The White Sox and Blue Jays have hired new personnel to lead their international efforts.

The White Sox have hired Marco Paddy as a special assistant to the general manager in charge of international operations. Paddy had been Toronto's director of Latin American operations the last five years, during which time the Blue Jays signed Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, Venezuelan righthander Henderson Alvarez, Venezuelan catcher Carlos Perez and Venezuelan righthander Adonys Cardona, among others.

The Blue Jays were one of the most aggressive teams on the international amateur market this year, signing Mexican righthander Roberto Osuna, Venezuelan outfielders Wuilmer Becerra and Jesus Gonzalez, Dominican shortstop Dawel Lugo and Venezuelan righthanders Manuel Cordoba and Jesus Tinoco.

Chicago's international program has been decimated in recent years due to a kickback scandal. Three former White Sox officials—former director of player personnel David Wilder and international scouts Victor Mateo and Jorge Oquendo Rivera—were fired in 2008 and have since each pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. In a November 2010 indictment, the government alleged that the three received approximately $400,000 in kickbacks from around 23 players from December 2004 through February 2008.

The White Sox had hired Jerry Krause to run their international scouting in April 2010, but Krause left the organization a year later to take over as a special assistant in Arizona. The White Sox have been among the lowest spenders and least productive teams in the international amateur market in recent years.

The Blue Jays have replaced Paddy with Ismael Cruz, who had been with the Mets as their supervisor of Latin American operations and now will be Toronto's special assistant to the GM in charge of Latin American operations. During Cruz's time with New York, the Mets' notable Latin American signings included Jenrry Mejia, Ruben Tejaad, Jeurys Famillia, Wilmer Flores, Cesar Puello, Jordany Valdespin and Juan Urbina.

The Mets' former director of international operations, Rafael Perez, left the organization last month to become Major League Baseball's new director of Dominican operations.

Don't miss the Minor League Free Agent Tracker, which allows users to filter more than 600 players by 2011 organization, new org, position, winter-ball participation and signed/unsigned status.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: C Ryan Budde
Traded: RHP Adam Worthington to Phillies as player to be named for LHP Mike Zagurski

Atlanta Braves
Signed: LHP Dusty Hughes, C J.C. Boscan (re-signed), 1B Ian Gac, 2B Drew Sutton, SS Josh Wilson, OF Luis Durango, OF Brahiam Maldonado, OF Jordan Parraz
Released: C Ramon de los Santos
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Jaye Chapman, RHP J.J. Hoover, LHP Luis Avilan

Slugger Ian Gac mashed 33 homers in ’11 and finished five behind minor league home run champ Bryan LaHair. The 26-year-old Gac batted .279/.358/.535 in 516 at-bats for high Class A Winston-Salem and never has appeared in a Double-A game in nine pro seasons. He has 160 professional homers but would need another 50 to crack the top 10 among active players.

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Yeizer Marrugo
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Oliver Drake

According to Colombian news outlet El Universal, Yeizer Marrugo is a 17-year-old righty who started for Colombia in the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Orioles scout Jorge Franco is quoted in the story as saying Marrugo topped out at 91 mph with an improved delivery. [...] Continue Reading »

Mariners prospect Greg Halman was stabbed to death on Nov. 21 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Dutch police arrested Halman's younger brother as a suspect.

“The Mariners family is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Greg Halman,” Mariners chairman Howard Lincoln, president Chuck Armstrong and general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a statement on behalf of entire Mariners organization. “Greg was a part of our organization since he was 16 and we saw him grow into a passionate young man and talented baseball player. He had an infectious smile that would greet you in the clubhouse, and he was a tremendous teammate. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg’s family.” [...] Continue Reading »

A third former White Sox scout has admitted to being involved in a kickback scheme involving Latin American prospects.

Jorge Oquendo Rivera pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of mail fraud in a Chicago federal court. In his plea agreement, according to the Chicago Tribune, prosecutors alleged Oquendo admitted taking kickbacks from 17 players and sent his boss, former White Sox director of player personnel David Wilder, $20,000 to $25,000 from an unnamed Brazilian player’s $213,500 bonus around December 2005.

A November 2010 indictment charged Wilder and former White Sox Latin American scouts Oquendo and Victor Mateo with receiving kickbacks from approximately 23 players totaling nearly $400,000 from around December 2004 through February 2008. In February, Wilder pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and admitted receiving a kickback. Mateo pleaded guilty to mail fraud in March.

In the kickback scheme, according to the government, Wilder, Oquendo and Mateo conspired to artificially inflate the value of Latin American amateur players. The indictment alleged that the three would have discussions with prospective players and their representatives to coordinate the amount of money the player would receive and the amount he was expected to kick back to the White Sox scouts. The government also alleged that Oquendo had similar conversations with unnamed Mexican League teams to coordinate the same type of kickback schemes.

