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Kila Ka'aihue

Minor Moves: Solano, Parrino, Magill, Ka’aihue

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…

  • The Marlins announced that recently designated catcher Jhonatan Solano has been outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans after clearing waivers. The 29-year-old catcher was designated on Saturday to clear room for starter Justin Nicolino. Solano has been designated and outrighted twice in 2015 alone, and as a player who’s previously been outrighted, he’ll have the option of rejecting the assignment in favor of free agency.
  • Similarly, the Athletics announced today that Andy Parrino, who was designated for assignment last week, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A. The 29-year-old infielder has a .524 OPS in 131 games spent in very pitcher-friendly home environments (San Diego, Oakland). He has a solid .745 OPS in parts of five seasons at the Triple-A level. He, like Solano, has been previously outrighted and has the option to elect free agency.
  • In his latest Minor League Transactions roundup, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy runs down a significant amount of undrafted free agents that have signed with teams this week. He also, as usual, has several previously unreported minor league signings and releases. Among the notable names in this week’s roundup are right-hander Matt Magill and first baseman Kila Ka’aihue. Magill, who underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year, re-signed on a minor league deal with the Reds to continue his rehab. He’d been released to clear a 40-man spot. Ka’aihue, who was released by the Nationals, signed a minor league pact with the Marlins. The Hawaiian slugger hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2012 and struggled through 140 PAs with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate. He hit .258/.358/.443 over the past two seasons in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp and has a strong minor league track record.

Minor Moves: Kila Ka’aihue

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Here are today’s minor moves from around baseball.

  • The Nationals have signed first baseman Kila Ka’aihue to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson tweets. The lefty-hitting Ka’aihue spent 2014 and part of 2013 with the Hiroshima Carp in Japan, where he batted a combined .258/.358/.443. Before that, the 30-year-old played parts of four seasons with the Royals and Athletics, never catching on in the big leagues despite impressive Triple-A performances.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp Sign Kila Ka’aihue

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First baseman Kila Ka'aihue has signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, according to reports from JapanBall.com and Japanese outlet Chugoku Shimbun last week.  Ka'aihue is represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council, according to the MLBTR Agency Database. 

Ka'aihue is set to arrive in Japan on on the 17th, according to Chugoku.  Carp Owner Hajime Matsuda is excited about the addition of Ka'aihue, saying, "His swing is sharper than [Carp first baseman Brad] Eldred's. We're expecting him to provide power and hopefully encourage [outfielder Fred] Lewis."  The Chugoku Shimbun reports that Ka'aihue received a glowing report from Erik Schullstrom, a former MLB and NPB pitcher who now works as a U.S.-based scout for Hiroshima.

The 29-year-old hit .313/.426/.620 in 235 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks' triple-A affiliate before being released earlier this month.  Ka'aihue has a .221/.305/.382 line across parts of four big-league seasons with the Royals and the A's, although he has seen more success in the minors, with a .858 OPS over 5076 PA. 

MLBTR Contributor Aaron Steen contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Kila Ka’aihue, Erik Hamren

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We'll keep track of today's minor moves here..

  • The Braves have traded minor league right-hander Erik Hamren to the Rays and he will report to Double-A Montgomery, tweeted the Mississippi Braves (Atlanta's Double-A affiliate). The Rays will give up future considerations, tweets Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune. Hamren has 14 MLB appearances to his credit, all with the Padres in 2011, good for a 4.38 ERA, 7.3K/9, and 6.6 BB/9 in 12 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old has made 13 relief appearances for Double-A Mississippi this year with a line of 2.55 ERA, 9.2 K/9, and 4.1 BB/9 in 17 2/3 innings.  
  • The Diamondbacks announced that they have released Kila Ka'aihue from Triple-A Reno.  The first baseman had an out clause in his minor league deal with the club, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic (via Twitter).  The Hawaiian has spent parts of four seasons at the big league level – most recently with the A's last year – with a slash line of .221/.305/.382.  Ka'aihue did quite well at Reno this year, hitting .313/.426/.620 with 16 homers in 235 plate appearances.

