2022 Minor League Transaction Thread

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Trevor Kelley's contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville

Kelley's replacing J.C. Mejia, who must serve an 80-game suspension

My money was on Mr. Kelley for promotion anyway, given that he and fellow RHP Peter Strzelecki have the highest K/9 ratios (11.8 for Kelley, 13.5 for Strzeleck) amongst Nashville's terrific bullpen, with Kelley having pitched in the majors twice previously (Boston - 8 1/3 innings in 2019, Philadelphia - 3 1/3 innings in 2020). Go get 'em Trevor! 

[homer]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

In today's report, 5/17/22. Transactions: LOTS of them

[markedman5]

 

[Ro Mueller]

OF Terence Doston transferred to AA Biloxi from ACL Brewers Gold

OF/IF Noah Campbell placed on AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list retroactive to 5/17

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Trevor Kelley optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers to make room for DH/OF Andrew McCutchen’s reinstatement from Covid absence

[Joseph Zarr]

Trevor Kelley and Miguel Sanchez Have both been recalled from Nashville. Congratulations Miguel!

[Joseph Zarr]

It should also be noted: Dylan File has now been officially outrighted to Nashville (he had been optioned).

[Ro Mueller]

IF Mark Mathias' contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville

C Nick Kahle assigned to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi

[markedman5]

 

[CheeseheadInQC]

Wonder if someone at Wisconsin is nicked up a bit. Can’t see them having Areinamo skip the ACL and Carolina long term.

[Jim Goulart]

22-year-old OF Je'Von Ward, the 2017 12th round pick out of a California high school, will miss all of 2022 with an undisclosed injury. He had yet to debut this season. Ward's status is now listed as "Injured - Full Season" on his MiLB.com Player Page.

Ward had spent his past two seasons with the Timber Rattlers, with low-A and high-A stints sandwiched around the lost 2020 Covid year, posting respective OPS marks of .633 and .699 in those campaigns. He will be eligible for minor league free agency after the 2023 season.

[Jim Goulart]

Just a blip of a mention until he is assigned to a complex league club at some point, but the Brewers have signed 5'10", 175 lb. RHP Cristofher Carrasco (MiLB page). Carrasco was not one of the 33 players listed in the initial January list of international signees. His signing bonus is likely modest from the remaining portion of the team's pool. Yes, that's all we know at this time, not even country of origin.

Speaking of those January signees, the oldest among them is among the first to net his own MiLB player page and be listed as a signee. Back in January, The Athletic's Will Sammon wrote:

"The oldest player of the Brewers’ signing group was 21-year-old pitcher Roman Perez, a 6-foot-4 right-hander from the Dominican Republic, whom scout Gary Peralta signed. Perez sits around 95 MPH but will have to work on command."

Perez' MiLB.com page lists a formal signing date of May 25th. Perez will turn 22 in October.

Photo from January --

 

[Jim Goulart]

1 hour ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

Wonder if someone at Wisconsin is nicked up a bit. Can’t see them having Areinamo skip the ACL and Carolina long term.

Re-read the Timber Rattlers section of Wednesday's Link Report ?

Areinamo, still just 18 years old (19 in November), struck out only 22 times in 152 DSL at-bats in 2021.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

40 minutes ago, Mass Haas said:

22-year-old OF Je'Von Ward, the 2017 12th round pick out of a California high school, will miss all of 2022 with an undisclosed injury. He had yet to debut this season. Ward's status is now listed as "Injured - Full Season" on his MiLB.com Player Page.

Ward had spent his past two seasons with the Timber Rattlers, with low-A and high-A stints sandwiched around the lost 2020 Covid year, posting respective OPS marks of .633 and .699 in those campaigns. He will be eligible for minor league free agency after the 2023 season.

I had updated earlier that Ward was likely to join an affiliate soon barring a setback.  Well… I spoke too soon.  The injury that he was attempting to rehab did suffer a setback and he underwent surgery in Milwaukee last week.

[Ro Mueller]

These cuts are some of the toughest, because they involve players who’ve demonstrated some potential in the past and would almost certainly be playing in High-Rookie ball (e.g. Helena Brewers, Rocky Mountain Vibes) this year if it still existed.