Oquendo is free on bail but is scheduled for a March 7 sentencing. 

It was one year ago today that Dominican righthander Jose Rafael DePaula agreed to terms for a $500,000 bonus with the Yankees, contingent upon his ability to acquire a visa.

That paperwork hasn't been easy to obtain for DePaula, who missed the entire 2011 season and is still in the process of trying to get his visa, according to Yankees vice president Mark Newman. DePaula is still under contract with the Yankees and has been working out at their Dominican academy.

Scouts have considered DePaula one of the most promising arms in Latin America since he was believed to be eligible to sign three years ago in 2008. At the time, DePaula was presenting himself as Rafael DePaula Figueroa, born April 1, 1992. However, in May 2009, Major League Baseball suspended DePaula for one year for misrepresenting his age. In June 2010, DePaula came forward with a new name and a new date of birth (March 24, 1991) that would make him 20 years old.

At around 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, DePaula had a plus fastball that touched the mid-90s with a sharp breaking ball and a good delivery at the time he signed. He would be one of the Yankees' better pitching prospects if his contract gets approved, but for now, he's still waiting,

Don't miss the Minor League Free Agent Tracker, which allows users to filter more than 600 players by 2011 organization, new org, position, winter-ball participation and signed/unsigned status.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: RHP Chris Jakubauskas, 3B Rusty Ryal (Yomiuri (Japan))

Rusty Ryal spent parts of ’09 and ’10 in Arizona, batting .263/.318/.402 while playing first, second and third base as well as left field. He went 19-for-96 (.198) with Yomiuri of Japan's Central League in ’11.

Atlanta Braves
Signed: C Jose Yepez

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: OF Scott Beerer [...] Continue Reading »

The first wave of minor league free agents began signing with new teams mere days after attaining free agency. For those players who re-signed with the same organization, a distinction is made between those who signed prior to the Nov. 2 free agent declaration date. Those listed with an asterisk (*) re-signed before they actually reached the market.

The Minor League Free Agent Tracker documents the first wave of signees.

Atlanta Braves
Signed: LHP Jose Lugo (re-signed*)

Chicago Cubs
Signed: SS Jonathan Mota (re-signed*)

Chicago White Sox
Signed: C Jared Price (re-signed) [...] Continue Reading »

SURPRISE, Ariz.—Gerrit Cole was the last East All-Star player to leave the field Saturday night at the end of the Rising Stars Game.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 draft was trying to follow his Arizona Fall League teammates down the left-field line, toward the clubhouse at Surprise Stadium. Instead, he had stopped and was signing autographs for fans, even posing for a picture here or there.

"I didn't get to do it pregame," Cole said with a shrug. "It's not that big of a deal."

It was probably the highlight of the evening for Cole, who didn't make it out of the first inning and gave up two home runs in the East's 11-2 loss to the host West squad in the Rising Stars Game. Cole's counterpart on this night, Mariners farmhand Danny Hultzen, was more successful in his stint, lasting two innings and striking out the side in the first, whiffing Mike Trout (Angels) in the process. [...] Continue Reading »

We published the 537-player strong Minor League Free Agent list on Nov. 4, so check that out if you missed it. Here we present the leftover transactions from an eventful week.

Atlanta Braves
Traded: RHP Derek Lowe and cash to Indians for LHP Chris Jones
Elected free agency: C J.C. Boscan, OF Wilkin Ramirez
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Todd Redmond
Removed from 40-man: RHP Stephen Marek, C J.C. Boscan, OF Wilkin Ramirez, OF Antoan Richardson (all four players outrighted to Triple-A)

Righthander Todd Redmond has been a fixture in the Triple-A Gwinnett rotation for the past three seasons, putting up a 3.83 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 83 appearances and 477 innings. He threw a nine-inning no-hitter against Louisville on May 28, 2010, and this year turned in arguably his finest season in the high minors. Redmond led the International League with 169 2/3 innings, while finishing second with a 1.17 WHIP, third with a 2.92 ERA and fifth with 142 strikeouts. He lacks a plus pitch, but he's proven extremely durable, throwing at least 160 innings in five of six full seasons, and he holds velocity on his tailing, low-90s fastball deep into starts.

The 26-year-old Redmond would have qualified for minor league free agency had the Braves left him unprotected. He previously spent time on Atlanta's 40-man roster in ’09.

Baltimore Orioles
Elected free agency: C Jake Fox
Removed from 40-man: RHP Chris Jakubauskas, C Jake Fox (both players outrighted to Triple-A) [...] Continue Reading »

SURPRISE, Ariz.—Batting practice is over here at the Rising Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League. Here's a few quick observations from pregame, plus today's lineups:

• Bryce Harper is the DH tonight, which gives him a better chance of playing the entire game. Harper has hit five home runs in his last seven games here and has a 13-game hitting streak.

