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Mets Assign Six NRI Veterans To Minor League Camp

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The Mets have cut several veterans at Spring Training on minor league contracts from their Major League camp.  Carlos Gomez, Adeiny Hechavarria, Rajai Davis, Hector Santiago, Ryan O’Rourke, and Devin Mesoraco are the non-roster invitees who have all been told they aren’t making the Opening Day roster.  (Tim Healey of Newsday was one of several reporters who passed on the news.)  Of note, Mesoraco didn’t have an opt-out clause in his contract, though the Mets said that the catcher is “reassessing his situation” with the organization.

Mesoraco, Hechavarria, and Davis each had upward mobility clauses in their contracts that went into effect last Wednesday, though there hasn’t been any word on whether any other teams had interest in any of the trio.  This doesn’t appear to have been the case for Mesoraco, as Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (Twitter link) that Mesoraco has informed the Mets that he won’t go to Triple-A, and wants to be released.  Mesoraco is even prepared to retire if he isn’t granted his release, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter).

Mesoraco’s situation is perhaps the most surprising, as indications were that he would serve as the backup catcher, since Travis d’Arnaud is likely to begin the season on the injured list.  This could mean that a change in d’Arnaud’s status, or that the Mets would simply instead prefer to use another internal candidate in Tomas Nido as Wilson Ramos’ backup.

The Mets’ outfield situation was already pretty crowded, so Gomez and Davis faced something of an uphill battle in winning jobs.  Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto have everyday jobs spoken for, while Jeff McNeil will get at least a share of the left field playing time, with Keon Broxton and Juan Lagares serving as backup outfielders.

O’Rourke pitched quite well in camp while Santiago struggled, though in the end, the Mets chose to take neither left-hander on their Opening Day roster.  This will leave Justin Wilson and Luis Avilan (another minor league signing who is likely to make the team) as the southpaw options out of New York’s bullpen.

The Hechavarria news bodes well for Luis Guillorme’s chances of winning the utility infield job.  McNeil will also see some time in the infield mix when he isn’t playing left field, and J.D. Davis looks to be the team’s top option at third base for the time being.  Of course, the Mets’ infield situation will be in flux once Todd Frazier and Jed Lowrie are healthy.

Tigers Select Gordon Beckham’s Contract, Release Bobby Wilson

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The Tigers have selected the contract of veteran infielder Gordon Beckham, as per a team announcement.  Right-hander Michael Fulmer (who will undergo Tommy John surgery) was placed on the 60-day IL in order to create room for Beckham on the 40-man roster.  Infielder Ronny Rodriguez was also optioned to Triple-A.

In another move, the Tigers have also released catcher Bobby Wilson, as per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit News (Twitter link).  Multiple Tigers beat reporters noted earlier today that Wilson’s locker at the club’s Spring Training complex had been cleared out.  Beckham and Wilson were both in camp on minor league contracts, vying to win jobs on a Detroit team with needs to fill at both the utility infield and backup catcher positions.

Beckham enjoyed a big spring at the plate, and is now set to appear in an eleventh MLB season for his sixth different franchise.  Picked eighth overall by the White Sox in the 2008 draft, Beckham has spoken openly about the pressures he faced early in his career to live up to that top-prospect billing, as his career began to move along more of a journeyman path.  He even considered retirement if he hadn’t made the Tigers’ roster this spring, though that appears to be a moot point now that he’ll suit up for Opening Day.

Beckham appeared in just 33 Major League games over the last two seasons, spending most of his time in the Mariners’ minor league system.  The 32-year-old has a .329/.302/.366 slash line over 3542 career plate appearances, though his biggest role will be to provide backup at second base and third base.  (Beckham could also fill in at shortstop in a pinch, with a handful of games at the position over his career.)

With rookie Grayson Greiner in line for regular catching duty in Detroit, the Tigers brought veterans Wilson and Hector Sanchez into camp to provide competition for the backup job, as ostensible backup John Hicks will also be getting some time at first base.  Cameron Rupp was also acquired from the Giants a few weeks ago, which seems to have left Wilson out of the mix.

Wilson appeared in 47 games for Minnesota last season, his first taste of big league action since 2016 (when he played for the Rays, Rangers, and the Tigers in an earlier stint).  A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Wilson has been known more for his defense and game-calling abilities than his bat, with just a .208/.264/.313 slash line over an even 1000 PA.

Giants To Select Contracts Of Nick Vincent, Yangervis Solarte, Gerardo Parra

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The Giants have decided to carry a trio of veteran players who were in camp on minor-league deals, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic was among those to report on Twitter. Reliever Nick Vincent, infielder Yangervis Solarte, and outfielder Gerardo Parra are all headed onto the 40-man roster.

All three have had success at the MLB level, but were left to battle for jobs this spring. Vincent has thrown over three hundred frames of 3.17 ERA ball as a big-league reliever, with strong K/BB numbers throughout his career. As I examined upon his signing, Vincent is an interesting candidate to continue putting out solid numbers.

