Baseball America | Blog | Baseball America Prospects Blog | Minor League Transactions: Feb. 23-28

This time: Feb. 23-28

An asterisk (*) denotes a case in which a player has signed a minor league deal after being outrighted from his club's 40-man roster.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Released: 1B Richie Rowland

Richie Rowland is the older brother of the Diamondbacks' most recent third-round pick Robby Rowland. Arizona signed Richie as a nondrafted junior from Campbellsville (Ky.) University last June.

Colorado Rockies
Signed: LHP Joe Torres

The 10th overall pick in the ’00 draft, Joe Torres joins his fifth organization. His strikeout rate spiked after a full-time move to the bullpen in ’06, but the 28-year-old has not yet logged any big league time. In fact, he has not yet reached Triple-A.

Houston Astros
Signed: LHP David Duncan (re-signed)

Los Angeles Angels
Signed: RHP Justin Harper

Los Angeles Dodgers
Signed: RHP Joey Newby (Southern Maryland (Atlantic))

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: C James Skelton

Lefty-swinging catcher James Skelton has been an on-base machine in the minors (.396 OBP), and he even dabbled at second base last season in the Pirates chain.

New York Mets
Signed: RHP Jack Egbert (re-signed)

The Mets claimed command-oriented righty Jack Egbert, a Staten Island native who attended Rutgers, on waivers in September ’09, only to see him miss the entire ’10 campaign to injury.

New York Yankees
Signed: 1B Nick Ebert (NDFA—South Carolina)

Pittsburgh Pirates
Signed: 3B Christian Colonel

Christian Colonel's whirlwind ’10 season included stops with the Red Sox (cut during spring training), Blue Jays, Padres, Braves and the Atlantic League's Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

San Diego Padres
Signed: LHP Randy Flores, LHP Dustin Pease (York (Atlantic))
Released: RHP Juan Chavez

Tampa Bay Rays
Signed: OF Justin Ruggiano*

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Cephas Howard (Wichita (American Association))

Howard ranked No. 3 on the 2009 Baseball America Top 10 all-independent leagues prospect team. The No. 1 prospect Reynaldo Rodriguez spent all of 2010 with the Red Sox low Class A club while No. 2 Adam Frost spent the year with the Royals high Class A club.

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Sam Brown, RHP Scott Mueller (Traverse City (Frontier))

I cant believe the Dbacks released Rowland. And he's not a 1B by the way, He's A Catcher. A VERY GOOD defensive Catcher with a great Left-handed stroke. kids got some pop too. He only played 1 SS with the Dbacks i dont get it! He hit .300 in the pioneer league with like 6 HRs or something. I think he was in the leaders with RBI's too. What are the Dbacks thinking! Rowland will make some other organization happy thats for sure!

Posted by Mike D. | March 1, 2011 at 5:28 pm | Shortcut

It's possible that Rowland requested the release, or that he wasn't 100% healthy. And even though minor league positions can be nebulous—it all depends on the makeup of the rest of the club—Rowland played 5 games at first base for Missoula, three at catcher and spent the other 59 at DH.

Posted by Matt Eddy | March 1, 2011 at 6:35 pm | Shortcut

Thanks for the updates, as always, Matt! Seems like the signings (both major and minor league) are slowing to a halt as most rosters are set/close to.
Do you anticipate most of the remaining AAAA type free agents (ex: Joe Borchard, Joe Dillon, Tommy Everidge, Jason Dubois) will sign with an independent league at this point? Or are they waiting for major league spring training injuries with a trickle down effect for open roster spots?

Posted by Trog | March 1, 2011 at 9:36 pm | Shortcut

DuBois is a low level coach for the Cubs now.

Posted by Brian B. | March 2, 2011 at 8:38 am | Shortcut

@Trog

In the near future we'll begin seeing much transactional activity. Very soon teams will begin paring players who don't stand to make a minor league club, and they'll also begin optioning others to the minors when minor league spring training begins in mid-March.

It makes sense for vets like Borchard and Dillon to wait until the last minute to sign. As you stated, they'll have a better idea of opportunity. Presumably, the foreign leagues have passed on them, but the Atlantic League will welcome them if they want to stay in game shape.

Posted by Matt Eddy | March 2, 2011 at 9:54 am | Shortcut