2025 Minor League Transaction Thread

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Thank goodness. We are running low on LH pitchers in the upper minors.

He does look interesting. Groundball pitcher (sinker) who pitched better as a reliever.  He did get rocked overall in AAA and has a 4.00 career ERA as a minor leaguer.  Maybe they can squeeze a few more MPH on his sinker.  Just not sure how they will find innings for all these guys.

[Joseph Zarr]

7 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

Man he had some obscenely tough luck in the BABIP department at Triple-A. I think I read it was in the low to mid 0.300's? With a decent underlying  barrel %, one would think he had some awful luck overall.

[Ro Mueller]

- LHP Tyler Jay returns on a minor league deal 

 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

The Brewers have signed RHP Albert Vargas, Jr. as an international free agent out of Venezuela.  He is represented by the same agency as RHP Jesus Rivero.  Not much is known about Vargas except that he works in the low 90’s with his fastball at the moment.

[Joseph Zarr]

Thanks for that update @ARobsBrewCrew.

It would also appear the Brewers have formally announced (on the transactions wire side of things) the signing of Mexican RHP Luis Aguayo. Fist pump from this superfan. I believe we are now only waiting on one (?) officially announced signing from this year's class?

 Aguayo, as we know will pitch his 17-year-old season this summer as a part of this year's International FA Class. However, I also know several of us have been waiting for an official announcement as many of us were quite excited about a young such as Aguayo's - pitching up welllll beyond his years.

Here was a clip of some K's I posted in the International Signings thread: 

45K views · 495 reactions | LLEGA CON TODO 😌 El derecho Luis Aguayo...

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

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LLEGA CON TODO 😌 El derecho Luis Aguayo poncha al primer bateador que enfrenta en la LaMP...

 

[Ro Mueller]

39 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Thanks for that update @ARobsBrewCrew.

It would also appear the Brewers have formally announced (on the transactions wire side of things) the signing of Mexican RHP Luis Aguayo. Fist pump from this superfan. I believe we are now only waiting on one (?) officially announced signing from this year's class?

 Aguayo, as we know will pitch his 17-year-old season this summer as a part of this year's International FA Class. However, I also know several of us have been waiting for an official announcement as many of us were quite excited about a young such as Aguayo's - pitching up welllll beyond his years.

Here was a clip of some K's I posted in the International Signings thread: 

45K views · 495 reactions | LLEGA CON TODO 😌 El derecho Luis Aguayo...

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

---

LLEGA CON TODO 😌 El derecho Luis Aguayo poncha al primer bateador que enfrenta en la LaMP...

 

All 29 international free agent signings are on the MILB transaction log, with RHP Luis Aguayo and LHP Daniel Garcia added a few days after the main signing day (and back-dated on the log).

[Joseph Zarr]

52 minutes ago, Ro Mueller said:

All 29 international free agent signings are on the MILB transaction log, with RHP Luis Aguayo and LHP Daniel Garcia added a few days after the main signing day (and back-dated on the log).

Thank you for the update. Appreciated.

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Oliver Camilo released by DSL Brewers-1

[Jim Goulart]

10 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

- RHP Oliver Camilo released by DSL Brewers-1

As the stats show, Camilo made major strides in his 2nd DSL season, registering a 1.15 WHIP and 1.80 ERA, though with a low K rate and not limiting unearned runs when possible. Still, that was a solid age-18 season.

[Joseph Zarr]

- RHP Luis Aguayo has apparently been placed on the Restricted List by the DSL Brewers #2

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Sam Gardner released by AA Biloxi

An undrafted free agent signing out of independent ball in May 2023, the now 28-year old Gardner was one of the top relief pitchers in the whole of Minor League Baseball over the past 2 seasons (2.20 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 12.3 K/9 in 81.2 IP, including an astounding 0.87 WHIP in AA ball last year). This hurts.

Gardner was placed on the injured list on August 18, 2024, so perhaps this release is injury-related. 

 

[CheeseheadInQC]

6 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

- RHP Sam Gardner released by AA Biloxi

An undrafted free agent signing out of independent ball in May 2023, the now 28-year old Gardner was one of the top relief pitchers in the whole of Minor League Baseball over the past 2 seasons (2.20 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 12.3 K/9 in 81.2 IP, including an astounding 0.87 WHIP in AA ball last year). This hurts.

Gardner was placed on the injured list on August 18, 2024, so perhaps this release is injury-related. 

