Sergio Alcantara

Cubs Designate Sergio Alcantara For Assignment

By Steve Adams | March 23, 2022 at 11:55am CDT

The Cubs have designated infielder Sergio Alcantara for assignment, per a team announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to veteran reliever Mychal Givens, whose previously reported one-year deal has now been formally announced by the team.

Claimed off waivers out of the Tigers organization in Feb. 2021, Alcantara wound up appearing in 89 games with Chicago — most of which came after the team had stripped down the roster with a July fire sale that saw Kris Bryant, Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo traded (among others). The 25-year-old Alcantara logged 255 plate appearances with the Cubs but managed only a tepid .205/.303/.327 batting line during that stretch — his first extended look at the MLB level. He’d previously had a brief 10-game, 23-plate appearance cup of coffee with Detroit in 2020.

In addition to that lackluster showing in the big leagues, Alcantara owns a pedestrian .261/.340/.317 batting line in 822 plate appearances at the Double-A level. He did hit .305/.447/.451 in a small sample of 103 Triple-A plate appearances in 2021, but that’s an outlier relative to his overall body of work in the minors. Offense, however, has never Alcantara’s calling card anyhow. He’s regarded as a plus defensive player at shortstop who can also handle second base and third base. He’s also walked in 11.1% of his minor league plate appearances against a 17.1% strikeout rate, showing solid bat-to-ball skills and a good knowledge of the strike zone.

An above-average runner with a strong throwing arm and good defensive skills on the whole, Alcantara could potentially be of interest to clubs around the league as they evaluate bench options for the expanded 28-man roster early in the season. He has a minor league option year remaining as well, so he can provide some additional bench flexibility throughout the season. The Cubs will have a week to trade Alcantara or attempt to pass him through outright waivers.

Injured List Returns: Hoerner, Benintendi, Villar, Snell

By Mark Polishuk | July 4, 2021 at 5:36pm CDT

The Cubs activated Nico Hoerner off the 10-day injured list prior to today’s 3-2 loss to the Reds, with infielder Sergio Alcantara optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Hoerner has been out of action since May 26 due to a left hamstring strain, and that was after already missing time earlier in May with a left forearm strain. Since Hoerner wasn’t called up from the alternate training site until April 22, today marked only the 22nd game of the season for the former top prospect.

Hoerner only showed flashes of his promise during the 2019-20 seasons, but was off to a strong start this year, hitting .338/.405/.432 in his first 84 plate appearances of the 2021 campaign. The Cubs are desperate for any sort of reinforcements, as a nine-game losing streak has sent them spiraling down the NL Central standings and down to an even 42-42 record.

More on some notable names returning to action today…

Andrew Benintendi was activated off the Royals’ 10-day IL prior to the team’s 6-2 loss to the Twins. A right rib fracture sent Benintendi to the IL on June 14, and the relatively quick return is a particularly good sign considering that rib injuries essentially ruined the outfielder’s 2020 season. Benintendi had done a good job of bouncing back from that down year, hitting .283/.340/.429 with eight home runs over 241 plate appearances. The Royals optioned Edward Olivares to Triple-A to make room for Benintendi’s activation.
In between games of their doubleheader with the Yankees, the Mets activated infielder Jonathan Villar off the 10-day IL, with outfielder Albert Almora Jr. going down to Triple-A. Villar had a retroactive placement of June 22 with a right calf strain, so he’ll miss only slightly beyond the 10-day minimum. Amidst multiple injuries within the Mets’ infield this season, Villar has ended up being a major contributor, hitting .246/.333/.410 with six homers in 208 PA while seeing the bulk of action as New York’s starting third baseman.
Blake Snell tossed four shutout innings in the Padres’ 11-1 rout of the Phillies today, as Snell was activated off the injured list in time for the start. Snell was technically placed on the COVID-related IL while battling a case of food poisoning, which is why he was able to be activated today despite landing on the injured list on June 30. (Snell tested negative for COVID-19.) While Snell has a 4.99 ERA for the season, he has now tossed nine scoreless innings over his last two outings, hinting at a potential turnaround for the lefty’s first season in San Diego. Right-hander Mason Thompson was optioned to Triple-A to create roster space for Snell.

