As always, keep tabs on your favorite organization's offseason activity with the Minor League Free Agent Tracker.

The Blue Jays and Rays acquired useful role players at the Dec. 12 non-tender deadline simply for the willingness to tender ’12 contracts to Ben Francisco and Burke Badenhop. Two other players re-signed on minor league deals with the same club after not being offered a major league contract: Chris Gimenez (Mariners) and Fabio Castillo (Rangers). Trade Central provides a comprehensive overview of all the offseason's wheeling and dealing.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Released: RHP Reid Mahon

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: LHP Ryan Edell, OF Carlos Larez

Boston Red Sox
Released: RHP Miguel Gonzalez

This is the same Miguel Gonzalez whom the Red Sox drafted in the ’08 Rule 5, following a year lost to injury in the Angels system. He repeated the trick with the Red Sox in ’09, missing the entire year after having Tommy John surgery. Gonzalez returned to make 35 total appearances in ’10 and ’11, topping out in Double-A last year.

Chicago Cubs
Released: RHP Manolin de Leon, RHP Jose Tineo, 3B Brandon May, OF Smaily Borges
Outrighted to Mexican League: 3B Ricky Alvarez

The Cubs selected Ricky Alvarez from the Angels system in the Triple-A phase of this year's Rule 5 draft.

Cincinnati Reds
Signed: RHP Kanekoa Texeira

Cleveland Indians
Removed from 40-man: RHP Hector Rondon (outrighted to Triple-A)

Colorado Rockies
Signed: RHP Mike Ekstrom, RHP Zach Simons, C Wilkin Castillo
Released: OF Luis Terrero
Traded: RHP Huston Street to Padres for LHP Nick Schmidt

The Rockies originally drafted and signed Zach Simons in the second round of the ’05 draft. They traded him to the Tigers in May ’08 for Jason Grilli.

Kansas City Royals
Signed: RHP Juan Gutierrez, RHP Devon Lowery, C Max Ramirez, OF Greg Golson
Released: RHP Barry Bowden, RHP Jake Rodriguez

Devon Lowery, a Royals' 14th-round pick in ’01 who has suited up for no other organization, appears to have taken a year off in ’11 before re-signing with Kansas City.

The Royals plunked down $100,000 to entice East Los Angeles JC righty Jake Rodriguez to sign as a 22nd-rounder in ’07, but he had his debut in ’08 truncated by 50 games after for refusal to take a drug test. He appeared in 15 games later that summer, but hasn't pitched since. Kansas City placed Rodriguez on the restricted list in April ’09, and there he resided until his release.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Signed: RHP Jose Ascanio, RHP Francisco Felix (re-signed), RHP Angel Guzman, RHP Shane Lindsay, RHP Fernando Nieve (Doosan (Korea)), RHP Ryan Tucker, LHP Alberto Castillo, LHP Matt Chico, C Josh Bard, 3B Jeff Baisley, OF Cory Sullivan

Miami Marlins
Signed: SS Chris Gutierrez (re-signed), OF Aaron Rowand
Traded: RHP Burke Badenhop to Rays for C Jake Jefferies

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: 1B Travis Ishikawa, SS Andy Gonzalez (re-signed)

Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP P.J. Walters, LHP Aaron Thompson, C Rene Rivera (re-signed)
Removed from 40-man: SS Pedro Florimon (outrighted to Triple-A)

The Twins continue to target and sign to minor league deals pitchers with big league experience, in this case P.J. Walters (a minor piece surrendered by St. Louis to acquire Edwin Jackson at the ’11 deadline) and Aaron Thompson (traded by Florida to the Nationals for Nick Johnson in ’09).

New York Mets
Signed: LHP Garrett Olson, C Lucas May

New York Yankees
Signed: RHP Matt Daley, C Gustavo Molina (re-signed)
Removed from 40-man: OF Colin Curtis (outrighted to Triple-A)

Philadelphia Phillies
Signed: OF Mike Spidale (re-signed), OF Rich Thompson (re-signed)
Traded: OF Ben Francisco to Blue Jays for LHP Frank Gailey

The Phillies' Triple-A Lehigh Valley club tasted success for the first time in ’11, advancing to the International League finals. In re-signing Mike Spidale and Rich Thompson, Philadelphia now has brought back seven players from last year's IronPigs squad. The others: Dave Bush, Ryan Feierabend, Kevin Frandsen, Pete Orr and Scott Podsednik.

Note: Reader Bryan Moynahan points out on Twitter (@OMDQ) that Spidale played for Double-A Reading this year, not Lehigh Valley, and he's right.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Signed: LHP Kris Johnson (Kansas City (American Assoc.))

St. Louis Cardinals
Released: RHP Hector Corpas

San Diego Padres
Released: OF Eric Patterson
Traded: LHP Nick Schmidt to Rockies for RHP Huston Street

The lone big leaguer acquired by the Padres when they dealt Adrian Gonzalez to Boston in December ’10, Eric Patterson batted just .180/.272/.292 in 89 sporadic at-bats for San Diego. Older brother Corey also is a free agent.

San Francisco Giants
Signed: 2B Joaquin Arias

Seattle Mariners
Signed: RHP Moises Hernandez (re-signed), RHP Scott Patterson (re-signed), LHP Jose Jimenez (re-signed), C Guillermo Quiroz, OF Darren Ford
Released: RHP Gregory Aquino, RHP Chia An Huang, RHP Bryan Leigh, C Travis Higgs, C Billy Marcoe, 1B Ethan Paquette, 3B Matt Browning, 3B Stephen Cochrane

Tampa Bay Rays
Signed: RHP Matt Torra (re-signed)
Traded: C Jake Jefferies to Marlins for RHP Burke Badenhop

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Fabio Castillo (re-signed), RHP Derek Hankins (re-signed), LHP Kyle Fernandes, LHP Zach Jackson (re-signed), 2B Alberto Gonzalez

Toronto Blue Jays
Traded: LHP Frank Gailey to Phillies for OF Ben Francisco
Removed from 40-man: RHP Drew Carpenter, RHP Jesse Chavez, C Brian Jeroloman (all three players outrighted to Triple-A)

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Luis Chirinos (Rio Grande Valley (North American)), RHP Waldis Joaquin, RHP Marcel Prado, 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir, 2B Manny Mayorson, 3B Tim Pahuta (re-signed), OF Jason Michaels