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Padres Sign Austin Davis, Zach Reks To Minor League Deals

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The Padres recently agreed to minor league contracts with lefty reliever Austin Davis and outfielder Zach Reks, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Reks returns after a stint in Korea, while Davis spent part of last season in Triple-A.

Davis, 31, has pitched in parts of five MLB seasons. The Cal-Bakersfield product got to the big leagues each year between 2018-22 and tallied 136 appearances between the Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox and Twins. Davis turned in a solid 4.15 ERA as a rookie with Philadelphia. He allowed more than five earned runs per nine in each of the following four seasons.

That includes a 5.79 mark over a career-high 56 innings two years ago. Davis spent the vast majority of that year in Boston before a late-season cameo with the Twins. He punched out a solid 24.2% of hitters but issued walks at a near-13% rate. That proved an ominous lead-up to a dreadful season in Triple-A.

Davis inked a minor league pact with the Astros. Assigned to Triple-A Sugar Land, he pitched in 20 games. Over 25 contests, he was tagged for 11.22 earned runs per nine. His control completely evaporated. Davis walked more than a quarter of batters faced and was released in June. He issued 11 more walks in 18 1/3 innings of winter ball in the Dominican Republic, although he nevertheless managed a 2.45 ERA there and impressed San Diego evaluators enough to get another non-roster look.

Reks, a left-handed hitter, logged brief MLB action with the Dodgers and Rangers between 2021-22. He signed with the KBO’s Lotte Giants midway through the ’22 campaign. Reks turned in an impressive .330/.410/.495 slash with Lotte, earning a new contract over the offseason. His follow-up KBO campaign didn’t go as well. Reks got out to a .246/.338/.345 start while battling a knee injury. Lotte released him in June.

The Padres will add him to the organization, likely sending him to Triple-A El Paso to open the season. Reks owns a .290/.388/.537 line over 902 plate appearances at the level. That’s partially a reflection of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League but is strong output in any case. Hitting at something approaching that level for El Paso could get him a midseason look in what currently projects as a thin San Diego outfield.

Niko Goodrum Signs With KBO’s Lotte Giants

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Veteran infielder/outfielder Niko Goodrum, who opted out of a deal with the Red Sox last week, has signed with the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization, the team announced (link via Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency). He’ll be paid $400K for the remainder of the season. Goodrum, a client of Roc Nation Sports, will take the roster spot of former Dodgers and Rangers outfielder Zach Reks, who was cut loose after a knee injury tanked his 2023 season.

The 31-year-old Goodrum is a veteran of six Major League seasons who debuted with the Twins back in 2017. The switch-hitter has since spent time in Detroit and Houston, logging a combined .226/.299/.389 batting line in 1531 plate appearances between the three teams. The versatile Goodrum was particularly productive in 2018-19, when he played all four infield positions and all three outfield positions for the Tigers while posting a combined .247/.318/.427 slash with 28 homers and 24 steals in 964 plate appearances.

Goodrum’s 2023 season with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate in Worcester was excellent. In 286 trips to the plate, he batted .280/.448/.440 with eight home runs, seven steals and a staggering 23.1% walk rate. Statcast credits Goodrum as a plus defender at both middle infield positions and a passable option in the outfield as well.

With a strong showing in the KBO, it’s possible Goodrum could sign on for another season in South Korea or perhaps head to Japan’s NPB. He’d have seven-figure earning power in either league, though it’s also possible he’ll look to parlay this year’s strong Triple-A showing and a (hopefully) similar level of production in the KBO into a guaranteed big league deal as a free agent next winter.

As for the 29-year-old Reks, he joined the Giants last year as a midseason replacement much as Goodrum is doing now. The 2017 tenth-rounder (Dodgers) hit .330/.410/.495 in 56 games and 251 plate appearances down the stretch, earning himself a $1.2MM guarantee to return ($1MM salary plus $200K signing bonus), but this year’s knee injury left him with a tepid .246/.338/.345 output in a similar sample size to his 2022 showing. Reks is a career .290/.388/.537 hitter in parts of three Triple-A seasons but has only received 44 plate appearances at the MLB level.

Zach Reks Re-Signs With KBO’s Lotte Giants

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Outfielder Zach Reks is staying with the Lotte Giants for another year, according to @jhpae117 on Twitter, relayed an translated by Dan Kurtz of MyKBO. He first joined the KBO club in July of this year. He’ll earn a $1MM salary plus a $200K signing bonus and will be able to unlock a further $100K in incentives.