Solarte and Parra, each of whom is 31 years old, will take up important part-time positions in the lineup. At his best, Solarte provides infield versatility and an above-average bat. Consecutive down seasons have reduced his outlook, but he could still factor as a solid contributor. As for Parra, he just wrapped up a hefty three-year deal with the Rockies, over which he managed only a 81 OPS+ (.283/.320/.407). But he’s a well-regarded all-around player who posted a .270/.317/.541 slash in 41 plate appearances this spring.

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/22/2019

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Here are a few minor moves to round out the day’s transactions …

  • The Brewers announced that they inked reliever Michael Tonkin after he was released by the Rangers earlier today. Tonkin has pitched in parts of five seasons with the Twins and threw last year in Japan. The 29-year-old allowed just two hits and one earned run in his 4 2/3 innings this spring, though that’s obviously quite a limited sample. Tonkin threw 51 innings last year for the Nippon Ham Fighters, carrying a 3.71 ERA with an unsightly (and uncharacteristic) combination of 5.8 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9.
  • Righty Christian Bergman was cut loose by the Cubs, who had signed him in early February. The 30-year-old reliever was knocked around in limited spring action. He carries a 5.59 ERA in 215 2/3 total innings in the big leagues, compiled over the past five seasons.

Twins Release Tim Collins, Adam Rosales

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The Twins have released lefty Tim Collins and infielder Adam Rosales, the team announced. Both were Article XX(B) free agents, meaning they’d have required $100K retention bonuses if kept but not added to the 40-man roster.

With the Minnesota organization deciding to head in a different direction with its final roster spots, it was obviously deemed preferable to allow these two players a chance to seek opportunities elsewhere. Both could in theory return to the Twins on new arrangements.

Collins, 29, ran up a dozen strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings during camp. He also has thrown just 22 2/3 MLB frames over the past four seasons, with all of those coming last year with the Nationals. He pitched to a 3.86 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 for D.C.

AS fr the 35-year-old Rosales, he’s looking to crack the majors for the 12th-straight season. To this point, he has accumulated 1,807 plate appearances of .226/.291/.365 hitting while lining up all over the infield. He had been on fire at the plate this spring, running up a .294/.368/.735 slash with four home runs (as well as four walks and four strikeouts) in his 38 plate appearances.

Giants Release Cameron Maybin

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The Giants announced that they have released veteran outfielder Cameron Maybin, as Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group was among those to tweet. It is not clear at this time if Maybin opted out of his contract.

While it had seemed at one point that Maybin would likely crack Giants roster out of camp, the club obviously decided to go with another direction. It’s possible that an outside addition will end up filling the need for a reserve outfielder that can step in at times in center for youngster Steven Duggar.

A regrettable mid-spring DUI arrest surely did not help Maybin’s cause. He also failed to do much with his opportunities in the lineup, posting a meager .483 OPS in 48 Cactus League plate appearances.

Over the past two seasons in the majors, Maybin has carried a .237/.322/.351 batting line with 14 home runs and 43 steals in 834 total plate appearances. The 31-year-old has never been a consistent offensive threat, but is still viewed as a quality defender.

Braves Reportedly “Still In” On Craig Kimbrel

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5:59pm: Whether or not there’s ongoing contact, the Braves have yet to make Kimbrel an offer, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (via Twitter).

4:10pm: The Braves are “still in” the market for veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel, according to David O’Brien of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to O’Brien’s sources, the race at this point is down to the Braves and Brewers.

Atlanta’s reported interest in their former ninth-inning man has wavered all winter long. The team has made quite clear that it isn’t interested in a lengthy entanglement with the veteran reliever, but has remained engaged in shorter-term scenarios.

Other potential participants in Kimbrel’s market have also remained murky. The Red Sox have all but ruled out a return; the Nationals were briefly rumored to be involved but have said they don’t want to go over the luxury tax line. Otherwise, the Rays are the only team we’ve heard much about; the light-spending org is said to be keeping tabs but obviously hasn’t pushed the market to this point.

Last we heard, just over a week ago, the Braves were not even engaged with Kimbrel’s representatives. Perhaps the team’s ongoing pitching health questions have spurred the front office to reconsider the 30-year-old reliever, who racked up 186 saves and 289 innings of 1.43 ERA pitching in his incredible early-career run in Atlanta.

It’s good news for Kimbrel that there’s finally some added interest. The Brewers have also had injury troubles and are said to be “pretty serious” about getting something done. The question remains whether any of these organizations — or some other one — will feel compelled to offer Kimbrel a significant multi-year pact. At this stage of the offseason, the odds seem stacked against it, but the fact that he has yet to sign could suggest he’s still holding out hope.

White Sox Extend Eloy Jimenez

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MARCH 22: The deal is now official. The South Siders revealed all the terms. Jimenez gets a $5MM signing bonus and salaries of $1MM (2019), $1.5MM (2020), $3.5MM (2021), $6.5MM (2022), $9.5MM (2023), and $13MM (2024). There’s a $3MM buyout that applies to either of the options, which are priced at $16.5MM and $18.5MM, respectively.

