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KBO’s Doosan Bears Sign Zach Logue

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The Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization have signed left-hander Zach Logue to an $800K contract, reports Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News. That includes a $100K signing bonus for the MSM Sports Management client. As a corresponding move, Doosan voided its previous agreement with righty Thomas Hatch because of concerns about his physical.

That opens an opportunity for the 28-year-old Logue. The southpaw is coming off an excellent Triple-A showing. Logue pitched 97 1/3 innings of 2.59 ERA ball in the upper minors between the Braves and Dodgers systems. That earned him a late-season cameo with Los Angeles. Logue pitched twice for the Dodgers and gave up four runs over two innings.

Logue has appeared in the majors in three consecutive seasons. The majority of that experience came with the A’s in 2022. He started 10 of 14 appearances that year, struggling to a 6.79 earned run average over 57 innings. Logue made three long relief appearances for the Tigers the following season, allowing nine runs over 11 innings.

The Dodgers declined to tender him a contract last month. He could certainly have found a minor league deal if he wanted to stay in affiliated ball, but he’ll land a much better guarantee with the Bears. This will be Logue’s first overseas work after eight years in the minors. He joins fellow southpaw Cole Irvin and outfielder Jake Cave as the team’s three foreign-born players.

Thomas Hatch Signs With KBO’s Doosan Bears

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The Korea Baseball Organization’s Doosan Bears have signed right-hander Thomas Hatch, per a team announcement (h/t to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO). The 30-year-old will earn $1MM in 2025, paid out as a $200K signing bonus and an $800K salary.

A third-round pick by the Cubs in the 2016 draft, Hatch was shipped to Toronto in the 2019 trade that brought right-hander David Phelps to Chicago. Hatch subsequently made his big league debut with the Blue Jays just a year later during the shortened 2020 season and impressed in his first taste of big league action with a 2.73 ERA in 26 1/3 innings of work. Solid as that top-level run prevention figure was, however, there were some potential red flags under the hood including an 11.9% walk rate and a rather pedestrian 4.14 FIP.

Given those concerning peripherals, it wasn’t necessarily a shock when the wheels came off for Hatch a bit during the 2021 season. The right-hander pitched just 14 innings in the majors with a 10.93 ERA over the next two years as he walked eight batters and struck out 12. In spite of those struggles, he continued to post decent numbers with Triple-A Buffalo and earned a more extensive opportunity in the majors during the 2023 season. It went reasonably well for the right-hander, as he posted a solid 4.08 ERA across 28 2/3 innings of work with the Blue Jays and Pirates. Looking under the hood, Hatch’s performance came with a strong 52.3% groundball rate and a respectable 20.2% strikeout rate while his walk rate dipped to a still elevated but more manageable 9.3%.

Those promising peripherals and improved results got the attention of the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, who signed him to a one-year deal last offseason. That first foray into overseas baseball didn’t go especially well for Hatch, as he was relegated to the Carp’s Western League affiliate for most of the season after struggling with the Central League club. While he dominated in 72 1/3 Western League innings to the tune of a 2.36 ERA, Hatch was torched in the Central League with a 7.36 ERA in 22 innings across five appearances. Those struggles were evidently enough for Hiroshima to part ways with Hatch this winter, leading him to head to South Korea to sign with the Bears. In the KBO, Hatch will lock down a larger salary than he would’ve been able to find in stateside ball and hope to re-establish himself as a pitcher, potentially opening the door to a more lucrative return to either NPB or MLB play in the future.

Thomas Hatch, Taylor Hearn Reportedly Sign With NPB’s Hiroshima Carp

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The Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s NPB have signed a pair of hurlers who pitched in the majors this past season. According to Yahoo Japan (Japanese language link), the Carp have agreed to deals with left-hander Taylor Hearn and right-hander Thomas Hatch. The report indicates Hiroshima’s agreement with Hearn is worth $900K in total, while Hatch’s deal is reportedly worth a total of $1.3MM. Hatch was released by the Pirates late last month and was initially expected to sign with the Nippon-Ham Fighters prior to landing a deal with the Carp. Hearn, on the other hand, elected free agency back in October.

Hearn, 29, made his big league debut back in 2019 with the Rangers and spent parts of five seasons in the majors with the club, pitching to a 5.11 ERA and 4.45 FIP during that time. From 2021-22, Hearn occupied a swing role with Texas, pitching both as a member of the starting rotation and out of the bullpen throughout the two campaigns. Those two seasons accounted for a 204 1/3 of Hearn’s career 229 innings of work for the Rangers and both campaigns saw him post strong numbers out of the bullpen, with ERAs of 3.54 and 3.51 respectively. Unfortunately, that success didn’t translate over in his limited time as a full-time reliever during the 2023 season, where he struggled to a 11.40 ERA in 15 innings of work while splitting time between the Rangers, Royals, and Braves organizations. Looking ahead to 2024, Hearn figures to have the opportunity to pitch in a full-time relief role on a regular basis with the Carp.

