We come to the final transactions installment for the year 2010. But unless teams stop signing, releasing and trading minor league players, we'll be back in 2011. 

Atlanta Braves
Signed: RHP Jose Reyes, 1B Ernesto Mejia

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: C Michel Hernandez (re-signed)

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Ryan Harvey, LHP Andrew Miller (re-signed)

As alluded to previously in the comments section, Ryan Harvey, the former slugging outfielder taken sixth overall in 2003, has converted to the mound. He did not appear in a game as a pitcher for the Rockies, his previous employer, but he began working as one behind the scenes for Double-A Tulsa, reportedly hitting the low 90s with sink. [...] Continue Reading »

Dominican shortstop Alberto Triunfel has signed with the Rangers for $300,000. Triunfel, 16, is the younger brother of Mariners Double-A shortstop Carlos Triunfel, who signed with Seattle for $1.3 million in 2006.

Alberto Triunfel, who is around 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, is a righthanded hitter who stands out for his athleticism and smooth actions at shortstop. Baseball America subscribers can read a full scouting report on Triunfel and other top Latin American prospects from this year's signing class.

Also see: Complete Rule 5 draft results and tidbits from the Rule 5 minor league phase

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: 1B Andy Tracy
Released: C Kawika Emsley-Pai
Traded: RHP Cesar Valdez to Pirates as player to be named for LHP Zach Duke
Traded: OF Jose Rivero to Athletics for cash considerations

New Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers has kept things lively this offseason, signing free agents, making trades and making waiver claims with abandon. Among the most recent batch of moves, Arizona traded Cesar Valdez, one of the organization's top arms as recently as ’09, to Pittsburgh as the PTBN (because he was eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft) for Zach Duke. The 25-year-old Valdez went 6-10, 5.90 for Triple-A Reno this season, but with 92 strikeouts in 97 2/3 innings.

Arizona also pulled off the rare swap involving a minor league Rule 5 draft pick, in this case trading away outfielder Jose Rivero, whom they took from the Mariners in the Triple-A phase. A 20-year-old righty hitter who has yet to graduate from short-season ball in five pro seasons, Rivero batted a cumulative .272/.335/.428 with seven homers in 63 games this year.

Veteran first baseman Andy Tracy signed with the Diamondbacks after spending the last three years as a Lehigh Valley IronPig. The 37-year-old has big league time with the Expos, Rockies and Phillies, but, just as significantly, has hit 278 home runs in 15 seasons in the minors.

Atlanta Braves
Rule 5 selection: LHP Scott Diamond (MLB, Twins) [...] Continue Reading »

If you just can't wait for this blog each week to find out which players have signed minor league deals, I encourage you to follow @eddymk on Twitter. (That's me.)

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: OF Wily Mo Pena, OF David Winfree

David Winfree, a 25-year-old right fielder, enjoyed his first taste of Pacific Coast League life this season, batting .315/.349/.534 with 10 homers in 57 games for Tacoma. He'll head to the launching pad in Reno if he begins next season in Triple-A. Winfree spent all of ’09 and half of ’10 in the International League with the Twins and Yankees.

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Jason Bergmann
Traded: RHP Casey Kelly, 1B Anthony Rizzo, OF Reymond Fuentes and a player to be named to Padres for 1B Adrian Gonzalez

Chicago Cubs
Signed: OF Brad Snyder (re-signed)

The 18th pick in the ’03 draft, right fielder Brad Snyder made his big league debut for the Cubs this season, going 5-for-27 (.185) in 12 games. The 28-year-old enjoyed a career year while playing for Triple-A Iowa, batting .308/.381/.568 with 25 homers, 37 doubles, 106 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. Snyder finished second in the Pacific Coast League in RBIs, runs (97) and total bases (271). [...] Continue Reading »

Many of the major league Rule 5 players were profiled in our previews, both the subscriber link and the blog update Wednesday. This file, meanwhile, sat in the Drafts folder for a couple of hours; I merged it with a comments post that pointed out that we'd left stuff out.

Speedy outfielder Brad Chalk, the former Clemson player, was the first Triple-A phase pick out of the Padres system, going to the Pirates. [...] Continue Reading »

The Triple-A phase had 24 players picked, and now we're on to the Double-A phase, where Jacob Rasner of the White Sox organization was drafted by the Orioles.

Not a lot of action in the Double-A phase, though speedster Quentin Berry, whom we discussed in yesterday's podcast, went to the Mets as the second player selected. The only other picks made were righthander Brent Allar (Orioles), who went to the Marlins; and second baseman Roan Salas (Rays), who went to the Blue Jays.

And just like that, the Rule 5 draft is over, in 38 minutes. We'll have much more analysis to come.

The Nationals and Astros made second-round selections with righthanders Ryan Broderick and the Astros taking Lance Pendleton.

Then the Mets right a past wrong, if you want to look at it that way, by taking righty Pedro Beato from the Orioles. The Mets had taken Beato as a draft and follow in 2005 but didn't sign him. Now, he's a Met again.

The Yankees take Daniel Turpen, yet another name from the preview. The Oregon State 2007 team is well-represented in the Rule 5 with Turpen and Paterson both gone.