 

This is genuinely shocking, even given the number of pitchers they have.

[Joseph Zarr]

This one hurts. Really hurts. I can only ponder if this is one of two things:

1) Sam's injuries from last season - injuries that ended his season early - were also career threatening? He missed quite a bit of time last season with two separate official 7-Day IL stints including his final designation on August 18th that took him out of competition through the playoffs.

2) Sam asked for the freedom to seek an opportunity elsewhere - personally or career opportunity motivated.

Otherwise, this just doesn't make much (if any) sense. Ugh. 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

RHP Josh Knoth is about a month and a half removed from Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season.

[Joseph Zarr]

29 minutes ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

RHP Josh Knoth is about a month and a half removed from Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season.

Good grief. This is that time of the season where the off-season not so savory news comes pouring in. Thanks for the update, ARob. Another talented young man shelved with TJ. May he come back even stronger!

Losing Tanner Shears, Cameron Wagoner, Hayden Robinson and Josh Knoth to TJ's in consecutive seasons is ROUGH. My goodness. Stay strong Fanatics. Let's root these young men back to health and even stronger repertoires. The pain we feel as fans and viewers pales in comparison to the disruption and pain these men are experiencing in their young careers.

**Yes, I am coping hard. Sipping the copium with a side of tears **

[sveumrules]

54 minutes ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

RHP Josh Knoth is about a month and a half removed from Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season.

Bummer, guess the good news with the timing of the surgery is he should be good to go for most of next season if all goes well in recovery.

[biedergb]

Thanks for the update ARobs

ugh another gut punch. I was so stoked to watch some of our young pitchers (letson, knoth, meccage and the 2023-24 HS picks) progress this season,  Robinson had his surgery last season mid year, correct?

But we are expecting some who may return from injury - the aforementioned Shears, and hopefully healthy years from Woodward, Birchard.  But Crow should be returning, and what was Galindez’s injury/rehab status?

Am I missing anyone?

[markedman5]

 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

3 hours ago, biedergb said:

Thanks for the update ARobs

ugh another gut punch. I was so stoked to watch some of our young pitchers (letson, knoth, meccage and the 2023-24 HS picks) progress this season,  Robinson had his surgery last season mid year, correct?

But we are expecting some who may return from injury - the aforementioned Shears, and hopefully healthy years from Woodward, Birchard.  But Crow should be returning, and what was Galindez’s injury/rehab status?

Am I missing anyone?

Galindez had a non-TJ elbow surgery and was hoping to be full go for spring training last I heard.  Brandon Knarr and Cameron Wagoner should be healthy again as well.

[Joseph Zarr]

47 minutes ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

Galindez had a non-TJ elbow surgery and was hoping to be full go for spring training last I heard.  Brandon Knarr and Cameron Wagoner should be healthy again as well.

Me seeing Tanner Shears left out of this snippet has me all...

 

Edited February 15, 2025 by Joseph Zarr

[ARobsBrewCrew]

8 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Me seeing Tanner Shears left out of this snippet has me all...

 

I was just adding on some additional names that should be returning as he was already mentioned.  Shears is throwing off the mound and I would expect him to be pitching in games by May or June at the latest.  He had his TJ surgery on March 28 last year and hasn’t had any setbacks that I’m aware of.

[wiguy94]

Hopefully Knoth can have a quicker timeline TJ recovery considering he's rule 5 eligible after the 2027 season. If he has a longer 18 months TJ recovery he'd only have a year and a half available until he's Rule 5 eligible.

[jay87shot]

Cmon now, Knoth really. Hopefully having it a month and a half ago makes him ready for early 2026. Heck maybe it tightens everything up, he gets the rest of his body ahead of schedule and he can add a few mph.

Losing Gardner stinks I kind of had him lined up as one of the better AAA relievers. With losing Shane Smith (possibly could be returned) it hasn't been a great offseason for our minor league relief. I like some of the depth moves that are likely AAA pitchers but not really as much as Smith or Gardner.

[brewmann04]

Bad news on the kid hope he comes back better than ever. This is why you always draft pitching 

[Austin Tatious]

 

Hoping Josh comes back better than ever.  It can happen.  The intensive physical therapy following surgery is a major factor, allowing pitchers to focus on strengthening the entire arm and core, which can result in better throwing mechanics and potentially increased velocity.  You never know how he responds.  

Tough at a personal level but it can make him stronger.  

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/brewers-prospect-josh-knoth-undergoes-tommy-john-surgery.html