• Outfielder Jerry Sands has signed on with the indy ball Somerset Patriots, per a club announcement. While plenty of former big leaguers land in the independent leagues — with a fair number making it back — it’s quite a surprise to see Sands take that route at this stage of his career. The 29-year-old Sands has seen action in five MLB campaigns, including last year with the White Sox, compiling a pedestrian .238/.303/.367 batting line in less than 500 total plate appearances. But he has handled lefties at a productive .285/.335/.477 clip in the majors and has been rather productive during his six seasons of action at Triple-A (.266/.351/.478). Sands did fall well shy of that mark during his time at the highest level of the minors in 2016, though, which may explain why he failed to attract a strong enough opportunity to land with an affiliated club.
• The Rangers have announced the signing of Adam Loewen to a minor-league deal, which includes an invitation to MLB camp. Loewen, 32, switched from pitching to hitting and then back again. He appeared briefly in the majors in each of the last two seasons, with the Phillies and then the Diamondbacks, though the results were rather forgettable. Loewen did post a 3.91 ERA over forty relief appearances at Triple-A in 2016, though he averaged 6.1 walks to go with 10.6 strikeouts per nine.
• Also joining the Rangers on a minors pact is fellow southpaw Bobby LaFromboise, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). He won’t receive an invite, though, so he’ll have to earn his way into the MLB picture with a strong showing. LaFromboise, 30, has appeared in parts of three MLB seasons, compiling a 3.63 ERA with 23 strikeouts against just five walks in his 22 1/3 total innings. Despite entering camp last year with a shot at making the Phillies’ roster, LaFromboise fell apart early at Triple-A and was released over the summer. Over his 16 2/3 innings, the lefty allowed 11 earned runs (and 17 total runs) on 29 hits over 16 2/3 innings, striking out just eight batters while allowing nine free passes. That stat line was uncharacteristic for a pitcher who had typically performed quite well in the upper minors, but perhaps the long layoff will afford him a chance to return to form.

• The D-backs have outrighted left-hander Adam Loewen to Triple-A Reno following last week’s DFA. The 32-year-old has spent time as both a pitcher and an outfielder over the life of his pro career but has returned to the mound for the past few seasons. He yielded 10 runs in six big league innings with the D-backs this year but had a 3.43 ERA in 39 1/3 innings with Reno prior to the original purchase of his contract. Loewen has whiffed 44 batters in that time, but he’s also walked 28, demonstrating some significant control problems.
• Outfielder Daniel Robertson has been outrighted to Triple-A by the Mariners. He, too, was designated for assignment last week but, like Loewen, ultimately cleared waivers. The 30-year-old can handle all three outfield positions and has a solid .289/.361/.394 batting line in parts of five Triple-A seasons to go along with a .277/.322/.325 slash in 298 big league PAs.
• The Angels have outrighted second baseman Sean Coyle to Double-A after he was designated for assignment last weekend. The Halos picked up the former Red Sox prospect on waivers earlier this year, but his .140/.252/.237 slash in 110 plate appearances with the Angels’ Double-A affiliate led to the loss of his 40-man roster spot.
• The Angels also released fleet-footed outfielder Quintin Berry from their Triple-A affiliate. The 31-year-old Berry batted .270/.348/.325 with 35 stolen bases in 45 attempts over the life of 100 games/395 plate appearances this season. Berry’s wheels have landed him a big league job in each of the past three Septembers, and another club could look to add him to the 40-man roster when rosters expand in September in order to give its manager a late-inning weapon on the basepaths.
• Left-hander Josh Outman has been released by the Pirates. The 31-year-old inked a minor league deal with Pittsburgh earlier this summer and wound up posting a 4.95 ERA in 20 innings with the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis. That number isn’t exactly eye-catching, but Outman did post a solid 15-to-3 K/BB ratio and, in 23 plate appearances, limited left-handed hitters to a miserable .100/.217/.100 batting line with eight punchouts, so perhaps a team in need of a lefty specialist will consider him for the season’s final month.

Loewen, 32, has seen big league action as a starter, an outfielder, and — most recently — a reliever. He struggled through six innings for the D-Backs during a brief stint, allowing ten earned runs while issuing six walks and recording only three strikeouts.