Reks, 29, spent years in the system of the Dodgers and one with the Rangers, making many minor league pitchers weep. He posted an above-average batting line at every step up the minor league ladder, including a slash of .290/.388/.537 over three different Triple-A seasons. Despite always mashing in the minors, he only got to play 22 big league games over 2021 and 2022.

Players in that position are generally best suited for a trip overseas so that they can prove their mettle while getting a higher rate of pay than they would in the minors. He got $310K for just the final few months of the schedule, roughly equivalent to the prorated MLB minimum, which was $700K for a full season in 2022. Reks took the opportunity and ran with it, as he posted a line of .330/.410/.495 with the Giants.

Based on that strong showing, the Giants were impressed enough to give him a pay bump to stay in Korea for another year. Reks can bank some nice cash and perhaps consider a return to MLB down the road if he keeps hitting in the KBO. Players like Eric Thames and Darin Ruf have shown that it’s possible to pivot from a breakout in Korea to a North American return, with a nice contract to go with.

Zach Reks Signs With KBO’s Lotte Giants

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Outfielder Zach Reks, whom the Rangers designated for assignment Saturday, is signing with the Korea Baseball Organization’s Lotte Giants for the remainder of the season, per an announcement from the Giants (link via Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency). The Rangers didn’t formally announce the move, but Reks was released yesterday following that DFA, per his transaction log at MLB.com, paving the way for him to take this new opportunity overseas. He’ll earn $310K for the remainder of the season.

The 28-year-old Reks has seen brief big league action between the Dodgers (10 plate appearances) and Rangers (34 plate appearances) over the past two seasons. He’s hit just .205/.205/.227 in that small sample, but the former 10th-round pick has obliterated Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .331/.421/.579 batting line in 140 plate appearances this season. Overall, he’s a .290/.388/.537 hitter in parts of three Triple-A seasons, making it at least a bit of a surprise that he never got an earnest look in either Texas or Los Angeles (or with another organization).

Reks, coincidentally, will be replacing an outfielder with a fairly similar career arc. He and DJ Peters were both Dodgers draftees — twice teammates in Triple-A Oklahoma City — who made their way to the Rangers after being designated for assignment in Los Angeles. Both received larger but still relatively brief looks in Texas before ultimately landing with Lotte in the KBO. Peters was just waived earlier this week after struggling through his KBO debut, and Reks will hope for better results than his former teammate enjoyed.

A strong couple months in the KBO isn’t likely to put Reks back on the immediate MLB radar, but it could potentially open additional opportunities with the Giants or another team in the KBO. Should he fare well in multiple KBO campaigns, it’s always possible he could follow the paths of Eric Thames, Darin Ruf and others who’ve broken in out in South Korea following nondescript MLB tenures and make his way back to the big leagues down the road. Reks will play all of the 2023 season at age 29, so there’s still ample time for him to either make that loop or to more simply carve out a lucrative multi-year career in the KBO if he plays to expectations there.

Rangers Activate Jonathan Hernandez, Designate Zach Reks For Assignment

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The Rangers have activated Jonathan Hernandez from the 60-day injured list, per the team. To create space on the 40-man roster, outfielder Zach Reks was designated for assignment. To create space on the active roster, A.J. Alexy was optioned to Triple-A.

Hernandez, 26, underwent Tommy John surgery on April 12, 2021. He returns now for his first action since going under the knife. At the time of the surgery, Hernandez was coming off a solid 2020 in which he appeared 27 times out of the bullpen while posting a 2.90 ERA/3.19 FIP across 31 innings with a 31-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He made 16 appearances in Triple-A while rehabbing this season, registering a 3.60 ERA over 15 innings.

The Rangers will now have a week to trade, release, or outright Reks. The 28-year-old Chicago native stepped to the plate 34 times this season without taking a free pass, going 9-for-34 with 10 strikeouts. The Rangers originally purchased Reks’ contract from the Dodgers last November.

