. If he were to clear waivers, Leon would be eligible to reject an outright assignment by virtue of being a veteran with over five years of MLB service time.

Jurickson Profar Diagnosed With Concussion, Neck Strain

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Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar has been diagnosed with a concussion and cervical neck strain, the club announced. He suffered the nasty injury in the fifth inning of last night’s win over the Giants. Tommy La Stella lofted a fly ball into shallow left-center field. Profar, playing left field, came in on the ball while shortstop C.J. Abrams tracked it over his shoulder.

The two players collided, and Abrams’ knee struck Profar underneath the chin. Trainers stabilized Profar’s neck and took him off the field on a cart. He was transferred to a local hospital for further evaluation. According to the team, he was released last night and has been recovering at home.

It’s a scary situation, one in which San Diego will no doubt prioritize Profar’s long-term health. The club hasn’t announced any sort of timetable for his return, though he seems likely to be placed on the seven-day concussion injured list shortly.

Profar has gotten the start in left field for 78 of the Friars’ 84 games. He’s playing at arguably a career-best level, carrying a .242/.343/.397 line with eight home runs across 361 plate appearances.

Latest On Pirates’ Trade Possibilities

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Few players who could plausibly be moved this summer would be as impactful a pickup as Bryan Reynolds. The Pirates center fielder isn’t performing at quite his star level from last season, but he’s having another well above-average campaign. Through 335 plate appearances entering play Friday, Reynolds owns a .257/.337/.463 line with 15 home runs, 10 doubles and a trio of stolen bases.

Controllable for another three-plus seasons, there’d be no shortage of interest if the Bucs make him available over the coming weeks. Jon Heyman of the New York Post lists the Yankees, Marlins, Phillies, Padres and Mariners among the teams likely to gauge his availability. There are no surprises among that group, as all five are known to be in the hunt for outfield help and/or have made unsuccessful attempts to pry Reynolds away in the past.

New York has relied on Aaron Judge in center field to great results, but they’ve grown dissatisfied with the continued struggles of Joey Gallo and (to a lesser extent) Aaron Hicks in the corners. They could eye Reynolds either to plug directly into left field or as a center field option capable of kicking Judge back to right. Miami and Philadelphia have direct needs in center field and figure to inquire about various possibilities at the position; the Fish have been linked to Oakland’s Ramón Laureano as well.

San Diego has holes in both corner spots and has watched center fielder Trent Grisham flounder for most of the year. Seattle may have the most robust outfield of any of the reported Reynolds suitors, but Jarred Kelenic struggled enough to be optioned to Triple-A and they’ve not gotten the production they’d anticipated from Jesse Winker or Mitch Haniger this season (the latter on account of injuries).

The quintet, of course, would certainly be joined by other suitors if the Pirates actively shopped Reynolds. Pittsburgh, however, has set a justifiably lofty asking price both at last summer’s deadline and over the winter. That makes him a longshot to actually change hands, and Heyman notes in a separate piece that it remains “unlikely” the Bucs will find a compelling enough offer to make a move.

That may also be true of star closer David Bednar, whom Heyman floats as a possible trade candidate. One of five players the Pirates acquired in the January 2021 Joe Musgrove deal, Bednar has emerged as one of the sport’s best late-inning weapons. Since landing in Pittsburgh, the right-hander has posted a 2.26 ERA while holding opponents to a .187/.255/.321 line in just shy of 100 frames. That includes 39 innings of 2.31 ERA ball this season, with Bednar punching out more than a third of batters faced and likely to earn his first All-Star nod.

The 27-year-old comes with even more club control than Reynolds, as he’s slated to remain in Pittsburgh through 2026. Bednar won’t reach arbitration-eligibility until the 2024 campaign, so there’s no financial pressure for the Bucs to make a deal. Needless to say, they’d have to be blown away by a package to pull the trigger on a Bednar trade as well.

One player the Bucs are virtually assured of trading is starter José Quintana. The veteran southpaw is having a solid bounceback season after signing a $2MM free agent deal over the winter. He’s a sensible back-end rotation target for teams seeking pitching help, and the Bucs have already fielded hits from contenders. As an impeding free agent on a team that won’t come anywhere near the postseason, he’s as good a bet as any player in the league to change uniforms over the next few weeks.