Hatch, 29, has found more big league success during his career than Hearn. A third-round pick by the Cubs in the 2016 draft, Hatch made his big league debut with the Blue Jays during the shortened 2020 season and impressed in his first taste of big league action with a 2.73 ERA in 26 1/3 innings of work. Things came off the rails a bit for Hatch the following two seasons, however, as he pitched just 14 innings in the majors with a 10.93 ERA. He got a more extensive opportunity in the majors in 2023, however, and did reasonably well with it. Across 28 2/3 innings of work with the Blue Jays and Pirates, Hatch posted a solid 4.08 ERA with a strong 52.3% groundball rate and a respectable 20.2% strikeout rate. Those decent results and promising peripherals surely made Hatch an attractive target for Hiroshima, and he’ll now join Hearn on the Carp pitching staff in 2024.

Pirates Release Thomas Hatch To Pursue Overseas Opportunity

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The Pirates have released right-hander Thomas Hatch, as reflected on the MLB.com transaction log. A Korean-language report from IS Plus suggested Hatch had received interest from teams in both NPB and the KBO and is likely to sign with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. Hatch had occupied a spot on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster. His release will drop that tally to 36.

Pittsburgh snagged Hatch off waivers from the Blue Jays in early August. The 29-year-old occupied a depth role down the stretch, logging 22 2/3 innings over 12 appearances. He posted a 4.03 ERA despite a modest 17% strikeout rate. Paired with six MLB appearances for the Jays earlier in the season, Hatch tossed 28 2/3 innings of 4.26 ERA ball — his largest big league workload to date.

Originally a third-round pick of the Cubs in 2016, Hatch landed with the Jays at the ’19 deadline in a trade that sent veteran reliever David Phelps to Chicago. The Oklahoma State product debuted in the majors the following year and saw some big league action in each of the past four seasons. He has allowed 4.96 earned runs per nine in 69 career innings.

Hatch would have been out of minor league option years going into 2024. He’d likely have had a tenuous hold on a bullpen spot in Pittsburgh and could well have found himself on outright waivers at some point over the offseason. Instead, he should lock in a guaranteed salary — quite likely one north of the $740K MLB minimum — and could position himself for other major league opportunities in future offseasons. Hatch throws in the mid 90s and owns a reasonable 4.49 ERA over parts of three Triple-A campaigns, making him an attractive target for evaluators in Japan and Korea.

Pirates Select Kyle Nicolas

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The Pirates have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas, the team announced. In corresponding moves, fellow right-hander Thomas Hatch has been optioned to Triple-A, while Andrew McCutchen has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

The 24-year-old Nicolas came to Pittsburgh in 2021 as part of the trade that sent Jacob Stallings to Miami. Primarily a starting pitcher during his first two years in the minors, he transitioned to a relief role this summer. By and large, he has performed much better out of the bullpen, albeit in a limited sample size. From August 1 to September 13, he pitched 21 innings in relief, posting a 2.14 ERA and striking out an incredible 30 batters.

Entering the season, both Baseball America and FanGraphs ranked Nicolas as the no. 14 prospect in the Pirates system. The evaluators at Baseball America praised his powerful fastball, while those at FanGraphs were more impressed with his consistent command. However, it should be said that both sources were assessing his body of work as a starter. Thus far, he has looked more like a power pitcher out of the bullpen, with an impressive 36.8% strikeout rate but a less-than-ideal 11.4% walk rate.

After four years in the Blue Jays organization, Hatch was designated for assignment this August. The Pirates quickly scooped him up and added the right-handed to the active roster. In 12 appearances for Pittsburgh, the 28-year-old pitched to a 4.03 ERA and a 4.49 SIERA, nothing spectacular, but perfectly serviceable numbers for a long reliever. Still, it’s understandable why the Pirates would be more interested in the potential that Nicolas brings. It’s far more likely that the youngster plays a significant role in next year’s bullpen.

As for McCutchen, his move to the 60-day IL is nothing more than a formality. The veteran tore his left Achilles tendon earlier this month, ending his 2023 campaign. According to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, the team believes McCutchen will be back on the field in 2024, and the two sides have agreed to discuss a contract for next year during the offseason.

Pirates To Promote Colin Selby For MLB Debut

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3:55pm: The Pirates have now made these two moves official, with right-hands Osvaldo Bido and Yerry De Los Santos optioned in corresponding moves.