Edward Creech contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Maier, Sutton, Lewis, Ka’aihue, Reed

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We'll track the day's minor league signings right here:

Minor Moves: Ka’aihue, Hinshaw, Luna, Pirates

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We’ll keep track of the day’s minor moves here…

  • The White Sox signed catcher Bryan Anderson and left-hander David Purcey to minor league deals, Eddy reports (on Twitter). 
  • The Diamondbacks signed Kila Ka'aihue, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports (on Twitter). The 28-year-old appeared in 39 games for the Athletics this past season, posting a .234/.295/.398 batting line.
  • The Blue Jays announced that they signed outfielder Ricardo Nanita and left-hander Alex Hinshaw to minor league contracts. Nanita played for the Blue Jays' Triple-A team in 2012, hitting 12 home runs. Hinshaw appeared in 33 games for the Padres and Cubs in 2012, posting a 6.04 ERA. The team also confirmed its minor league contracts with infielder Jim Negrych and right-hander Neil Wagner.
  • The Chunichi Dragons have agreed to sign utility player Hector Luna to a one-year, $450K deal that includes $200K in incentives, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com reports (on Twitter). Luna, 32, appeared in 28 games for the Phillies this past season, playing first base, third base and left field. In seven seasons at the MLB level, he has a .262/.314/.385 batting line.
  • The Pirates announced that they’ve agreed to sign right-handers Brooks Brown and Erik Cordier to minor league contracts with invitations to Spring Training. The club also announced minor league deals with right-handers David Bromberg and Luis Sanz, and infielder Alex Valdez. Finally, the Pirates officially announced their minor league deal with former MLB outfielder Felix Pie.

Minors Moves: Hill, Carlson, Ka’aihue

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We'll keep track of today's minor league moves here, with the latest up top..

Athletics Designate Kila Ka’aihue For Assignment

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The Athletics announced that they designated first baseman Kila Ka'aihue for assignment. They selected the contracts of Brandon Moss and Evan Scribner and placed Andrew Carignan on the 15-day disabled list in related moves.

Ka'aihue appeared in 39 games for the A's this year, posting a .234/.295/.398 batting line in 139 plate appearances. The 28-year-old has a .687 OPS with 15 home runs in 465 career plate appearances for the Royals and A's. Oakland acquired him from Kansas City for Ethan Hollingsworth last September.

AL West Notes: Sizemore, Ka’aihue, Abreu, Rangers

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This time next year the Houston Astros will be about to join the AL West, but for now it remains baseball's only four-team division. Here's the latest news, starting with a serious injury…

  • The Athletics announced that third baseman Scott Sizemore has a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the 2012 season.
  • An A's official tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that the club is high on Josh Donaldson as a possible replacement for Sizemore (Twitter link). However, today's news makes the A's person "want to vomit." 
  • The Athletics would likely have interest in Angels infielder Alberto Callaspo if they explore the trade market for a third baseman, Slusser wrote Sunday. The A's probably wouldn't part with a significant prospect for him, however.
  • Athletics first baseman Kila Ka'aihue told Jane Lee of MLB.com that he was always looking over his shoulder with the Royals. "They never really wanted me there," he said. "I always did well enough to hang around but was always passed up." Ka'aihue is competing for the first base job in Oakland. 
  • The Angels plan to find Bobby Abreu regular playing time –perhaps 400 plate appearances or so — and the left-handed hitter is ‘fine’ with the arrangement, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com writes. Earlier this month Abreu told ESPN Deportes that he would like to be traded if the Angels don't find him an everyday role. 
  • Not counting team president Nolan Ryan and special assistant Greg Maddux, do the Rangers have an ace? Jerry Crasnick asks this question at ESPN.com, pointing out that the two-time defending AL Champions have lost Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson to free agency since 2010. "If we don't have a No. 1, we're stacked with 2s," pitching coach Mike Maddux said. "And that's OK.''

Athletics Acquire Kila Ka’aihue

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The Athletics acquired first baseman Kila Ka'aihue from the Royals for minor league pitcher Ethan Hollingsworth, according to press releases from the teams.  The A's recalled and transferred Joey Devine to the 60-day DL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Ka'aihue.

Ka'aihue was designated for assignment by the Royals last Wednesday.  The 27-year-old had a crack at the Royals' first base job coming into the season but was benched before the end of April.  In four separate Triple-A stints, Ka'aihue has proven his ability to draw a walk in 15-20% of his plate appearances.  His power has seemed to come and go, however.  The A's had penciled in another walk-happy first baseman before the season in Daric Barton, but he was optioned to Triple-A in June and went down with a torn labrum the following month.

Hollingsworth, 24, posted a 3.76 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9 in 105 1/3 innings this year between Double and Triple-A.  The A's had acquired him in January from Colorado for Clayton Mortensen.

Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star first reported the trade on Twitter.

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