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Enmanuel De Jesus

KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes Sign Enmanuel De Jesus

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Left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus has signed on with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization, according to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News. Yoo indicates that the one-year pact between the sides is worth $800K.

De Jesus, 27 last week, signed with the Red Sox out of Venezuela back in 2014. De Jesus spent seven season with Boston working his way up the minor leagues, largely working out of the rotation despite eclipsing 70 innings of work in a season just twice during that time. From 2021 to 2023, De Jesus jumped between Triple-A affiliates with the Red Sox, Giants, and Marlins organizations, pitching to a 4.61 ERA with a 191 1/3 innings of work throughout the time. De Jesus ultimately got his first look in the big leagues as a September call up with Miami this past autumn. He drew two appearances with the Marlins during the stretch run but struggled in those trips to the mound, allowing eight runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out five and hitting three batters across 6 1/3 innings of work.

Despite his limited exposure at the upper levels of the minors and struggles in his two major league appearances, De Jesus has managed to secure a spot overseas, where he’ll be making more than the major league minimum next season. Clearly, the Heroes see something in De Jesus; as Yoo notes, KBO organizations can only sign three foreign players, with a maximum of two pitchers. For Kiwoom to commit one of those two slots to De Jesus, they were surely intrigued by his profile. De Jesus’s career has been marked with inconsistency as he’s switched between starting and relief roles and shuffled throughout multiple levels of the minors and organizations in recent years, but he posted some impressive peripherals in 101 2/3 innings of work with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate in 2022 as he paired a 25.2% strikeout rate with a 42.2% groundball rate.

While De Jesus has yet to establish himself in stateside ball, plenty of players have gone on to has successful careers overseas and even return to the majors later on in their career. Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly is perhaps the most successful pitcher to revitalize his career with a sojourn to Korea, though it’s possible that reigning KBO MVP Erick Fedde will join him after signing a two-year pact with the White Sox earlier this season. At just 27 years old, De Jesus is certainly young enough to return to the majors at some point should he successfully establish himself as a quality starter on the other side of the world.

Marlins Outright Three To Triple-A

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The Marlins outrighted outfielder Jonathan Davis, left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus, and right-hander Jeff Lindgren off their 40-man roster, according to the team’s official transactions page.  Davis and Lindgren can opt for free agency instead of the assignment to Triple-A because they’ve each been previously outrighted during their careers, while De Jesus is likely to wind up in minor league free agency.

Davis first had to be activated from the 60-day injured list before being outrighted, as he has been out of action since undergoing right meniscus surgery back in July.  Davis suffered the injury diving for a ball in center field, and it ended up costing him the remainder of his 2023 season.  The meniscus procedure had a recovery timeline of 3-6 months, so while Davis’ normal offseason routine will be delayed, he can hopefully be ready for Spring Training — whether in the Marlins’ camp, or with another club.

Miami acquired Davis in a trade with the Tigers last May, as the Fish were looking to shore up their center field depth with Jazz Chisholm Jr. recovering from turf toe.  Davis ended up playing in 34 games and making 104 plate appearances (the most of any of his six MLB seasons) before getting hurt.  After being part of five different organizations since August 2021, Davis may now find himself on the move once more, almost surely on another minor league deal.

Davis has a .198/.295/.276 slash line over 205 games and 464 PA at the big league level, appearing in each of the last six seasons.  Despite the lack of offense, Davis is a well-regarded baserunner who can play all three outfield positions, making him a useful depth option at either Triple-A or on a Major League bench.  The outright assignment is essentially an early non-tender for the Marlins, as Davis was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this winter and projected to earn $800K for 2024.

De Jesus made his MLB debut this season, tossing 6 1/3 innings over two appearances and allowing eight earned runs.  That 11.57 ERA notwithstanding, De Jesus could finally call himself a big leaguer after a long minor league career that began in the Red Sox system in 2014.  De Jesus pitched with Boston until he spent the 2022 season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, and he then caught on with the Marlins on a minors contract.

Working as both a starter and reliever over his career, De Jesus has a 4.01 ERA over 749 1/3 innings in the minors as a whole, and a 4.61 ERA in 191 1/3 frames at Triple-A.  The 26-year-old’s control has become an increasing issue over the last couple of years, hampering his success in the upper minors.