11:37am: The Pirates are set to recall right-hander Colin Selby from Triple-A Indianapolis, reports Jason Mackey of  the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. They’re also planning to recall Thomas Hatch, whom they just claimed off waivers a few days ago. Both players are on the 40-man roster already.

Selby, 25, was the Pirates’ 16th-round pick back in 2018 and put himself on the prospect map with a particularly strong showing in Double-A last year, wherein he tossed 32 2/3 innings of 2.20 ERA ball with a 29.7% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate and 53.1% ground-ball rate. Baseball America ranked him 26th among Pirates prospects on their latest update, crediting him with three plus pitches — fastball in the upper 90s, slider in the upper 80s, curveball in the low 80s — but below-average command.

The 2023 season has been a strong one for the hard-throwing Selby. After a quick three-inning stop in Double-A, he was bumped up for his Triple-A debut, which has resulted in 30 1/3 frames of 3.86 ERA ball. He’s sporting a gaudy 30.8% strikeout rate and massive 61.2% ground-ball rate in Indianapolis, but he’s also walked 16.5% of his opponents (and plunked three as well). In his 30 1/3 innings at Triple-A, Selby has put 25 runners aboard either by way of walk or hit-by-pitch. It’s a power arsenal, but there’s some clear refinement to be done.

As for Hatch, he’ll be making his team debut and logging his first action with a team other than the Blue Jays, who designated him for assignment earlier this month. Hatch, a 2016 third-round pick, has pitched to a 5.28 ERA in 44 1/3 big league innings, fanning 21.3% of his opponents against a 12.4% walk rate.

While he’s worked primarily as a starter in Triple-A, Hatch has moved to the bullpen for the majority of his work in the upper minors this season. He’s pitched to a 4.40 ERA in 30 games — 45 innings — and notched a 27.8% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate. Hatch has typically kept the ball on the ground at average or better rates in Double-A and Triple-A, and this year’s 4.40 ERA in Triple-A is right in line with the 4.45 mark he’s posted in 240 2/3 total innings at that level.

Pirates Claim Thomas Hatch Off Waivers

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The Pirates have claimed right-hander Thomas Hatch off outright waivers from the Blue Jays, as announced by both teams.  Toronto designated Hatch for assignment earlier this week.

The move officially ends Hatch’s tenure in the Jays organization after a little over four years, as Toronto initially acquired the righty in a deadline deal with the Cubs on July 30, 2019.  He made his MLB debut in 2020 without the benefit of any Triple-A experience (due to the canceled minor league season) and made a good first impression, as Hatch had a 2.73 ERA over 26 1/3 relief innings despite some shaky peripheral numbers.

Hatch ran into struggles after that debut season, posting a 4.45 ERA over 240 2/3 innings at Triple-A Buffalo from 2021-23.  This inconsistency as both a starter and a reliever translated into Hatch’s limited big league work, as the Blue Jays have given him a few looks in each of the last three seasons without much success.  Hatch has an 8.85 ERA over 20 1/3 Major League innings since the start of the 2021 season, with seven of his 10 appearances coming out of the bullpen.

Pirates GM Ben Cherington was working in Toronto’s front office when Hatch was first acquired in 2019, and that familiarity surely contributed to the Bucs’ claim.  Hatch gives Pittsburgh extra depth for the rotation or the pen, and he can still be optioned to the minors through the 2024 season, providing more flexibility.  It is possible Hatch (who turns 29 in September) might thrive with a change of scenery, but at the very least, he’ll give the Pirates another arm to perhaps eat some innings over the remaining two months.

Blue Jays Designate Thomas Hatch For Assignment

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The Blue Jays announced a series of roster moves this morning. The club has selected the contract of infielder Davis Schneider from Triple-A, optioned infielder Ernie Clement to Triple-A, reinstated right-hander Jay Jackson from the family emergency list, and designated right-hander Thomas Hatch for assignment. The club’s 40-man roster stands at 40.

Hatch, 28, came over from the Cubs in a 2019 trade that sent reliever David Phelps to Chicago. He made his big league debut with Toronto in 2020 and has seen Major League action every season since. The 2016 third-round pick has pitched to a 5.28 ERA in 44 1/3 big league innings, fanning 21.3% of his opponents against a 12.4% walk rate.

While he’s worked primarily as a starter in Triple-A, Hatch has moved to the bullpen for the majority of his work in the upper minors this season. He’s pitched to a 4.40 ERA in 30 games — 45 innings — and notched a 27.8% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate. Hatch has typically kept the ball on the ground at average or better rates in Double-A and Triple-A, and this year’s 4.40 ERA in Triple-A is right in line with the 4.45 mark he’s posted in 240 2/3 total innings at that level.

