• The Royals announced a series of minor league signings, including for third baseman Brandon Laird, outfielder Paulo Orlando and right-hander Wilking Rodriguez. Laird, 26, is the younger brother of Gerald Laird and joins the Royals from the Astros, where he received major league playing time in 2013. Orlando, 28, is re-upping with the Royals after six seasons in the organization. The 23-year-old Rodriguez will transition to the Royals after seven seasons in the Rays' farm system. He has a career 3.90 ERA, mostly as a starter, but has never reached Double-A.
• Matt Eddy of Baseball America has updates on a number of clubs' minor league signings. Among those with MLB experience (with links to Twitter): The Rockies will return Bobby Cassevah and Matt McBride, and have added righty Greg Burke. Headed to the Tigers is righty Jhan Marinez, while Gorkys Hernandez and Edinson Rincon will stick with the Royals organization. The Phillies have brought back shortstop Andres Blanco. And the Dodgers inked utility infielder Brendan Harris. Other clubs with new signings include the Orioles, Reds, Marlins,  White Sox, and Athletics. 
• The Cubs have signed outfielder Casper Wells, according to a tweet from Eddy. The team also added righties Paolo Espino and Carlos Pimentel, along with shortstop Jeudy Valdez. Wells got 102 plate appearances with three different clubs last year, posting a meager .126/.186/.147 line that is perhaps understandable given his constant movement and scant playing time. In 2012, over 316 plate appearances with the Mariners, Wells was good for a .228/.302/.396 slash. 
• In addition to bringing back righty Benino Pruneda and catcher Jose Yepez on minor league deals, the Braves have added former Phillies backstop Steven Lerud, tweets Eddy. Lerud appeared in nine games for the Phils between 2012-13. At Triple-A last year, he had an interesting .217/.353/.311 line over 219 plate appearances, as he drew nearly as many walks (35) as he had hits (39).
• Cutting ties with a major international acquisition, the Nationals have released righty Yunesky Maya, Eddy tweets. Washington saw little return on its $6MM investment in Maya, who had been outrighted off of the club's major league roster early in the 2013 season. After struggling in two brief call-ups in 2011-12, Maya's last stint with the Nats was even more regrettable. In his only MLB appearance of the 2013 season, Maya retired one batter in the bottom of the tenth before surrendering a walk-off home run to Pablo Sandoval. 
• The Cubs have released outfielder Dave Sappelt, tweets Eddy. As Eddy notes, Sappelt was one of the pieces — along with lefty Travis Wood and second baseman Ronald Torreyes — picked up by Chicago in the deal that sent Sean Marshall to Cincinnati. The 26-year-old Sappelt has a .251/.301/.343 slash line in 274 plate appearances spread over the 2011-13 seasons. He has spent most of his time in Triple-A over that time frame, and posted a sub-.700 OPS in each of his two years at Iowa.

The Royals claimed Rincon off release waivers from the Padres earlier this season. Formerly one of the Padres' top 10 prospects according to Baseball America, Rincon has seen his stock fall, and injuries have held him to 95 plate appearances this season. In that small sample, he raked at the Rookie-level Arizona League and struggled tremendously in Double-A. In parts of seven minor league seasons, the Dominican native is a .285/.354/.418 hitter, but he's yet to advance past the Double-A level.

Rincon and the other 10 players that are currently in DFA limbo can be monitored using MLBTR's DFA Tracker.

Rincon suffered his injury during minor league Spring Training camp and hasn't appeared in any games at any level this season.  The Padres designated him for assignment last week and requested unconditional release waivers on Rincon on Monday.  Rincon, 22, has a .285/.355/.422 line in 2041 PA in the Padres' farm system since 2007, playing mostly third base but appearing in 27 games as a left fielder last season.

Rincon, 22, suffered an injury in minor league spring training camp and has not appeared in a game this season.  In six seasons in the Padres' farm system, Rincon hit .285/.355/.422 in total 484 games. The infielder has never advanced beyond Double-A.

Rincon ranked ninth among Padres prospects prior to the 2010 season according to Baseball America, but fell to 16th pre-2011 and 19th pre-2012. He did not appear on the team's top 30 list this season. BA praised his ability to control the strike zone, work the count and ability to hit breaking balls. However, his defense was questioned heavily, and BA believed that he was destined to end up as a first baseman due to his lack of speed and poor hands.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Rincon, 22, suffered an injury in minor league spring training camp and has not appeared in a game this season.  In six seasons in the Padres’ farm system, Rincon hit .285/.355/.422 in total 484 games.  The infielder has never advanced beyond Double-A.

Grandal is coming off of serving a 50-game suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.  The 24-year-old catcher had a strong debut season for San Diego last year, hitting .297/.394/.469 with eight homers in 60 games.  Grandal came over from the reds Reds along with right-hander Edinson Volquez, infielder Yonder Alonso, and right-hander Brad Boxberger in exchange for Mat Latos in December of 2011.