The multi-functional ballplayer had been much more effective at Triple-A this year, where he recorded a 3.52 ERA in 38 1/3 innings and racked up 9.6 K/9. On the other hand, he also handed out a troubling 28 free passes in that span, continuing a longstanding battle with control.

Loewen was taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Orioles. He showed promise as a starter in the Baltimore farm system, but was never able to stick at the major league level. Loewen switched to the position-player side in 2009, and again moved through the minor league ranks — this time with the Blue Jays. Despite posting a .306/.377/.508 slash in 585 Triple-A plate appearances in 2011, though, he earned only a brief big league cameo as a hitter that year and eventually moved back to the rubber.

The DFA of Collmenter, who was Arizona’s Opening Day starter in 2015, is at least somewhat surprising. While the right-hander has had mixed results after assuming a bullpen role this season, he’s pitched to a 4.84 ERA with 17 strikeouts against 11 walks to go along with a 47.7 percent ground-ball rate this season. Collmenter has made 15 appearances and, as the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro points out (via Twitter), delivered a scoreless outing in 12 of those games. However, he’s been torched in his other three appearances, allowing four runs in each of them, resulting in his lackluster earned run average.

Collmenter is earning just $1.85MM this season, and his track record — 3.49 ERA in 637 MLB innings prior to this season — makes that a reasonable enough price to expect that the D-backs could get some trade interest in him. At the very least, Collmenter’s salary is reasonable enough that a contending club in need of arms could place a claim if he’s placed on waivers.

Freeman, 28, made his big league debut in Arizona this season and went hitless in 11 plate appearances. He’s a career .315/.376/.421 hitter in Triple-A and has significant experience at second base and all three outfield positions.

• The Phillies announced that they’ve outrighted seven players from the 40-man roster. Right-hander Justin De Fratus, catcher Erik Kratz, infielder Chase d’Arnaud, outfielder Jordan Danks and lefties Adam Loewen and Ken Roberts were all outrighted off the roster. Additionally, right-hander Jonathan Pettibone was activated from the 60-day DL and outrighted. The 27-year-old De Fratus has been a regular member of the Philadelphia bullpen for the past three seasons but struggled to a 5.51 ERA in 80 innings this season. Pettibone, 25, tossed 100 1/3 solid innings for the Phils in 2013 but has struggled to recover from shoulder surgery. He threw just three innings last year and didn’t pitch in the Majors in 2015.
• The Angels announced today that infielder Grant Green has cleared outright waivers and will be assigned to Triple-A. Green, 28, was designated for assignment just before the end of the regular season. He was once a prized young player, and continues to perform in the upper minors, but has slashed just .249/.283/.335 over an even 300 career plate appearances. Notably, the move does not necessarily mean that Los Angeles will be able to stash Green in the minors. Now that he’s off of the 40-man, he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency.

The Orioles made Loewen the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft as a pitcher, ahead of future stars like Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels and Prince Fielder. He quickly climbed through the minors despite control problems, joining the Orioles’ rotation in 2006, when he was 22.

Two years later, though, elbow injuries necessitated a career change, and Loewen announced that he would instead become an outfielder and first baseman instead. “That was a crazy decision,” says Loewen, via Baseball America’s Alexis Brudnicki. “I don’t know where I came up with the (guts) to do that.”

The Orioles allowed Loewen to depart via free agency after the 2008 season, and the Canadian-born player signed on with the Blue Jays. He had several modestly productive offensive seasons in the Jays and Mets systems and currently boasts a .262/.355/.429 minor league line, and he returned to the big leagues as a hitter in 2011, but only briefly.

After becoming a free agent following the 2013 season, Loewen played in the Venezuelan Winter League. There, he discovered that his arm no longer hurt when he tried to pitch, as CSNPhilly.com’s John Finger wrote last year. “I had five years to rest my arm from the injury that ended my pitching career at the time,” Loewen explained.

The Phillies heard that Loewen was working out as a pitcher, and they signed him after a tryout in Arizona. Loewen spent most of last season in the rotation at Double-A Reading, where he battled control problems (4.6 BB/9) but was effective overall. Then he took a big step forward in the high minors in 2015, still walking plenty of batters but increasing his strikeout rate to a robust 11.3 K/9 and posting a 2.01 ERA in 58 1/3 innings.

That’s earned him a spot on the big-league roster with the rebuilding Phillies, and he’s hoping to make the most of it, as CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury writes. “I’ve been really blessed to have a third opportunity,” Loewen says. “I feel lucky to be here.”