Quintana suggested he’s not dwelling on the possibility of being dealt, saying he’s “(staying) focused on one start at a time” (link via Rob Biertempfel of the Athletic). He acknowledged a move was a possibility, but indicated he’d be open to returning to Pittsburgh in free agency next winter. “For sure, I want to come back here. But I think it’s too soon to talk about that. I want to keep my eyes focused on this season, one start at a time.” Nothing would preclude the Bucs from reengaging with Quintana’s representatives during the offseason if/when he’s dealt this month, but this season’s solid 3.33 ERA/3.96 SIERA make it likely he’ll land a loftier guarantee (and perhaps a two-year commitment) if he continues to pitch well down the stretch.

Follow Pro Hockey Rumors For 2022 NHL Draft Coverage

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The 2022 NHL Draft continues today after a chaotic day of trades yesterday as well. Make sure to follow our coverage over at Pro Hockey Rumors (@prohockeyrumors on Twitter!) to see what transpires as teams add to their prospect pools through both draft selections and trade transactions.

The biggest newsmakers at the draft have been the Chicago Blackhawks, who ended up with three first-round picks last night after entering the day with none. They shipped out 40-goal-scoring winger Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in order to make it happen, though.

There’s still the potential for more trades today. The Carolina Hurricanes already made some big news, trading hot-topic defenseman Tony DeAngelo to the Philadelphia Flyers. Future Hall of Fame defenseman Duncan Keith is also retiring from the NHL with one year left on his contract as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Make sure to continue to follow Pro Hockey Rumors throughout the NHL Draft as the day wraps up. You can also keep up with all of the picks on our pick tracker.

Big Hype Prospects: Jones, Leiter, Alvarez, Chourio, De La Cruz

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This week in Big Hype Prospects, we’ll mostly focus our attention upon invitees to the Futures Game.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Nolan Jones, 24, OF, CLE (AAA)

108 PA, 3 HR, 4 SB, .311/.417/.500

Once on pace to debut during the 2020 season as a 22-year-old, several factors considerably slowed Jones’s ascent. First, he came back rusty from the lost 2020 minor league season, performing particularly poorly in May. He improved as the season progressed and could have arrived in Cleveland last September if not for a season-ending ankle injury in late-August. He also opened the 2022 season on the injured list while recovering from surgery for the same injury. The Guardians finally appear poised to promote him after a month in Triple-A.

Jones is best known for his plate discipline. Expect him to show the same discerning eye as Max Muncy. Jones has a little more swing-and-miss to his game which could manifest in a 30 percent strikeout rate. Whereas Muncy’s swing has plenty of loft, Jones skews heavily towards ground ball contact. He has the raw power to be a 30-homer threat, but his combination of grounders and infrequent contact leave him projected for only 20 home runs per 600 plate appearances. Although he’s always posted exceptional BABIPs in the minors, he can get pull happy. That could open him up to BABIP-killing shifts. Since his game revolves around walks and balls in play, anything that negatively affects his BABIP could also affect how he’s used.

Jack Leiter, 22, SP, TEX (AA)

48.2 IP, 11.10 K/9, 5.18 BB/9, 5.36 ERA

Leiter was aggressively assigned to Double-A to start the season, and it hasn’t been an easy transition. Optimists can readily spot encouraging signs. He’s held batters to just 44 hits while recording 60 strikeouts. Unfortunately, he’s also issued 28 walks and hit five batters. Command isn’t expected to be a long-term issue for Leiter, but it is one he’s presently battling. He’s issued 16 walks over his last 19.2 innings.

Fortunately, the recent second-overall pick retains all of his glamorous tools. He features three plus offerings – a rising fastball, curve, and slider. He also has an underdeveloped changeup. He’ll represent the Rangers in the Futures Game.

Francisco Alvarez, 20, C, NYM (AAA)

(AA) 296 PA, 18 HR, .277/.368/.553

With Adley Rutschman graduated, Alvarez is now the consensus top catching prospect in the minors. He was recently promoted to Triple-A where he’s 1-for-10 in 13 plate appearances. He’s the Mets Futures Game representative.