Lindgren was a 24th-round pick for the Marlins in the 2019 draft, and he also reached the majors for the first time in 2023, appearing in three games and delivering a 5.14 ERA over seven innings pitched.  The number of appearances didn’t quite outpace the number of outrights, as this is now the fourth time Miami has removed Lindgren from their 40-man roster in 2023.  As such, he could’ve opted into free agency on multiple occasions this season, but since he chose to remain with the Marlins on those previous occasions, he might well choose to stay once more.

Marlins Select Daniel Castano

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The Marlins have selected the contract of left-hander Daniel Castano from Triple-A, according to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (X link).  Southpaw Enmanuel De Jesus will be optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville in the corresponding transaction.

The move brings a fresh arm into Miami’s bullpen, as De Jesus tossed 4 1/3 innings in yesterday’s 8-4 loss to the Phillies.  This marked De Jesus’ Major League debut, as the Fish only selected him to their active roster on Friday.  After that cup of coffee in the Show, De Jesus will head back to Triple-A to be replaced by Castano, whose participation in the 2023 season has also consisted of a single game — one inning of work way back on April 7.

Castano saw more significant action with the Marlins in 2020-22, as he tossed 85 2/3 innings while starting 17 of 22 games during that three-season stretch (while posting a 3.89 ERA).  Since Miami will be using a bullpen game against the Phillies today, Castano looks to be in line for some multi-inning work, or perhaps will just be on hand to provide some extra depth.

Over 57 2/3 innings with Jacksonville this season, Castano has started eight of 18 appearances, posting a 4.06 ERA, a 22.36% strikeout rate, and 8.94% walk rate while also battling some injuries.  The Marlins have also twice designated the lefty for assignment and outrighted him off their 40-man roster in 2023, with Castano foregoing a chance at free agency to accept the outright assignment back in June.

Marlins To Designate Devin Smeltzer, Select Enmanuel De Jesus

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The Marlins plan to designate left-hander Devin Smeltzer for assignment prior to today’s game, reports Noah Berger of Fish On First. Daniel Alvarez Montes of El Extra Base adds that Smeltzer’s spot on the roster will go to southpaw Enmanuel De Jesus, whose contract is being selected from Triple-A Jacksonville.

This marks a jarring fourth DFA of the season for Smeltzer, who signed a minor league contract with Miami over the winter. He’s had his contract selected to the big league roster on four different occasions but been jettisoned to waivers after a brief stay in each instance. Most recently Smeltzer mopped up 3 2/3 innings in yesterday’s blowout loss to the Dodgers. Pitching on his 28th birthday, Smeltzer came into a 6-0 game and was tagged for four runs, though he spared the Marlins from depleting their bullpen in a game that was largely out of hand before he took the mound. In 22 1/3 innings this year, Smeltzer has a 6.45 ERA.

Smeltzer, a former Dodgers draft pick, went to the Twins as part of a Brian Dozier trade and spent parts of four seasons with Minnesota, pitching to a combined 3.99 ERA in 140 innings of work. That includes 70 1/3 frames of 3.71 ERA ball last year, though that success came with a tepid 13.9% strikeout rate. Smeltzer has never missed many bats at the MLB level, evidenced by a career 16.5% strikeout rate, but he’s also only walked 6% of his opponents — a far better-than-average mark. Overall, he has a 4.32 ERA in 162 1/3 big league innings. He’ll be placed back on waivers for a fourth time within the next five days.

De Jesus, 26, will make his big league debut the first time he takes the mound. Originally a Red Sox signee, he spent the 2022 season in the Giants’ minor league system and signed a minor league pact with the Marlins over the winter. He’s pitched 87 minor league frames for the Fish this year (all but seven coming in Triple-A), logging a 4.86 ERA with a 17% strikeout rate, 12.4% walk rate and 40% ground-ball rate.

In parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level, De Jesus has worked to a 4.69 earned run average. He’s been working out of the rotation in Jacksonville and could give Miami some length in the bullpen. The Marlins also still have Sunday’s starter listed as TBD, so De Jesus could potentially be an option that day if he’s not used in relief prior to that contest.

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