20-year old 1B/OF Erys Bautista was signed for $500,000 from the Dominican Republic in 2018, smacking 14 extra-base hits in his 2019 debut campaign in the Dominican Summer League (.687 OPS in 227 plate appearances). In the 2021 Arizona Complex League, he had 12 extra base hits in 106 plate appearances (.777 OPS), but struck out 44 times versus just 4 walks. Whether his slugging tool attracts another club remains to be soon, but we wish him terrific success on whichever path life takes him.

21-year old OF Alwinson Valdez signed for $80,000 from the Dominican Republic in 2017, putting up excellent numbers in the 2018 DSL campaign (.799 OPS with 7 home runs in 211 plate appearances, while also stealing 14 bases in 18 attempts). Unfortunately, Mr. Valdez then lost his entire 2019 season due to injury, then saw 2020 evaporate due to Covid, finally returning to action in July 2021 with ACL Brewers Blue. Understandably rusty, he posted a .632 OPS in 91 plate appearances, but none of the aforementioned pop seen back in 2018 (zero home runs in 2021). We wish Mr. Valdez best of luck next in his upcoming endeavors.

Just-turned 22-year old OF Alejandro Marte of the Dominican Republic was signed in 2017, hitting 4 home runs in the 2018 DSL campaign (.722 OPS in 135 plate appearances) and another 9 homers in the 2019 DSL campaign (.292 AVG / .376 OBP / .500 SLG in 221 plate appearances). In an eerily similar tale to Mr. Valdez above, Mr. Marte lost the 2020 season Covid and the 2021 season to injury, thus costing him his official state-side debut and possibly more. We hope that he’s fully healthy and wish him success in his next opportunity, baseball or otherwise.

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Miguel Sanchez recalled to MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville

He replaces the effective RHP Luis Perdomo (1.74 ERA, 1.06 WHIP in 10 1/3 innings), who was placed on the Brewers' 15-day injured list with right elbow effusion (thankfully, per @Todd_Rosiak: " 'Does not appear to be a serious issue for Perdomo at this particular point in time', Craig Counsell says.")

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Zach Vennaro assigned to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi

 

[Ro Mueller]

OF/IF Noah Campbell activated from AA Biloxi's 7-day injured list.

 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

Interesting note here, Jose Cuas, former Brewers farmhand, has been called up to the big leagues by the Royals.  He started his career as a position player in the Milwaukee organization but has since transitioned to the mound where he has been very effective.

[Ro Mueller]

- LHP Ethan Small's contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville
- RHP Peter Strzelecki's contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville
- IF Mark Mathias optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers, but available for today's Brewers' doubleheader as the designated 27th man
- LHP Nick Bennett assigned to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi
- OF Garrett Whitley activated from AAA Nashville's 7-day injured list
- RHP Jolon Lun Zhao placed on Low-A Carolina's 7-day injured list
- IF Jose Acosta acquired from Texas for cash considerations and assigned to Low-A Carolina

[Ro Mueller]

22-year old IF Jose Acosta from the Dominican Republic was signed by the Reds in 2017 and showed solid progress in the 2019 season (1.113 OPS in DSL and .874 OPS in Arizona Rookie, though there was a drop in walk rate in Arizona Rookie ball).

Traded to the Rangers for OF Scott Heineman in December 2020, Texas had him split the 2021 season between Low-A and High-A, producing a .704 OPS despite striking out 75 times vs. 16 walks. In 73 plate appearances thus far at Down East in 2022, he's slashing .230 AVG / .319 OBP / .459 SLG (thanks in part to 8 of his 14 hits being of the extra-base variety), with 21 strikeouts and 7 walks.

In his 3.5 MILB seasons, Acosta has stolen 56 bases and been caught 12 times. As he's only hit 11 home runs in 735 MILB plate appearances, his speed is obviously key to producing the hits necessary to have a somewhat intriguing OPS. Defensively, he has split his time evenly between 2nd base and 3rd base, though has played mostly 2nd base this year.

{Speculation: I'm guessing that this trade means that IF Zack Raabe will get a promotion to High-A Wisconsin (and is a promotion for SS Eduardo Garcia on the cards at some point too?). It may also be a bad sign about IF Daniel Castillo's availability for 2022.}

[Ro Mueller]

There's MORE!!!!!!!:

- RHP Luke Barker's contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville
- LHP Ethan Small optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

3 minutes ago, damuelle said:

There's MORE!!!!!!!:

- RHP Luke Barker's contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville
- LHP Ethan Small optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers 

#HeIsFreed

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

#HeIsFreed