Minor League Transactions

[brewfan1]

You all know how I feel about catchers, so keeping it short, "I like it." !!!!!!

[battlekow]

Per Jason Collins, the Windy City Thunderbolts' official scorer, the Brewers have signed the Thunderbolts' closer, RHP Bradley Blanks (great name), and assigned him to Brevard County. Blanks is 26; we'll see if he can be the next John Axford or Brandon Kintzler. Collins reports that Blanks tops out around 90 with his fastball.

[And That]

According to Matt Eddy of Baseball America, the Brewers have signed their 20th round pick, RHP Brandon Williamson out of Super Regional eliminee Dallas Baptist and their 25th round pick, C/1B Parker Berberet out of another Super Regionally eliminated team, Oregon State.

[Jim Goulart]

According to the same Matt Eddy report linked in the prior post, two RHP's, 2008 2nd round pick Seth Lintz, and former Marlin farmhand Skyler Crawford, will open the season on Helena's disabled list.

 

While we know nothing of their injury status, players are rarely formally placed on the disabled lists at the rookie levels because of the larger roster sizes (35 players). So their "spots" are rarely needed. Hopefully not, but these are likely long-term injuries.

 

Although, newly-coverted catcher Joey Paciorek (broken hand) was also placed on the DL, so we'll see on the pitchers.

[Jim Goulart]

Press Release on the Bradley Blanks independent league signing mentioned above --

 

***

 

The Windy City ThunderBolts have announced that the Milwaukee Brewers have purchased the contract of closer Bradley Blanks.

 

Blanks becomes the first ThunderBolt of the season to be picked up by a Major League team. He was 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in nine games, but was leading the team in saves with five. Blanks had one of his best outings of the season before being signed, throwing a perfect ninth inning while striking out the side June 14 against the Rockford RiverHawks.

 

Blanks also had a solid 2010 for the ThunderBolts in which he went 1-2 with a save and had just a 2.73 ERA in nineteen appearances.

 

He was signed over the all-star break in 2010 by the Philadelphia Phillies and went 4-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 16 appearances with low-A Williamsport. This will be his second stint in affiliated ball.

 

Blanks will be assigned to high-A ball in the Brewers system which means he is headed to the Florida State League to play for the Brevard County Manatees.

 

Numbers from 2010 in the Phillies' system

[CheezWizHed]

Bradley Blanks - Should add that to the nickname thread. Awesome name for a pitcher!

[Jim Goulart]

Chris Mehring fills us in on more roster juggling (non-injury) as Jameson Dunn makes the start Saturday --

 

RHP Dan Britt to the DL retroactive to June 16

RHP Jameson Dunn activated from the DL

[Jim Goulart]

35th round UConn catcher Doug Elliott has signed and is Helena-bound

[battlekow]

To make room for newly signed RHP Bradley Blanks at Brevard County, RHP Corey Frerichs was released. Frerichs was a 30th-round pick in 2007 and made it as high as AA this year.

[battlekow]

As CheeseheadInIllinois pointed out, 7th-round RHP David Goforth and 21st-round 1B Mike Nemeth have signed with the Brewers and been assigned to Helena.

[battlekow]

Another undrafted free agent: the Brewers signed former UC Santa Barbara LHP Connor Whalen. As far as I can tell, he's not related to 42nd-round pick Caleb Whalen.

[And That]

Jason Rogers will be rehabbing with Helena. Still working back from a broken hand.

[battlekow]

More catchers! The Brewers signed former TCU backstop Jimmie Pharr as an undrafted free agent.

[battlekow]

As expected, OF Ruben Ozuna gets the bump from the DSL to the AZL. Excited to see what he can do. We were first!

[battlekow]

More signings, this time actual draft picks! 6th-round RHP Danny Keller, 19th-round SS Renaldo Jenkins, and 39th-round LHP Elliot Glynn all join the AZL Brewers.

[battlekow]

With the Arizona League kicking off today, the AZL Brewers' MiLB.com page has finally been updated with a partial roster. It's, uh, interesting (20 pitchers, seven catchers, two infielders, no outfielders), but it does have some revelations, including some names we haven't seen in awhile. The following players are assigned there on rehab:

• RHP Andre Lamontagne
• LHP Mike Ramlow
• LHP Brae Wright
• C Cameron Garfield
• C Rafael Neda
• C Shawn Riggans

We also finally have confirmation that 22-year-old LHP Manny Ruiz was indeed promoted from the DSL, along with 19-year-old RHP Jeffrey Saba, whose numbers last year in his first pro season were undistinguished. DSL players still missing in action:

• 1B Hitaniel Arias
• OF Jose Garcia
• OF Ronny Puello
• SS Andres Martinez
• LHP Jose Ramos

Additionally, MiLB.com player pages note that RHP Jose Cepeda and DH Orton Rodriguez were released, and it's certainly possible that fate befell some of the players listed above, especially Arias and Garcia, who were healthy in spring training. Ramos hasn't played since 2009 but is still listed as "active" on the DSL Brewers by MiLB.com, so we'll keep him around until we hear otherwise. Finally, RHPs Leonard Lorenzo and Eduard Reyes also do not appear, but that's because they were both suspended last summer for steroid use.