"Even his line drives sound different," said one American League scout. "He's the real deal."

• Several other players impressed with their BP turns other than Harper. Royals farmhand Wil Myers struggled during the regular season, but you couldn't tell by the way he's swinging it in the AFL. He's hitting .384/.505/.685 with five doubles, four triples and three home runs, and the coaches on the West all-stars said his hands are as quick as anyone in the league. He had easy power in BP.

[...] Continue Reading »

Major League Baseball granted free agency to 537 minor league players on Nov. 2, five days after Game Seven of the World Series heralded the end of the 2011 season. The number of players in this year's free agent class is consistent with totals from 2010 (533 players) and ’09 (536). You can find past free agent classes archived on our blog.

Update: Sort all 600-plus free agents by position, organization or level with out new Minor League Free Agent Tracker. (Nov. 7)

Typically, MLB deems a minor league player a free agent if one of two conditions is met. (A minor league player is one not on a 40-man roster.) In many cases, his initial signing team simply has used all six of its contract renewals. We can illustrate this concept using the example of Orioles 2005 third-rounder Brandon Erbe, who signed weeks after that draft. Baltimore exercised contract renewals for Erbe for the maximum of six years—for the 2006, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10 and ’11 seasons. To retain him for 2012 they would have had to add him to the 40-man roster—or in his case re-add him to the roster.

In other cases, a player's one-year minor league contract, signed either during the 2011 season or in the offseason, has expired. These players are no longer bound to their signing organization with contract renewals. They simply go year to year on one-year pacts. To cite examples, the Nationals signed veterans Matt Antonelli and Michael Aubrey to such deals last offseason.

New this year, BA subscribers can track players' career transactions and statistics by using our spiffed-up Player Finder pages.

Arizona Diamondbacks (16)
RHP: Gaby Hernandez (AAA), Kyler Newby (AAA), Brian Stokes (AAA), Jason Urquidez (AAA)
LHP: Clay Zavada (AA)
C: Josh Ford (AA), Robby Hammock (AAA), Lucas May (AAA), Mark Reed (Hi A)
1B: Juan Miranda (AAA), Andy Tracy (AAA)
2B: Tony Abreu (AAA)
SS: Angel Berroa (AAA), Ed Rogers (AAA)
OF: Jon Mark Owings (Hi A), Michael Restovich (AAA)

Atlanta Braves (18)
RHP: Mike Broadway (AA), Yeliar Castro (AA), Kenshin Kawakami (AA), Stephen Marek (AAA), Steven Shell (AAA)
C: Wilkin Castillo (AAA)
1B: Mauro Gomez (AAA), Nick Lobanov (R)
2B: Ruben Gotay (AAA)
3B: Shawn Bowman (AA), Diory Hernandez (AAA), Dan Nelson (AAA)
SS: Ed Lucas (AA)
OF: Chris Carter (AAA), Jeff Fiorentino (AAA), Antoan Richardson (AAA), Geraldo Rodriguez (Hi A), Matt Young (AAA) [...] Continue Reading »

The Blue Jays have signed Jesus Tinoco, a 16-year-old righthander from Venezuela.

Tinoco, who is from Maturin, is 6-foot-3, 198 pounds with a loose arm, good delivery and a heavy fastball that touches 91 mph. Some scouts project him as a potential power pitcher and he already has advanced feel for his mid-to-high 70s curveball. Tinoco trained with Ciro Barrios, who also represented 2011 Blue Jays signings Wuilmer Becerra and Jesus Gonzalez, both outfielders.

Another of Barrios' players, 16-year-old righthander Soid Marquez, signed with the Reds. Marquez, 16, pitched in the IBAF 16U World Championships in August in Mexico, where in 12 2/3 innings he gave up 14 runs (eight earned) with 11 strikeouts and seven walks. Baseball America subscribers can access Marquez's full scouting report from July.

The Padres signed Dominican outfielder Franmil Reyes for $700,000, the Dominican Prospect League announced today.

Reyes, 16, is a 6-foot-4, 190-pound corner outfielder from Palenque who stood out for his size and raw power. Reyes also played in the Under-Armour All-America game at Wrigley Field in August, going 2-for-4 in the game. Baseball America subscribers can access Reyes' complete scouting report from prior to July 2, as well as reports on other top international prospects who became eligible to sign this summer.

Reyes' trainer, Basilio Vizcaino (known in the Dominican Republic as Cachaza), is also the trainer who had Padres shortstop Jorge Guzman. The Padres signed Guzman for $1 million in 2008 believing he was 16-year-old Alvaro Aristy, when in reality he had been lying about his age and identity by nearly two and a half years.