Cubs Select Sergio Alcantara, Designate Tyson Miller

By Anthony Franco | May 30, 2021 at 12:39pm CDT

The Cubs announced this afternoon they’ve selected the contract of infielder Sergio Alcántara. He’ll replace David Bote, who is headed to the 10-day injured list, on the active roster. To clear 40-man roster space, righty Tyson Miller has been designated for assignment.

Originally signed by the Diamondbacks as an international amateur, Alcántara was traded to the Tigers as part of the 2017 deal that sent J.D. Martinez to the desert. The utilityman made a brief MLB debut with Detroit last season, picking up 23 plate appearances, but the Tigers designated him for assignment over the offseason. Chicago claimed Alcántara and then passed him through outright waivers themselves.

Alcántara has begun his tenure in the Cubs organization on a tear. He’s hitting .328/.481/.459 with a pair of homers over his first 79 plate appearances at Triple-A Iowa, his first crack at the minors’ highest level. That’s a substantial improvement over the decent but unspectacular .261/.340/.317 line he’s managed over 872 career plate appearances at Double-A. Alcántara is out of minor league option years, so now that he’s back on the Cubs 40-man roster, he’ll have to stick with the big league club or again be exposed to other teams. For now, he’ll get an opportunity to fill in for Bote, who separated his left shoulder in yesterday’s game.

Miller, ranked by Baseball America over the winter as the #27 prospect in the Cubs system, made a pair of MLB appearances in 2020. He tossed five innings of three-run ball, representing his only major league experience to date. Miller has managed just a 7.33 ERA over 54 career Triple-A innings, but he’s generally been productive up through Double-A. The Cubs will have a week to trade Miller or place him on outright waivers. The 25-year-old still has a pair of option years remaining, so any acquiring club would be free to shuttle him back-and-forth between the majors and Triple-A this season and next, assuming they believe he’s worthy of a 40-man roster spot.

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/20/21

By TC Zencka | February 20, 2021 at 5:06pm CDT

Let’s round up some minor moves from around the game…

Latest Transactions

The Cubs have outrighted infielder Sergio Alcantara to Triple-A, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports (Twitter link). Alcantara was designated for assignment earlier this week, and has been invited to the Cubs’ Major League spring camp. Alcantara only joined the Cubs earlier this month via a waiver claim from the Tigers, as the 24-year-old looks to compete for a roster spot after making his big league debut (10 games, 23 plate appearances) in 2020. Over 2611 career minor league PA, Alcantara has hit .256/.340/.318.
The Rangers announced that right-hander Jimmy Herget has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, though Herget will still be invited to the big league Spring Training camp. Herget was designated for assignment earlier this week. Selected off waivers from the Reds last winter, Herget posted a 3.20 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings for Texas last season, but control was a major issue, as he also walked 14 batters.

Earlier Today

The Indians announced the signing of Ryan Lavarnway to a minor league deal. The 33-year-old catcher has received an invite to spring training. The former Red Sox farmhand appeared in five games with the Marlins in 2020, collecting four singles in 11 plate appearances. He has generally served as catching depth with occasional stints at the big league level, though he hasn’t seen more than a few games worth of action since 2015. Since debuting with Boston in 2011, Lavarnway has gone on to log Major League playing time with the Orioles, Braves, A’s, Pirates, Reds, and Marlins. For his career, he owns a triple slash line of .215/.272/.344 in 456 plate appearances over nine seasons, with a 6.8 percent walk rate and 24.1 percent strikeout rate.

Cubs Designate Sergio Alcantara For Assignment

By Steve Adams | February 18, 2021 at 9:10am CDT

The Cubs announced this morning that infielder Sergio Alcantara has been designated for assignment. He’d been claimed off waivers from the Tigers earlier in the month, but his roster spot will now go to righty Brandon Workman, whose previously reported one-year deal is now official.

