Cubs: OF Brad Snyder
Royals: RHP Brian Bannister
Blue Jays: OF Dewayne Wise
Nationals: RHP Joe Bisenius

@Greg Stanwood

Q: "So players who are outrighted return to their original minor league contracts instead of new ones?"

A: Yes, players are bound by the terms of the minor league contract they signed for that season. They do not receive additional compensation in the form of a raise or bonus upon signing a subsequent minor league deal.

@Petey Pablo

Q: "Are players who have been outrighted once still operating under their initial contracts? Are they eligible for minor league free agency any sooner?"

Yes, a team can outright a player from the 40-man roster one time without the player having a say in the matter. However, the other 29 teams have the option of claiming that player on waivers, though they too would have to place him on the 40-man roster—or repeat the outright/waivers process initiated by Team One. That's what happens when a player goes through a succession of rapid waiver claims, like Cesar Carrillo this year (Padres to Phillies to Padres to Astros) and Casey Fien last year (Tigers to Red Sox to Blue Jays).

No, being outrighted does nothing to advance or hinder a player's minor league free agent clock. Service time accrued in the big leagues counts toward minor league free agency.

Does anybody else have a minor league free agency procedural question?

We're happy to be your primary source for Rangers and non-Rangers transactions.

So players who are outrighted return to their original minor league contracts instead of new ones?

Al Alburquerque. He signed with the Cubs in July ’03 and debuted the next year in the DSL, so he actually has completed 7 years in the minors (even though two of them—’05 and ’08—were wiped out by injury). Nothing out of the ordinary.

Greg Smith. Short answer: He has more than five years of service, but he doesn't quite have six. Smith pitched 82 innings after signing with the D-backs in June ’05, meaning that he has pitched in at least parts of six years in the minors. But you might notice that no ’05 draft picks appear on the FA list (unless their first contract was broken). That's because none of them quite have six seasons of service yet—their seasons started at midpoint ’05 or later.

This list contains those minor league FAs who got there by electing free agency instead of a minor league assignment. We’re up to 80 and counting. Check back for updates.

Orioles: RHP Cla Meredith, LHP Alberto Castillo, 1B Michael Aubrey, 3B Scott Moore
Red Sox: RHP Fernando Cabrera, RHP Robert Manuel, LHP Fabio Castro, LHP Rich Hill, C Gustavo Molina, C Kevin Cash (signed by Rangers), 3B Jack Hannahan, SS Niuman Romero
Cubs: RHP Angel Guzman (re-signed by Cubs), RHP Mike Parisi (re-signed by Cubs), 3B Bobby Scales
White Sox: C Donny Lucy
Reds: RHP Justin Lehr (re-signed by Reds), RHP Micah Owings
Indians: RHP Anthony Reyes, RHP Saul Rivera, C Chris Gimenez, C Luke Carlin
Rockies: RHP Juan Rincon, C Paul Phillips
Tigers: RHP Casey Fien (signed by Astros), RHP Eddie Bonine, RHP Enrique Gonzalez
Marlins: RHP Scott Strickland, LHP Dan Meyer, LHP Taylor Tankersley, C Mike Rivera, 3B Brian Barden, 3B Hector Luna, 3B Mike Lamb, SS Donnie Murphy (re-signed by Marlins)
Astros: RHP Casey Daigle, RHP Chris Sampson, RHP Gary Majewski, RHP Josh Banks, RHP Yorman Bazardo, C Brian Esposito (re-signed by Astros), 2B Anderson Hernandez (re-signed by Astros)
Royals: RHP Anthony Lerew, RHP Josh Rupe
Angels: RHP Bobby Mosebach, OF Cory Aldridge, OF Michael Ryan
Dodgers: RHP Justin Miller, SS Juan Castro
Brewers: RHP Chris Smith, OF Adam Stern
Mets: RHP Fernando Nieve, C Omir Santos, 3B Mike Hessman
Yankees: LHP Royce Ring
Athletics: RHP Boof Bonser, RHP Ross Wolf, LHP Cedrick Bowers, 3B Jeff Larish
Phillies: C Paul Hoover
Pirates: RHP Brian Bass, RHP Steven Jackson, LHP Justin Thomas (re-signed by Pirates), OF Brandon Moss
Cardinals: LHP Evan MacLane
Padres: C Chris Stewart
Giants: RHP Brandon Medders, RHP Denny Bautista
Mariners: RHP Ian Snell, C Eliezer Alfonzo, C Guillermo Quiroz
Rangers: RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Willie Eyre, 1B Ryan Garko
Blue Jays: LHP Sean Henn (re-signed by Blue Jays), 1B Brian Dopirak, 1B Mike Jacobs
Nationals: RHP Jason Bergmann, C Carlos Maldonado, C Jamie Burke

Regarding Greg Smith of the Rockies. As I understand it, when a player is outrighted off the 40 man Roster for the first time, they must return to the organization under a minor league contract (while if they are ourighted again, they have the choice to declare free agency).
These minor league contracts that are defaulted to players outrighted off the roster for the first time or who accept assignment, as I understand it, are one year deals. This is why Al Alburquerque, who was designated for assignment and outrighted early in the year, as able to declare free agency despite not being a 7 year player (his contract was traded to the Rockies from the Cubs, keeping that standard contract intact).

But Greg Smith, who was outrighted off the roster late in the year (first outright of his career), should be subject to the same one year contract, yes? So my question is, why did he not/was he not able to declare free agency? Did he re-sign? Did the minor league deal post-outright assignment end up being longer than one year? What did I miss here?
 
Thanks!

One and the same. While Ryan Harvey did not appear in a game as a pitcher, he began working as one behind the scenes for Double-A Tulsa, reportedly hitting the low 90s with sink.

From what I can gather from agents, nothing would prevent a team from signing a minor league FA to multiple years. But as previously stated, the more veteran players would not want to be locked into an organization where no big league opportunity exists.

Multi-year deals would be more attractive for clubs looking at promising players who have stalled in the low minors for one reason or another. If the club puts in the resources to develop the diamond in the rough, they may want some assurance he won't simply walk away the following year.

1. The renewal clause attaches only to a player's first pro contract with an organization, and only if he has no previous professional experience. Therefore, college/high school NDFAs and international amateur FAs are subject, while players signed from the indy leagues are not (because they have previous pro experience).

This is also why players who are drafted, voided and then re-signed are not subject to renewal. Technically, the contract they play under is not their first. The Brewers' Cody Scarpetta is the most notable example of this.

2. Most veteran players who ink minor league deals seek the shortest deals possible. Many of them negotiate opt-out dates, allowing them to break minor league contracts if they're not on the big league roster. But I'll have to do more research to see if multi-year minor league deals exist.