EDIT: To follow up, the following players finished last year on the AZL roster but are also MIA so far this year:

• LHP Dane Amedee
• RHP Morgan Brinson
• OF Derrick Shaw

They might show up later today or tomorrow, since recent draftees OF Malcolm Dowell, OF Matt Franco, 3B Jalen Harris, and SS Renaldo Jenkins, plus recently promoted OF Ruben Ozuna, are all also missing from the MiLB.com roster.

[Jim Goulart]

DSL players still missing in action:

• 1B Hitaniel Arias
  
• OF Jose Garcia
  
• OF Ronny Puello
  
• SS Andres Martinez

They might show up later today or tomorrow, since recent draftees OF Malcolm Dowell, OF Matt Franco, 3B Jalen Harris, and SS Renaldo Jenkins, plus recently promoted OF Ruben Ozuna, are all also missing from the MiLB.com roster.

The players that are listed in the portion of text in this post now appear on MiLB.com's Maryvale roster. The overall roster is now much more balanced in terms of actually having infielders and outfielders to suit up.

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

Looks like 4 of the 5 (Ramos being the exception) MIA DSL players are now listed on the AZL roster per MiLB.

[And That]

Kevin Berard is now listed as a 1B, FWIW. He was listed as a catcher last year, and has played second base as well. He's fast and athletic - odd to stick him at first. Demetrius McKelvie'd.

[YoungGeezy]

I wonder who will play 2nd if Berard is moved to first. Also a sidenote, from my draft research Renaldo Jenkins goes by the nickname "Ra Ra" Jenkins

[And That]

I would assume Brandon Macias plays 2B, or one of Martinez/Jenkins occasionally. Maybe even Berard. I refuse to think about the 2B situation in Maryvale any longer. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Jim Goulart]

Just so we're thorough, we'll note that perpetually conveniently available / unavailable catcher Patrick Arlis was placed on Nashville's DL, retroactive to June 16th, when LHP Daniel Ray Herrera returned to the Sounds' roster. Arlis was there last week to bridge the gap before Wil Nieves reported.

 

Arlis, 30 years old, has one AB on the season (April 12th).

 

I know we have fun with Arlis' roster maneuverings, but we've linked to his "Get to Know Him" page in the past, so review it if you missed it the first time. We've read he's expressed interest in coaching, and he's probably with the Sounds a good portion of the time (bullpen catcher, etc.), and hey, as of the 23rd, he'll be eligible for another assignment...

[battlekow]

RHP Tyler Cravy and LHP Tom Keeling transferred from Wisconsin to Helena.

[Jim Goulart]

Unique to sign a 19-year-old undrafted free agent, but another 6'4" lefty?  Sure...

 

Former local standout West signs free agent contract with Brewers

By Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat writer

 

The opportunity to play professional baseball was too enticing and exciting to refuse. That's why former Chiles High pitcher Will West signed a free-agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, ending a whirlwind year of uncertainty.

 

"It has been a year since I've been able to throw competitively, so it's going to be a really good experience and I am going to make the most of it," said West, who turns 19 next month. "I plan to get there and work as hard as I can."

 

West, who posted a 1.80 ERA in 65 innings with 91 strikeouts in 2010 at Chiles, was not selected in the MLB Draft earlier this month. West attended Georgia Tech, but transferred after one semester to Tallahassee Community College and was redshirted last spring. West, a 6-foot-4 lefty, pitched this summer with the Tallahassee Expos travel team.

 

Brewers area scout Ryan Robinson watched West in high school and was impressed by his poise and potential.

 

"The chances of him getting better are really good," said Robinson, who signed West. "He has a body (that projects well) and a really loose arm. He really knows how to pitch. Every time you saw him, you just thought he had a really good feel for pitching."

 

West departs Friday for the Brewers' spring training complex in Phoenix. He expects to remain in Arizona for the next two months in preparation for the Fall Instructional League.

 

"It was a very difficult decision, definitely the biggest decision I've made in my life," said West, a three-year letterman at NFC who transferred to Chiles for his senior season.

 

"But it's the best decision and what's right for me right now. The fact that I can go play pro baseball right now, that's awesome to me. It has been a dream of mine since I was knee high. All I have to worry about is baseball and working hard."

 

West, who tossed consecutive no-hitters as a junior at NFC, could be joined in the Brewers organization by former Rickards High outfielder Mallex Smith. Smith, selected in the 13th round with the 401st pick, is currently negotiating with the Brewers. Smith has committed to Santa Fe College.

 

(Note: Smith did not sign, and he's hitting .380 this year)

 

Will West Georgia Tech Bio Page (as indicated above, never pitched for them)

[Jim Goulart]

RHP Tyler Cravy and LHP Tom Keeling transferred from Wisconsin to Helena.

Chris Mehring indicates that RHP's Matt Miller and Dan Britt are coming off the DL, which backfills the two open positions on the Wisconsin roster.