Alvarez is an advanced hitter. Already one of the youngest players at Triple-A, he features plus plate discipline and huge raw power. At times, he sells out for pull-side contact. His minor league batted ball data include low line drive rates which could manifest as a low BABIP in the Majors. That said, he’s on pace to debut early next season as a 21-year-old catcher, a developmental path which tends to lead to storied careers. His bat will need to carry what could be a below average defensive profile. While he’s not bad enough to move off the position, the Mets might opt to use him as a part-time designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup while allowing certain pitchers to work with a better defender.

Jackson Chourio, 18, OF, MIL (A)

236 PA, 11 HR, 9 SB, .318/.369/.594

Chourio might be the next 20-year-old uber-prospect to debut in the Majors. He will be the youngest participant in the Futures Game. Only 18, he’s already performing impressive feats of strength including three home runs in July. Presently, there’s some swing-and-miss and overaggression to his approach, but not to the extent that either is a problem. We’ll see how these secondary traits develop as he climbs the ladder.

Since earlier this season, I’ve yet to hear or read any description of Chourio that wasn’t effusive in its praise. He’s the hip teenage breakout of the year. MLB Prospect Pipeline actually has him ranked ahead of 2021’s big teenage breakout, Elly De La Cruz. At least one other midseason update will also rank Chourio ahead of De La Cruz.

Elly De La Cruz, 20, 3B/SS, CIN (A+)

268 PA, 18 HR, 26 SB, .302/.357/.597

Speaking of De La Cruz, fantasy baseball enthusiasts are undoubtedly drooling over his combination of power and speed. The switch-hitter produces some of the top exit velocities in the minors. He’s built like Oneil Cruz, albeit two inches shorter. The obvious flaws in his game relate to discipline and whiff rate. He could have exploitable flaws as he ascends the minor league ladder. However, we’ve seen other players with this rare athletic-profile improve their strikeout rate enough to become a superstar. Since June 28, a span of 34 plate appearances, De La Cruz has five home runs and a .387/.441/.903 slash. He might not return to High-A after the Futures Game.

Five More

Yosver Zulueta, TOR (24): Zulueta will appear in the Futures Game after already churning through three levels of the minors. His development has been slowed first by Tommy John surgery and then by a torn ACL. He needs to be placed on the 40-man roster after this season (or exposed to the Rule 5 draft) despite having faced only one batter prior to this year. A former big bonus international free agent, Zulueta could move fast as a high leverage reliever, but he might also have the stuff to start with a Spencer Strider-like two-pitch approach.

DL Hall, BAL (23): Since the last BHP, Hall has pitched twice. He’s totaled 10 innings of one-run ball including just four hits allowed and three walks. He struck out 22 of 38 batters faced. Hall is more than halfway to a career-high in innings. He might be seen as ready to get his feet wet in the Majors as a short-burst starter. Notably, his 5.77 BB/9 in Triple-A could be a barrier to starting long-term. Of qualified pitchers, Dylan Cease ranks last with 4.21 BB/9. Pitchers with higher walk rates don’t pile up innings. Hall will not be attending the Futures Game.

Gunnar Henderson, BAL (21): Henderson is the Orioles Futures Game representative. He’s also jumped into the Top five on the MLB.com Prospect Pipeline. He’s actually in his first funk of the season, batting just .133/.188/.167 with 15 strikeouts over his last seven games (32 PA).

Logan O’Hoppe, PHI (22): The Phillies have left O’Hoppe in Double-A where he’s batting .270/.383/.521 with 14 home runs and five steals in 256 plate appearances. His offensive numbers could be inflated both by Reading and a weak Double-A pitching environment. Either way, he profiles as a future big league regular. If the Phillies remain in contention in the upcoming weeks, he’s their one big, expendable trade chip. He might stay in Double-A through the deadline.

Kyle Harrison, SFG (20): Like many pitching prospects, Harrison’s workload was carefully managed early in the season at High-A. Upon promotion to Double-A, he’s been making normal starts typically in the range of 20 to 24 batters faced. He’s on track to make his Major League debut in 2023. His mechanics offer an uncomfortable look. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a front angle. He has a floor as a high-leverage reliever, but he’s likelier to be used as a mid-rotation pitcher.

