Baseball America | Blog | Baseball America Prospects Blog | Minor League Transactions: Nov. 22-Dec. 1

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

The 34-year-old Brandon Duckworth has been gutting it out since he signed as a nondrafted free agent out of Cal State Fullerton in ’97. He's pitched parts of eight seasons in the big leagues and has Triple-A time in every year since ’03. He pitched for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the Phillies system last year, striking out 8.7 batters per nine innings with a quality fastball and curveball.

Chicago White Sox
Signed: RHP Jeff Gray, C Adam Ricks (re-signed), 1B Ian Gac (re-signed), 1B Daryle Ward (Newark (Atlantic)), OF Miguel Negron (re-signed)

Cincinnati Reds
Signed: OF David Cook, OF Welinton Ramirez

Corner outfielder David Cook has solid defensive tools and raw power, but he's spent much of his career at Double-A and is now 29. He slugged 25 homers for the ’09 Double-A Birmingham Barons in the White Sox system, and he's fared quite well against lefty pitchers in Double-A in the past two season (.840 OPS last year and .941 in ’09), suggesting some platoon possibilities if he makes his way to a big league bench.

Cleveland Indians
Signed: C Luke Carlin (re-signed)

Colorado Rockies
Signed: C Matt Pagnozzi

Detroit Tigers
Signed: 1B Scott Thorman

Scott Thorman slugged 16 homers for the Braves in ’06 and ’07, but hit just .222/.260/.407 in 415 at-bats and found himself back in the minors. He's hit very well for Triple-A Omaha in the Royals chain the past two seasons to pique the Tigers' interest. He hit a career-high 22 homers last season, while compiling a solid 48-to-75 walk-to-strikeout ratio and showing versatility by playing 20 games at third base and five in left field. The 28-year-old Thorman batted .280/.348/.491 with 22 homers and 31 doubles for Omaha last season, which looks a bit like another 28-year-old lefty slugger who had previously struggled to control the strike zone. Playing for Triple-A Rochester (Twins) in ’08, Garrett Jones batted .279/.337/.484 with 23 homers and 33 doubles. A year later, he hit his way into the Pirates lineup.

Florida Marlins
Signed: 3B Ruben Gotay, OF Chris Lubanski

Still just 27, Ruben Gotay led the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in walks (95) last year, playing for Memphis (Cardinals) and batted .297/.430/.477 versus Triple-A righthanders.

Houston Astros
Signed: 1B Brian Dopirak
Elected free agency: LHP Gustavo Chacin
Removed from 40-man roster: RHP Matt Nevarez, LHP Gustavo Chacin

Kansas City Royals
Signed: RHP Blake Johnson (re-signed)
Removed from 40-man roster: RHP Gaby Hernandez, RHP Victor Marte

Los Angeles Dodgers
Signed: RHP Alexis Pacheco

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: RHP David Johnson (re-signed), RHP Zach Segovia

Minnesota Twins
Removed from 40-man roster: SS Estarlin de los Santos

New York Mets
Signed: 2B Jonathan Malo (re-signed)

New York Yankees
Signed: RHP Brian Anderson, LHP Andy Sisco, C Jose Gil (re-signed)

Oakland Athletics
Reinstated from inactive list: RHP Jose Sanchez

Pittsburgh Pirates
Elected free agency: 3B Andy LaRoche, OF Delwyn Young
Removed from 40-man roster: 3B Andy LaRoche, OF Delwyn Young

San Diego Padres
Signed: C Kyle Phillips (re-signed)

Seattle Mariners
Signed: RHP Charlie Haeger, RHP Chris Smith, LHP Fabio Castro, LHP Chris Seddon (re-signed)

Tampa Bay Rays
Signed: RHP Richard de los Santos (re-signed)

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Barret Loux, 3B Esteban German (re-signed), SS Nick Urbanus

Dutch shortstop Nick Urbanus, 18, comes from a rich baseball tradition. His father Charles and grandfather Han won MVP awards in the Dutch major league, Hoofdklasse Honkbal.

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Winston Abreu

Reliever Winston Abreu saved 38 games for Triple-A Durham (Rays) in the past two seasons while notching a 159-to-37 strikeout-to-walk ratio and yielding just five home runs in 106 innings. The 33-year-old hasn't found the same success in the big leagues (two home runs per nine innings, 7.31 ERA), but he hasn't had a fair shake since ’07, when he pitched 30 innings for the Nationals.

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Jimmy Barthmaier (re-signed)
Removed from 40-man roster: RHP Ryan Mattheus