Round Two is over, and Round Three passes with no selections. The Major League phase is done. We'll break down every pick shortly.

Rule 5 is flying. The Mets at 11 go with Brad Emaus of the Blue Jays, another preview name.

The Marlins picks 12th but pass, the first team to pass, followed by the Dodgers, Athletics and Rockies, Blue Jays, Cardinals, White Sox, and Red Sox passing.

The Padres take George Kontos from the Yankees at the 22nd selection after all those passes and teams full at 40. Texas, which will get Tobin, passes, as do the Reds, Braves and Giants.

Minnesota takes lefty Scott Diamond, another pitcher from our original preview. (I like that trend.) Speaking of that trend, the Yankees at No. 28 select lefty Robert Fish from the Angels.

The Rays go off our board though with lefty Cesar Cabral from the Red Sox system, while the Phillies go with Nationals infielder Michael Martinez, the athletic second baseman from last week's podcast preview.

Round Two next post.

Adrian Rosario to the Orioles, then Nathan Adcock to Kansas City, both righthanders. No one has passed yet.

The Nationals at six go with Elvin Ramirez from the Mets, another name we had in the preview.

The Cubs selected Mason Tobin from the Angels, and he's going to the Rangers is my guess; as reported he's being traded.

Aneury Rodriguez finally goes next to the Astros, while the Brewers at 10 take an Oriole, righty Pat Egan.

After going through roll call, we get to the picks.

Pirates start with shortstop Josh Rodriguez from the Indians, a versatile infielder who starred at Rice. Obvious Neal Huntington ties there.

Seattle follows with Jose Flores, a righthander also off the roster of the Indians, while the Diamondbacks take late rumor Joe Paterson, a lefty out of the Diamondbacks system.

That's where the Rule 5 draft will start in a few minutes. We'll try to live blog since we have the fine wireless connection working, and also check our Twitter feeds: @BaseballAmerica, @johnmanuelba, @eddymk and I believe even some @jimcallisba action.

The only last-minute news I have to report is the Cubs will be trading their selection.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Matt Walbeck came to the Winter Meetings in hopes of securing a job for next season. Instead, he is leaving Orlando unemployed and still confused about the path that has taken him from guiding the Double-A Altoona Curve to the Eastern League title to being dismissed by the Pirates in early September.

The 2010 Eastern League manager of the year is now managing nobody.

Walbeck said he has found little interest from teams since the Pirates dismissed him days after last season ended. He quickly compiled a resume but got no bites from teams, Walbeck said. He hoped face-to-face meetings with executives in Orlando would net results, either as a manager, coach or coordinator, but instead he "never had a meeting of any substance," Walbeck said.

"It is really quite humbling and making me appreciate what I've done (in my career)," Walbeck said. "This is the first time in my life that I have not been involved in baseball since I got out of high school." [...] Continue Reading »

ORLANDO—Thursday's Rule 5 draft may not start with Rays righthander Aneurys Rodriguez, but the former Rockies righthander appears to be the most likely player to be selected.

Rodriguez already fit the profile as a somewhat prospecty pitcher with four full seasons of full-season experience, solid stuff, durability and three pitches he throws for strikes. Now Rodriguez, 22, has added a strong performance in the Dominican League. One report had Rodriguez throwing in the 90-93 mph in winter ball and he was 3-2, 1.22, leading the league in ERA and WHIP (0.95).

Many of the names we've heard tied to the Rule 5 were the names we listed in the original preview last week (subscribers-only link). Here are some other prospects—almost all pitchers—whose names have popped up this week during regular strolls through the lobby:

• Elvin Ramirez, rhp, Mets: Ramirez has pushed his fastball up to 98-99 mph according to several scouts who have seen him in the Dominican. A starter all the way through 2009, Ramirez moved full-time to the bullpen in 2010, going 4-4, 4.16 and reaching Double-A Binghamton. He throws a changeup, curve and slider as well but has impressed most with his improved fastball velocity and control in the Dominican, where he was averaging 11.32 strikeouts per nine innings and just 1.74 walks per nine. He's posted a 2.18 ERA in 21 innings. [...] Continue Reading »

Esteilon Peguero, one of the top prospects in the Dominican Republic, has agreed to terms with the Mariners for $2.9 million, the highest international amateur signing bonus of 2010.

Peguero, who turned 17 in November, was one of the most advanced hitters in Latin America this year. A righthanded hitter from Bani at around 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Peguero has good bat speed and he has shown well against live pitching. An average runner, Peguero projects to move to another position, possibly second or third base. Baseball America subscribers can read a full scouting report on Peguero here.

Peguero’s signing bonus edged the $2.8 million the Blue Jays gave Venezuelan righthander Adonis Cardona for the top international amateur free agent bonus of 2010. Peguero’s bonus ranks fourth all-time among international amateur free agents behind Athletics righthander Michael Ynoa ($4.25 million, 2008), Twins third baseman Miguel Sano ($3.15 million, 2009) and Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez ($3 million 2009), all from the Dominican Republic.

[...] Continue Reading »

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: C P.J. Pilittere, SS Ed Rogers (re-signed)

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Josh Rupe, C Zach Booker (re-signed)

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Charlis Burdie, RHP Brandon Duckworth