MARCH 20: The White Sox have reportedly struck a historic extension with top prospect Eloy Jimenez. If he passes a physical, Jimenez stands to receive a record-shattering $43MM guarantee over six seasons, with a pair of option years that cost a cumulative $32MM. There’s also said to be a $2.5MM MVP bonus.

This contract will easily set a new bar for early-career extensions. To this point, only two players have ever agreed to pre-MLB debut extensions: Jon Singleton, who signed a $10MM deal with the Astros, and Scott Kingery, who inked a $24MM pact with the Phillies. Deals for players with less than a single season of MLB service haven’t gone much past Kingery’s earning level to this point, with Jimenez’s soon-to-be-teammate Tim Anderson promised $25MM and Paul DeJong of the Cardinals guaranteed $26MM.

Jimenez is widely regarded as one of the game’s five best prospects, but he has yet to take a single MLB plate appearance. The club recently optioned the 22-year-old back to Triple-A. While his showing in Spring Training wasn’t exactly stirring, it’s hard to say that Jimenez has anything to prove in the upper minors after a monster 2018 showing. In 456 total plate appearances at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, Jimenez turned in a .337/.384/.577 slash with 22 home runs and 32 walks to go with 69 strikeouts.

While it’s tempting to view this deal as buying out two potential future free agent seasons, that’s only true if the South Siders would have placed Jimenez on the Opening Day roster this year. Having already demoted him, that was not (and may still not be) the case. Teams that aren’t afraid to hold down top prospects for a few weeks are able to achieve nearly seven full seasons of output before a player reaches free agency.

Realistically, then, the Sox will only be adding one season of control. That might be an extremely valuable campaign, to be sure, as Jimenez will still be only 29 in 2026. The team will also pick up cost certainty over a player whose power potential gives him major arbitration earning upside. With a likely fourth arb-eligible season involved, Jimenez might have challenged for rather staggering sums. Of course, there are also plenty of ways in which he’d fall shy of his arb earning upside — an ill-timed injury, in particular — so there’s some degree of risk to the team and protection to Jimenez even if he turns out to be every bit as good as hoped.

While other aspects of the White Sox’ offseason didn’t turn out as hoped, they’ll now open the 2019 season with another player firmly tabbed as a part of the long-term core. Odds are Jimenez will be joined in the majors this year by top pitching prospect Dylan Cease. Both were acquired in the memorable mid-2017 deal that sent lefty Jose Quintana to the cross-town Cubs. The Quintana contract was one of several extensions that worked out quite well for the White Sox, enabling the team to acquire loads of top prospects when it decided to launch a rebuild. The Pale Hose are still waiting for those youngsters to establish themselves as quality MLB assets, though hope remains that some will reach their long-lauded ceilings — with Jimenez leading the way.

Dominican reporter Hector Gomez first tweeted the agreement. Dinisio Soldevila of Periodico Hoy had the primary contract terms (Twitter links), with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (in a tweet) also contributing. Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) reported that the deal was in place pending physical.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Justin Grimm Opts Out Of Deal With Indians

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Righty Justin Grimm has opted out of his minor-league contract with the Indians, the club announced. He’ll head back onto the open market in search of a new deal.

Grimm, 30, was looking for a chance to bounce back after a brutal 2018 campaign. He performed well in camp, allowing just one earned run while compiling nine strikeouts and four walks in 8 2/3 innings, but obviously didn’t show the Cleveland organization enough to command a roster spot.

While the results haven’t been there of late, Grimm was a solid pen arm for the Cubs not so long ago. Between 2014 and 2016, he compiled 171 1/3 innings of 3.36 ERA ball with 10.6 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9.

Matt Olson Undergoes Hand Surgery

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Athletics first baseman Matt Olson has undergone hand surgery, per a club announcement. The procedure “involved a right hamate excision,” according to the team.

Olson’s timeline to return to competitive action is not yet clear, though there are plenty of comparable situations to look to for precedent. Hamate removals are rather common for hitters; the typical prognosis is a return within six to eight weeks, though that’s only a general expectation.

Soon to turn 25, Olson was looking to follow up on a strong first full season of MLB action. He played in all 162 games in 2018, slashing .247/.335/.435 (117 wRC+) and swatting 29 long balls in 660 plate appearances.

Instead, he’ll be sidelined for a decent chunk of the early action. While it seems reasonable to hope he’ll be at full health for most of the season, hamate procedures are generally associated with some reduced power for a time once a player returns to action.

It’s not clear just yet how the A’s will fill in while Olson is sidelined. Mark Canha is the only other player on the 40-man roster with extensive experience at first base. Old friend Danny Valencia is still on the open market, as is Logan Morrison, if thought is given to outside additions. The organization may also look at players that are just now being made available by other organizations.

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