Injury Notes: Padres, Rangers, Rockies

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The Padres placed Mike Clevinger and Adrian Morejon on the COVID injured list, recalling Ray Kerr and Reiss Knehr from Triple-A, per the team. Kerr, 27, will give the Friars a third southpaw out of the bullpen behind closer Taylor Rogers and Tim Hill. Though Clevinger has been starting, Knehr, 25 will probably pitch in relief for now. Knehr has been tagged with a 5.84 ERA across 51 2/3 innings in Triple-A so far this season while making 10 starts and appearing twice in relief. The Padres rotation currently goes six deep, even with Clevinger out. Brent Rooker was also added to the active roster to serve as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader.

  • Rangers outfielder Steele Walker was placed on the COVID injured list, per the team. Zach Reks has been placed on the active roster to take his place. This will be Reks’ third go-round with the Rangers already this summer, though he’s been limited to just 22 plate appearances over nine games. Reks has torn it up for Round Rock, however, slashing .340/.433/.631 in 120 Triple-A plate appearances. Walker was only recently recalled for his big league debut. He’s gone just 1-for-14 at the plate with a pair of walks over five games. His lone hit was a solo shot. Walker, 25, was a former second-round pick of the White Sox, acquired straight-up in the deal for Nomar Mazara in December of 2019.
  • The Rockies have placed southpaw Ty Blach on the 15-day injured list with a left wrist sprain, per the team. Ryan Feltner was recalled from Triple-A to take his roster spot. Justin Lawrence was also added to the active roster to serve as the 27th man for today’s twin bill. Blach, 31, has made 15 appearances on the year (one start) with a 6.61 ERA over 31 1/3 innings.

 

Rangers Promote Josh Smith, Place Brad Miller On IL, Designate Albert Abreu

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The Rangers announced a series of moves today, including the news that infielder Josh Smith and outfielder Zach Reks have been called up from Triple-A.  This will be the Major League debut for Smith, a second-round pick (for the Yankees) in the 2019 draft.  To create roster space, Texas placed Brad Miller on the injured list and designated right-hander Albert Abreu for assignment.

Smith was one of the players acquired from New York in the Joey Gallo trade last July, and both MLB Pipeline (#7) and Baseball America (#9) rank Smith within the top 10 of all Rangers prospects.  The LSU has done nothing but hit during his young pro career, resulting in a quick rise up the minor league ladder.  Smith made his debut at the Triple-A level this season, and has hit .273/.382/.422 over 191 PA for Round Rock.

Smith has strong command of the strike zone for such a young player, as evidenced by his .420 OBP over 683 total PA in the minors.  As noted by Baseball America’s scouting report, Smith “did an excellent job working counts to get pitches to drive, then punished balls from gap to gap.  He rarely chases, and when he swings at pitches in the zone he almost never misses.”  He has yet to develop true power, though Smith does make lots of hard contact and could be more of an extra-bases type hitter.  Smith is also a threat on the basepaths, with 40 steals in 52 career chances.

Originally drafted as a shortstop, Smith has basically split time between shortstop, third base, and center field this year, owing to the presence of Corey Seager in the Rangers’ everyday lineup.  Both BA and Pipeline observe that scouts weren’t entirely sold on Smith’s long-term viability as a shortstop anyway, and it remains to be seen what his ideal defensive position will be, if the Rangers don’t instead use him as a multi-position type of weapon.

For now, Smith will probably see much of his time at third base, essentially taking Miller’s spot as a left-handed hitting third base option alongside Andy Ibanez.  Miller’s IL placement didn’t come with a designation, so it could be related to COVID-19, though Miller also left yesterday’s game due to tightness in his right hip.

Abreu came to Texas in another trade with the Yankees, the April swap that saw catcher Jose Trevino head to the Bronx.  A former top-100 pitching prospect, Abreu has been plagued by a lack of control, and these problems again manifested themselves during his brief stint with the Rangers.  While Abreu managed a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 relief innings this season, he had more walks (12) than strikeouts (9).  The DFA doesn’t necessarily mean that the Rangers are giving up on Abreu, but since he is out of minor league options, the Rangers had to designate the righty and risk losing him on waivers before outrighting him to Triple-A.

Roster Notes: Rangers, Cubs, Pirates

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The Rangers announced a pair of interlocking roster moves today, optioning Spencer Howard to Triple-A and recalling outfielder Zach Reks. Howard has been shelled in 6 2/3 innings of work this season, working to a 12.15 ERA, but the demotion is reportedly more about building him up as a “full-fledged” starter, per Jeff Wilson of Rangerstoday.com (via Twitter). Whatever the reason for the move, the Rangers will surely want to see a more productive couple of appearances in Triple-A out of Howard.