The 24-year-old Alcantara made his MLB debut with Detroit in 2020 and had three hits, including a homer, in 23 plate appearances. The long ball was surprising, as Alcantara has shown virtually no power in seven minor league seasons (nine home runs in 2611 plate appearances).

The Cubs now have a week to trade Alcantara, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him. Alcantara is out of minor league options, so any team that claims him will either need to carry him on its Opening Day roster as a glove-first utility option or again designate him for assignment.

Cubs Claim Sergio Alcantara

By Steve Adams | February 5, 2021 at 4:10pm CDT

The Cubs have claimed infielder Sergio Alcantara off waivers from the Tigers, per announcements from both clubs. Detroit designated him for assignment last week to make roster space for Wilson Ramos. Chicago’s 40-man roster is up to 38 players.

Alcantara, 24, made his big league debut with the Tigers last season and had three hits, including a homer, in 23 trips to the plate. The long ball was a bit surprising, as Alcantara has shown virtually no power in seven minor league seasons (nine home runs in 2611 plate appearances).

Lack of pop notwithstanding, Alcantara is regarded as a slick-fielding option at shortstop and can handle second and third base as well. He’s yet to play in Triple-A, thanks to the lack of a minor league season in 2020, but is a .261/.340/.317 hitter in parts of two Double-A campaigns. Alcantara is out of minor league options, so he’ll need to either break camp on the Cubs’ Opening Day roster as a defensive-minded utility piece, or else again be exposed to waivers (or traded).

Tigers Designate Sergio Alcantara

By Connor Byrne | January 29, 2021 at 3:00pm CDT

The Tigers have designated infielder Sergio Alcantara for assignment, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News tweets. His 40-man roster spot will go to newly signed catcher Wilson Ramos.

The Tigers acquired Alcantara from the Diamondbacks as part of the teams’ 2017 trade centering on outfielder/designated hitter J.D. Martinez. But Alcantara, who turned 24 last July, hasn’t amounted to much so far in the pros. He made his major league debut last season and batted a measly .143/.217/.381 with one home run.

While it’s hard to judge Alcantara based on the mere 23 plate appearances he totaled in the bigs in 2020, his minor league production also hasn’t been great. He has topped out at Double-A there and has slashed .256/.340/.318 in 2,611 trips to the plate.

Tigers Place Niko Goodrum On 10-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | September 5, 2020 at 7:03pm CDT

The Tigers have placed shortstop Niko Goodrum on the 10-day injured list due to a right oblique strain. The placement is retroactive to September 2. Infielder Sergio Alcantara has been recalled from the Tigers’ alternate training site to take Goodrum’s spot on the active roster.

After impressing as a super-utilityman in his first two seasons in Detroit, Goodrum has exclusively played shortstop this season with rather mixed results. In the field, Goodrum has been more than solid, with an +8.7 UZR/150 and +2 Defensive Runs Saved in 248 innings at shortstop that backs up his similar numbers at the position (over 326 2/3 innings) in 2019.

At the plate, however, Goodrum has hit only .186/.264/.381 over 129 PA — a big step down from his unspectacular but serviceable .247/.318/.427 slash line over 964 PA in 2018-19. The switch-hitting Goodrum is posting similar hard-contact numbers from 2019, but there is much more swing-and-miss in his game, as his strikeout rate has ballooned from 29.2% in 2019 to 38.8% in 2020.

Manager Ron Gardenhire suggested (to the Detroit News’ Chris McCosky and other media) that Goodrum could potentially only hit right-handed for the remainder of the year, as the oblique only bothers the shortstop when he swings from the left side. Given the lingering nature of oblique injuries, it can’t be ruled out that Goodrum has played his last game of 2020, though it’s obviously a good sign that the problem isn’t entirely limiting. Willi Castro will step in as the Tigers’ regular shortstop while Goodrum is sidelined.