Loewen is 31, but he only has two-plus years of service time under his belt, so the Phillies could conceivably control him for several more years if the experiment goes well. If the Phillies do retain him, he’ll likely be eligible for arbitration after the season.

• The Rangers have released minor league southpaw Rafael Perez, tweets Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. The 31-year-old was a valuable member of the Indians' bullpen from 2007-12 (with the exception of a disappointing '09 campaign) but hasn't pitched in the bigs since that time due to shoulder surgery. Perez put up solid numbers with the Twins' and Red Sox' minor league affiliates last season and had yielded three runs with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings at Triple-A this year.
• The Phillies have signed outfielder Adam Loewen to a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transactions page. Loewen, 30, was once rated as high as the 13th overall prospect in the game by Baseball America — as a pitcher. He transitioned to the field since having his career derailed by elbow issues, and last year posted a .267/.359/.435 line in 496 plate appearances, most of them coming at the Double-A level. But Loewen will return to the hill with Philadelphia, according to a tweet from Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.
• Righty Matt Neil has agreed to a minor league contract with the Rays, also via the MLB transactions page. The 27-year-old had spent his first three years in the Marlins organization. Last year, splitting time between starting and relieving at both upper-minor levels, Neil threw to a 3.70 ERA in 109 1/3 frames. 
• As MLBTR's DFA Tracker shows, White Sox reliever Donnie Veal has just joined Lucas Harrell (Astros) and Sam Fuld (Athletics) in DFA limbo.

• The Nationals have signed Delwyn Young to a minor league contract, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (on Twitter). Young has a career line of .258/.317/.393 in 779 plate appearances for the Dodgers and Pirates. He posted just a .569 OPS for the Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League last season. The second baseman/outfielder did not receive an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
• The Blue Jays signed outfielder Adam Loewen to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training, the team announced. The 28-year-old native of Surrey, British Columbia returns to the Blue Jays organization following a season with the Mets’ top affiliate. Loewen played at Triple-A Buffalo (now Toronto's International League affiliate) last year and posted a .227/.328/.391 batting line with eight home runs in 238 plate appearances. The former pitching prospect spent the 2009-11 seasons in the Blue Jays organization.

• The Braves have signed 14 players to minor league contracts according to a press release, including righty reliever Adam Russell, utility man Drew Sutton, lefty reliever Dusty Hughes, and infielder Josh Wilson. The full list can be found here.
• The Mets signed outfielder Adam Loewen, according to Eddy. Loewen, the fourth overall selection in the 2002 draft, successfully completed the transition from left-handed pitcher to outfielder in 2011. He posted a .306/.377/.508 line with 46 doubles at Triple-A before appearing in 14 games with the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays removed the Surrey, British Columbia native from their roster after the regular season, but maintained some interest in him.
• The Mariners signed left-hander Steve Garrison, according to Eddy. Garrison, 25, appeared in one game for the Yankees this past season and posted a 5.58 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 as a starter in the minors.
• The Red Sox signed right-hander Will Inman and left-hander Justin Thomas for bullpen depth, according to Eddy.
• The Twins re-signed left-hander Phil Dumatrait, according to Eddy.

• The Braves signed outfielder Jordan Parraz to a minor league deal with an adjusted big league salary, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). The deal includes an invitation to Spring Training
• Dan Johnson, who was outrighted earlier today, has elected free agency, according to the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter).
• Utility player Pete Orr re-signed a minor league deal with the Phillies, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (on Twitter). The deal includes an invitation to Spring Training.
• The Blue Jays signed 16-year-old right-hander Jesus Tinoco out of Venezuela, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Meanwhile, the Reds signed 16-year-old righthander Soid Marquez.
• Here's a note for the diehard transactions fans out there: the Blue Jays actually released Adam Loewen, tweets Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star (the team announced that it had outrighted Loewen this morning). The Blue Jays would have interest in re-signing Loewen to play at Triple-A if he doesn't find a better offer. Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi tweets that Loewen became a six-year minor league free agent.
• The A's signed right-hander Edgar Gonzalez to a minor league deal, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 28-year-old appeared in one game with the Rockies in 2011, but spent most of the season at Triple-A. He posted a 5.00 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 133 1/3 innings for the top affiliates of the Rays and Rockies.