Juan Lagares Signs With KBO’s SSG Landers

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Free agent outfielder Juan Lagares has signed with the SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization, the team announced (h/t to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News). The ACES client will be paid $495K for the remainder of the season.

It’s the first professional trip outside North America for Lagares, who has spent the past 16 years in the affiliated ranks. The 33-year-old has suited up with the Mets and Angels for 850 games in the major leagues. A Gold Glove caliber center fielder early in his career, he earned regular playing time on the strength of his glove for a good chunk of his stint in Queens.

Over the past few seasons, Lagares has settled in as a depth outfielder in the majors. His defensive metrics have tailed off and he’s posted well below-average numbers at the plate in each of the past two seasons. Lagares hit .236/.266/.372 through 327 plate appearances with the Halos last year. He returned on a minor league deal over the winter and earned another big league look in late May. After a disappointing 20-game showing, the Angels designated him for assignment last month. He cleared outright waivers and hit free agency, and he’ll now join a Landers team that has the KBO’s best record (52-26).

In a corresponding move, the Landers are releasing first baseman Kevin Cron. The former Diamondback spent the 2021 season in Japan and made the move to South Korea on a $750K contract last offseason. He’s struggled to a .222/.255/.420 line across 259 trips to the plate. While he’s hit 11 home runs and flashed some of the power potential he showed in the minor leagues, his on-base deficiencies mounted to the point the team decided to move on. The 29-year-old will be a free agent.

That also seems as if it’ll be true for veteran starter Iván Nova. Yoo adds the Landers are seeking a replacement for the 35-year-old righty, who signed for $900K over the winter. Nova has been tagged for a 6.50 ERA through 12 starts, only striking out 11% of the batters he’s faced. Yoo notes that various injuries could have played a part in that underperformance, but the club will look for an alternative nevertheless. An 11-year MLB veteran, Nova hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2020. KBO teams are permitted to carry two foreign-born pitchers on their rosters, so the Landers seem likely to look for a new option to pair with Wilmer Font, who is having an excellent season.

Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera Selected To All-Star Game

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Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera have been selected to the 2022 All-Star Game, MLB announced this morning. They’ve been tabbed as the National and American League’s respective “legendary” nominees.

Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported this week that the new collective bargaining agreement permitted the commissioner’s office to select one or more players from each league as bonus additions to the game. The honor is in recognition of the player’s career body of work, not their 2022 performance.

“I am delighted that Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera have agreed to participate in the All-Star Game,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in the league’s press release. “Albert and Miguel are two of the most accomplished players of their generation. They have also represented the baseball traditions of the Dominican Republic and Venezuela with excellence for the last two decades. Albert and Miguel are two all-time greats whose achievements warrant this special recognition.”

Pujols is playing the final season of his career. He finished in the top five in NL MVP voting in ten of his first 11 years with St. Louis, claiming the award three times. After spending parts of ten seasons with the Angels and a bit more than half of last year with the Dodgers, he returned to the Cardinals for his final run. Pujols has appeared in 45 games in a part-time first base/designated hitter role.

Cabrera has seven top-five MVP finishes in his career, including back-to-back wins in 2012-13. He’s won seven Silver Slugger Awards and claimed the AL Triple Crown in 2012. He’s under contract with Detroit through 2023 and hasn’t suggested he plans to retire after this season, but he’s nevertheless a perfectly sensible choice as the AL’s first “legendary” All-Star. Cabrera has gotten the nod for 68 of Detroit’s 82 games at DH and posted slightly above-average offensive numbers.

Among active players, Pujols and Cabrera rank first and second, respectively, in career hits, home runs and RBI. Pujols is the active career leader in Baseball Reference WAR, while Cabrera ranks third among position players in that category (behind Mike Trout). They’re both locks to reach the Hall of Fame in their first years on the ballot. This will be Pujols’ 11th All-Star nod, while Cabrera is heading to the Midsummer Classic for a 12th time.

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