Diamondbacks Acquire J.D. Martinez

By Steve Adams | July 18, 2017 at 5:40pm CDT

The Diamondbacks have made a massive move to upgrade their offense, acquiring outfielder J.D. Martinez from the Tigers in exchange for infield prospects Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara and Jose King. Both teams have announced the deal. There’s reportedly no cash changing hands in the deal, so the D-backs are on the hook for the $4.82MM that remains on Martinez’s $11.75MM salary.

In acquiring Martinez, the D-backs will be adding the very best rental bat on the market. The 29-year-old missed the first six weeks of the season due to a sprained ligament in his foot but has stormed back into the lineup with a .305/.388/.630 batting line and 16 homers through 232 plate appearances in 57 games. Arizona currently has Yasmany Tomas on the shelf and has been relying upon Daniel Descalso and Chris Herrmann to take at-bats in left field.

[Related: Updated Detroit Tigers depth chart and Arizona Diamondbacks depth chart]

By picking up Martinez, the Snakes will not only be massively upgrading their lineup, they’ll also be preventing one of their top division rivals and a potential Wild Card opponent, the Rockies, from acquiring the slugger. Colorado had also reportedly expressed interest in Martinez, but he’ll now slot into a D-backs lineup that already features the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb, A.J. Pollock and David Peralta. Beyond that, though, the D-backs will add a drastically needed upgrade against left-handed pitching. Arizona ranks last in the Majors with a 65 wRC+ against lefties, and Martinez’s right-handed bat will be a significant boost.

From a defensive standpoint, Martinez won’t do the D-backs many favors, as he’s rated poorly in right field over the past couple of seasons, perhaps in part due to his foot troubles. (Martinez had graded out quite well in right as recently as 2015.) Then again, Tomas has regularly graded out as one of the game’s worst defenders in left field, while Descalso is an infielder that has been playing left out of necessity.

With Martinez set to be a free agent this offseason, the trade stands to benefit him as well. Because he’s been moved, he’ll no longer be eligible to receive a qualifying offer when the season is up, which should only strengthen his case on the open market.

Of the prospects in the deal, Lugo comes with the most fanfare. He entered the season ranked fourth among D-backs farmhands, according to Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. The 22-year-old is hitting .282/.325/.428 with seven homers, 21 doubles and four triples through 369 plate appearances in Double-A despite being a couple of years younger than the average age of his competition. He’s played shortstop and third base throughout his minor league career. Callis and Mayo note that he could project as a utility player, but he’s made enough strides recently that a future as a regular isn’t out of the question. Given his inclusion in the deal, the Tigers likely view Lugo as a potential regular at either one of those two positions.

Alcantara, also a middle infielder, ranked 15th among Arizona prospects on that same list prior to the season. He’s off to a .279/.344/.362 batting line with three homers, 15 doubles, a pair triples and 11 steals (albeit in 21 tries) in 378 PAs at Class-A Advanced. Also like Lugo, he’s rather young for his level, having turned 21 just last week. Callis and Mayo praise him as an outstanding defender and labeling him a “no-doubt-about-it shortstop.” He has the strongest arm in Arizona’s system, they add, and his glovework is so strong that he needn’t develop much as a hitter to be an everyday player in the Majors.

King, the youngest of the bunch at 18, recently opened his season in the Rookie-level Arizona League after spending the 2016 season in the Dominican Summer League. Baseball America’s Ben Badler ranked King among the best prospects in the DSL, praising his plus-plus speed and noting that he has 50-steal potential to go along with a compact swing and good bat speed. King is also an up-the-middle player and has split his time between shortstop and second base, though Badler notes that his slightly below average arm makes him a better fit at second base rather than shortstop.

Jon Morosi of MLB.com first said the two sides were close to a deal (Twitter link). Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported the deal was in place (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of FanRag and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports/MLB Network noted that the D-backs were sending multiple prospects to Detroit (Twitter links). Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweeted the prospects that were in the deal. Rosenthal tweeted that there’s no cash changing hands in the deal.

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