Hatch can still be optioned for the remainder of the 2023 season. Add that to his respectable results in parts of three Triple-A seasons, his ability to work multiple innings in relief, and his experience as a starter — and it pique the interest of another club seeking some depth now that the trade deadline has passed. The Jays can’t trade Hatch at this point, so they’ll have to place him on outright waivers.

As for the 24-year-old Schneider, he’ll be making his big league debut the first time he gets into a game. A 28th-round pick in 2017, Schneider has been primarily a second baseman in the minors but also has more than 900 innings at the hot corner, more than 600 innings in left field and has added eight games at first base in the 2023 season. He’s posted an excellent .275/.416/.553 batting line in 392 plate appearances this season, walking at a massive 18.4% clip against a 21.9% strikeout rate.

Blue Jays Place Bo Bichette On IL With Right Patellar Tendinitis

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The Blue Jays announced that they have placed shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 1, due to right patellar tendinitis. His roster spot will go to newly-acquired shortstop Paul DeJong, while the club also recalled right-hander Thomas Hatch and optioned righty Nate Pearson. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet relayed the details prior to the official announcement.

The Jays haven’t released any information about how long they expect Bichette to be out of action, but it will be a blow to the club regardless. He suffered the injury on Monday, pulling up after rounding first and trying to stop to go back to the bag. Yesterday, manager John Schneider said there was “no significant structural damage” and that the club was still deciding on an IL stint. It now seems they have made the call to let Bichette have at least a week-plus to rest his knee.

The fact that the IL stint was a tough decision perhaps indicates he’s in for a quick stay, but that will still be an unwelcome development for the club. Bichette is hitting .321/.352/.494 this year for a wRC+ of 135, the highest such mark among qualified shortstops this year. The Jays will have to proceed without that production for a little bit as they have some key divisional matchups. They have two more games against the Orioles, after dropping the first two of the four-game set, before heading to Fenway Park for three against the Red Sox. The Jays hold a Wild Card spot in the American League but Boston are just a game and a half back coming into today’s action.

For now, the Jays will try to proceed with DeJong in Bichette’s spot. He was just acquired from the Cardinals at yesterday’s deadline, likely spurred on by Bichette’s injury, and is in the lineup at shortstop tonight. He has bounced back from a really rough showing last year, when he hit .157/.245/.286 while striking out in 33.3% of his plate appearances. He’s dropped the strikeout rate to 28.4% this year while slashing .233/.297/.412. His wRC+ of 96 is still a bit below average but is miles better than his 55 wRC+ from last year.

Even with the bounceback, DeJong’s offensive numbers still pale in comparison to Bichette’s. DeJong’s glovework is generally considered stronger between the two, which should make up some of the difference, but it’s unquestionably a challenge for the Jays. Once Bichette is healthy, DeJong could perhaps move over to second base. Whit Merrifield is having a solid season but can also play left field.

Blue Jays Select Ernie Clement

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The Blue Jays announced a batch of roster moves today, reinstating right-hander Adam Cimber from the injured list and selecting the contract of infielder Ernie Clement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Thomas Hatch and infielder Otto López were optioned to Triple-A. To open a spot on the 40-man for Clement, right-hander Mitch White was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Clement, 27, was signed to a minor league deal during Spring Training. He’s been playing for Triple-A Buffalo so far this year, having hit an excellent .328/.408/.512 through 145 plate appearances. He has walked at an 11.7% clip and has a microscopic strikeout rate of 2.8%. He’s also stolen six bases and has bounced around the diamond, playing all four infield positions and some left field.

That strong showing will get him back to the big leagues, where he already has a bit of experience. He first made it to the show with Cleveland in 2021 and then went to the Athletics on a waiver claim last year. He was able to provide plenty of defensive versatility, bouncing to those four infield spots and left field, but didn’t do too much with the bat. In 312 trips to the plate in those two seasons, he hit just .204/.261/.264. The A’s released him in March of this year, allowing the Jays to scoop him up on that minor league deal.

The Jays recently placed utility infielder Santiago Espinal on the injured list and recalled López to take his place but will now give Clement that job instead. If he can bring up even a portion of that Triple-A offense and combine it with his ability to play multiple positions, he could be an attractive bench piece for the club. He still has an option year and between one and two years of service time, meaning he could potentially stay in a depth role for a while, provided he continues to justify his spot on the 40-man roster.

As for White, he began the year on the injured list due to elbow inflammation and has yet to return. He was recently on a rehab assignment but had it shut down due to shoulder soreness, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Since a return wasn’t imminent, it’s not a shock to see him transferred. He’ll now be ineligible to return until 60 days from his initial IL placement, meaning he can technically come back this weekend, though it doesn’t seem he’s healthy enough for that to be a real possibility.

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