• The Rays might not have made the playoff were it not for Dan Johnson's heroics in the final game of the regular season, but he's no longer on Tampa Bay's roster. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the Rays outrighted Johnson to Triple-A (Twitter links). The first baseman can elect free agency.
• The Mariners announced that they outrighted left-hander Anthony Vasquez to Triple-A. The 25-year-old posted a 8.90 ERA with 4.0 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 29 1/3 innings for Seattle in 2011. Vasquez must accept the assignment.
• The Blue Jays announced that they outrighted outfielder Adam Loewen and reliever Jesse Carlson off of their 40-man roster. Loewen, the fourth overall selection in the 2002 draft, successfully completed the transition from left-handed pitcher to outfielder in 2011. He posted a .306/.377/.508 line with 46 doubles at Triple-A before appearing in 14 games with the Blue Jays. 
• Carlson, 30, spent the 2011 season on the disabled list after experiencing arm soreness in Spring Training and undergoing season-ending rotator cuff surgery in May. Carlson would have been arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason and his projected salary of $700K made him a clear non-tender candidate.

• The Pirates have been asking around for a catcher but have found that the asking prices are high as clubs want to take advantage of their situation, tweets Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.  Pittsburgh is in a bind with Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder on the disabled list.
• As the Giants look for infield help, ESPN's Buster Olney (via Twitter) says that Orlando Cabrera is a name to keep an eye on.  The veteran just lost his everyday job in Cleveland and the Giants were close to inking him over the winter.
• After the Orioles tabbed Dylan Bundy with the fourth overall pick in the draft, Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun takes a look at Adam Loewen, the No. 4 pick that got away.
• Major League Baseball and the players' association have discussed doing away with divisions altogether and balancing out the leagues to 15 teams each, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney.  The new structure would have teams vying for five playoff spots in each league.  The odds of this happening, however, are still less than 50-50, according to one source.
• Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times says that Trent Oeltjen could have become a free agent if the Dodgers didn't add him to the Major League roster by June 15th (Twitter link). Oeltjen was called up two days ago.
• In a piece for ESPN, Jim Bowden wrote about how GM's prepare to make trades, a process that usually begins with low-ball offers being exchanged.
• The writers at FanGraphs conducted a franchise player draft, selecting a player they would build a team around. Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki were the first two off the board.
• The Royals have signed 16 draft picks according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel. The highest signed pick was ninth rounder Aaron Brooks.

Here are a few links from the baseball blogosphere…

• U.S.S. Mariner dubs the Twins as the favorites to land Cliff Lee this summer.
• Camden Chat likes the Orioles' draft haul, but thinks it could have been better.  
• Bernie's Crew uses Milwaukee's roster to show that the later rounds of the draft can be productive as well.
• More Hardball looks at the bang Jonny Gomes has provided for the Reds' buck.
• Liam McGuire's Blog wonders if Adam Loewen is the second coming of Rick Ankiel.
• 1 Blue Jays Way interviewed Tom Filer, former big leaguer and current pitching coach for the Altoona Curve, Pittsburgh's Double-A affiliate.
• Baseball Opinion examines the best and worst picks of the 2005 draft.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

1:57pm: It sounds like Gaston’s pitch worked – Orioles president Andy MacPhail expects Loewen to sign with the Blue Jays.  It’s not about money, but rather Loewen’s lifelong dream to play ball in Canada.

FRIDAY, 10:02am: Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says Jays manager Cito Gaston called Loewen to sell him on the organization.  Elliott says the Mariners and Orioles also want to sign the converted outfielder.  Roch Kubatko is convinced Loewen will re-sign with Baltimore.

THURSDAY: Loewen cleared waivers; he’s now a free agent.  He’s receiving more interest than anticipated.

TUESDAY: According to Roch Kubatko at  MASN Online, the Orioles released Adam Loewen yesterday.  Loewen was chosen fourth overall in the 2002 draft.

Loewen reached the Majors and tallied 164 innings, but elbow problems prompted him to reinvent himself as an outfielder this summer.  According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles hope Loewen will clear waivers today so they can sign him to a minor league deal.  He is out of options, but the Orioles want to be able to send him to the minors.  If claimed, Loewen would need to remain on the 40-man roster and would earn $700K.  Orioles GM Andy MacPhail doesn’t expect that to happen, nor does he expect Loewen to ink a minor league deal with another club.