Misc. Minor League Alumni News & Notes

[Outlander]

For those that follow the lower minor more closely why was Gillaspie released by the Brewers in 2019 after a decent initial season in A ball? This was before COVID. Any clue why his strikeout totals increased after leaving the Brewers?

[Ro Mueller]

43 minutes ago, Outlander said:

For those that follow the lower minor more closely why was Gillaspie released by the Brewers in 2019 after a decent initial season in A ball? This was before COVID. Any clue why his strikeout totals increased after leaving the Brewers?

In late 2021, Gillaspie himself had tweeted about the 2019 release, but it seems that's since been deleted. If I recall, he was dealing with an injury and rehab, the Brewers offered reasonable support but weren't willing to keep holding a roster spot for him.

Maybe we didn't think he'd make a full recovery or maybe we seriously under-valued him due to his late 2019 shift to the bullpen. Probably a bit of both.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

RHP Luis Contreras has signed an MiLB contract with the Houston Astros.  

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

RHP Luis Contreras has signed an MiLB contract with the Houston Astros.  

Happy for him but sad to see him go. Contreras was a guy who showcased, imho, he was just tapping into his best stuff. I stated numerous times last year: he has MLB stuff he just needs to fine tune it. Fantastic ride on his heater. Wishing him well at Sugarland and hopefully he gets an opportunity with the Astros.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Best of luck, Mr. Mathias! Mark latches on in Cincinnati, presumably starting with their Triple-A ball club in Louisville.

Quote

The 29-year-old Mathias split the 2023 season between the Mariners, Pirates and Giants organizations, reaching the big leagues with the latter two of that trio. In a small sample of 72 trips to the plate, Mathias batted .226/.333/.258. He’s a career .246/.317/.391 hitter with six home runs and seven stolen bases in a total of 199 big league plate appearances. Mathias has walked at a healthy 9.5% clip in that time against a higher-than-average 26.1% strikeout rate.

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

MLB.com: Here’s how the Rule 5 Draft affected teams’ Top 30 Prospects lists

Pirates
Lost: SS Dariel Lopez (No. 14)
Top 30 replacement: SS/3B Jhonny Severino (No. 30)

After losing Lopez, the lone ranked prospect selected in the Minor League portion of the Draft, Severino moved into the club's Top 30 list. The 19-year-old infielder slashed .268/.333/.391 with a 98 wRC+ in his first taste of the Dominican Summer League, and was making his United States debut in the Arizona Complex League as an 18-year-old when he was traded to the Pirates in the Carlos Santana deal close to the Trade Deadline. Initially signed as a shortstop, Severino began his pro career there, but started playing third base in 2023 and that is expected to be his long-term defensive home.

[Ro Mueller]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Ugh. Losing Contreras and now Henry is a loss of two very good; resilient and available; highly skilled veteran Minor Leaguers. These ones hurt as a Brewers Minor League aficionado. Every year we see some semblance of turnover and some sting more than others. These two sting. 

AND, I wish both young men the absolute best in their upcoming baseball endeavors. Both men are worthy of an MLB opportunity in their future pastures!

[Jim Goulart]

Utility players Jamie Westbrook and Eddy Alvarez both signed minor league deals with Boston with camp invites. Westbrook, 28, is still seeking his MLB debut in his 10th pro season.

[Jim Goulart]

Could see this coming a mile away, Mr. Stearns:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Go get 'em Mr. Robinson. You got this. Shine bright in the Big Apple!

[sveumrules]

Really thoughtful interview with Jed Bradley leads off this week’s Sunday Notes column over at FanGraphs.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, sveumrules said:

Really thoughtful interview with Jed Bradley leads off this week’s Sunday Notes column over at FanGraphs.

This right here:

Quote

“Poets and philosophers have plenty of subject matter at their disposal with America’s Pastime,” Bradley told me. “Baseball and hope go hand in hand. There’s something about the game that every true fan appreciates — the warm, euphoric feeling associated with infinite possibilities. When opening day arrives, all teams have a shot at the World Series and everyone on the roster is on the cusp of their greatest season.

 

“This hopeful spirit is often displayed in the dogged attempts of players to keep their careers alive long after statistics and logic say they should,” continued Bradley, who allowed four runs over seven innings in his Atlanta Braves cameo. “It’s common to see former big-leaguers pitching or hitting in independent leagues or foreign countries many years after their time in affiliated baseball is over. Players routinely go through costly surgeries and endure extended rehab periods, just for the opportunity at launching themselves back into a world of uncertainty, shrinking professional opportunity, and meager compensation.Why do they do this? Hope. No matter what obstacles stand in the way, or logical evidence to the contrary, this perpetual rising sun resides in the heart of every baseball player.”

[Jim Goulart]

Do you remember the 29-game 2023 stint of OF Michael Reed with Nashville? It was admittedly rather non-descript. He just signed with the Texas Rangers on a minor league deal.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

LHP Thomas Pannone (2023 - one Brewers big league appearance, 11 appearances with Nashville, nine of them starts) signed a minor league deal with the Cubs.

[Ro Mueller]

UT Hernan Perez signs minor league deal with Reds

[Jim Goulart]

RHP Victor Castaneda was the PTBNL in the March 2023 trade to Tampa Bay (for RHP Javy Guerra).
 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

3 hours ago, Mass Haas said:

RHP Victor Castaneda was the PTBNL in the March 2023 trade to Tampa Bay (for RHP Javy Guerra).
 

 

In a 2023 season extremely abbreviated by injury (12 outings, 1 GS all August/September), Castaneda still managed to face both the Shuckers and Sounds twice. 

Unlike, for example, Evan McKendry's rough first outing facing his former club in Durham (Rays) after the Alex Jackson swap, Castaneda acquitted himself extremely well versus his former ball club:

7 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 1 HB, 1 ER, 10 K

If he can stay healthy, Castaneda will always be knocking on that MLB call-up door. Best of luck, young man!

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Cody Ponce (2015 Brewers 2nd Rd draft pick) will once again play in the NPB. After spending 2022 and 2023 with the Nippon Ham Fighters (heck of a name!), he signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles for 2024. 

More information HERE

[TURBO]

6 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

RHP Cody Ponce (2015 Brewers 2nd Rd draft pick) will once again play in the NPB. After spending 2022 and 2023 with the Nippon Ham Fighters (heck of a name!), he signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles for 2024. 

More information HERE

Watching him pitch in Appleton, I really thought he was going to be a big piece of our starting rotation one day.  SUPER nice kid too.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Hobie Harris (a key part of that fantastic 2022 Nashville Sounds bullpen) will take his bags North to St. Paul (most likely). Harris signs a Minor League deal with the Minnesota Twins organization where he'll. look to bounce back after a down year with the Nationals in 2023. It should be celebrated, however, Harris played a role in the MLB Nationals bullpen in the first half if their season. Hopefully, he can work his way back to 'The Show'.

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