Reks, meanwhile, steps right into the starting lineup, starting today’s ballgame in left field. It will be Reks first appearance with the Rangers after being acquired from the Dodgers this past November. In other roster moves…

  • The Cubs have optioned Mark Leiter Jr. to Triple-A, activating Locke St. John in his place, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Leiter Jr. appeared in four games for the Cubs, starting three, but yielding nine earned runs over 10 1/3 innings. St. John, meanwhile, was recently added to the 40-man roster to satisfy a condition of the minor league contract he signed over the winter. For now, he’ll join Daniel Norris and Sean Newcomb in a full Chicago bullpen.
  • The Pirates have reinstated Cole Tucker from the COVID Injured List and optioned Tucupita Marcano to Double-A in order to give the infielder regular playing time, per Kevin Gorman of Tribune-Review Sports (via Twitter). Marcano, still just 22, was promoted to fill the void in the short-term. He was the key piece in last season’s trade that sent Adam Frazier to the Padres.

Rangers Acquire Billy McKinney, Zach Reks From Dodgers

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The Rangers announced they’ve acquired corner outfielders Billy McKinney and Zach Reks from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. Both players were designated for assignment by Los Angeles last Friday, as many teams cleared roster space for prospects whom they didn’t want to leave eligible for the Rule 5 draft.  Texas’ 40-man roster tally is up to 39.

McKinney has bounced around the league a fair amount this year. He opened the season with the Brewers but landed with the Mets via minor trade a few weeks into the season. After two months in Queens, McKinney was designated for assignment and traded to the Dodgers. The 27-year-old finished out the season in Southern California.

Between the three clubs, the left-handed hitting McKinney tallied exactly 300 plate appearances. It was a career-high in playing time, but the former first-rounder didn’t consistently perform at the plate. While he had a solid run with the Mets, McKinney struggled badly with the Brew Crew and Dodgers and ultimately managed a meager .192/.280/.358 season line with nine home runs. His 10.7% walk rate was solid, but McKinney also fanned at a higher-than-average 26.3% clip and didn’t hit for a ton of power. He’s out of minor league option years, so he’ll need to either break camp with Texas in 2022 or again be made available to the rest of the league.

Reks has essentially no big league body of work to speak of, with just ten MLB plate appearances under his belt. The 28-year-old is an accomplished minor league hitter, though, with a career .295/.383/.487 line on the farm. That includes a .282/.382/.529 showing across 764 plate appearances with the Dodgers’ top affiliate in Oklahoma City, where Reks has shown a promising combination of patience and power.

He’s a defensively-limited player with strikeout concerns, but there’s little harm for the Rangers in adding him for nothing more than cash considerations. The left-handed hitting Reks still has a pair of options remaining, so he can shuttled up and down between Arlington and Triple-A Round Rock through the end of the 2023 campaign if he sticks on the 40-man roster.

Dodgers Select Five Players

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The Dodgers have filled their 40-man roster, adding five players to their roster in advance of the Rule 5 deadline per MLB.com’s Juan Toribio. The players being added are infielders Jacob Amaya, Eddys Leonard, and Jorbit Vivas, outfielder James Outman, and right-handed pitcher Michael Grove. In corresponding moves, outfielders Billy McKinney and Zach Reks have been designated for assignment.

Each of Amaya, Leonard and Vivas appeared on the back half of the Dodgers’ midseason top 30 prospects ranking at Baseball America. Amaya’s a well-regarded middle infielder but struggled offensively in Double-A this past season. Leonard and Vivas haven’t yet advanced beyond High-A, but they’re both infielders with good low minors numbers and some offensive upside.

The Dodgers acquired McKinney from the Mets in July. He struggled mightily down the stretch with L.A., though, and his overall .192/.280/.358 line over 300 plate appearances with three teams was well below-average. McKinney draws a fair amount of walks, but he’s never quite tapped into enough power to offset high strikeout totals and a limited defensive profile. He’ll either be traded or waived in the coming days.

Reks made a brief big league debut in 2021, tallying ten plate appearances over six games. He spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he raked at a .280/.382/.539 clip in 379 plate appearances. Reks is already 28 and has essentially no big league body of work, but it’s possible another club takes a shot on his strong track record of minor league performance. He still has a pair of minor league option years remaining.

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