On the heels of an active week for drug-related suspensions, the commissioner's office today announced that Angels minor league righty reliever Danny Reynolds must sit out 50 games this season before he can begin play. The 20-year-old recently failed his second test for a drug of abuse.

A sixth-round pick in ’09 from Las Vegas' Durango High, Reynolds spent each of the past two seasons in the Rookie-level Orem bullpen. He finished third in the Pioneer League with nine saves last season while notching a 4.60 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 29 1/3 innings.

The strong-bodied, 6-foot Reynolds struck out 24 and walked five last season, showing one of the better fastballs in the PL. He sat at 93-95 mph and touched 98 according to league managers, backing it up with a power slider.

The commissioner's office announced drug-related penalties for six minor league players last week. All six received 50-game suspensions for violating the minor league drug prevention and treatment program.

Jan. 26

Free agent righthander Chaz Roe tested positive for an amphetamine. The 25-year-old pitched for the Mariners' Triple-A Tacoma affiliate last season, going 0-7, 6.59 in 33 appearances (10 starts) and posting an 83-to-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 99 2/3 innings. The Rockies selected Roe with the 32nd pick in the ’05 draft and traded him to Seattle for Jose Lopez in December ’10. He spent the past two seasons in Triple-A but has not reached the majors.

Free agent corner outfielder Smaily Borges refused to take a drug test, triggering his suspension. The 28-year-old Cuban, whom the Cubs released on Dec. 12, played for low Class A Peoria last season and batted .233/.278/.353 in 133 at-bats. [...] Continue Reading »

You know spring training is just around the corner when veteran pitchers begin settling for minor league deals with invites to big league camp. A bevy of veteran starters came to terms recently, including Vicente Padilla (age 34), Kevin Millwood (37), Oliver Perez (30), Nelson Figueroa (37), Tim Redding (33) and, of course, Jaime Moyer (49). For good measure, well-traveled lefty reliever Dennys Reyes (34) signed with the Orioles.

Track all the comings and goings with the Minor League Free Agent Tracker.

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Robert Hinton, RHP Oscar Villarreal, LHP Chris George (re-signed), LHP Seong-Min Kim, LHP Dennys Reyes, C Scott Thomas (Shreveport-Bossier (American Assoc.)), 1B Pita Rona, OF Cory Aldridge

The Orioles' international scouting effort began this offseason with the signings of Nippon Professional Baseball lefties Wei-Yin Chen and Tsuyoshi Wada to big league deals. The effort continued with the signings of a pair of 17-year-old Pacific Rim amateurs to minor league deals. The Orioles agreed to terms Korean high school lefty Seong-Min Kim, who reportedly sits in the high 80s with a quality curve and changeup. (Or if you prefer the Korean news account.) Baltimore also signed New Zealand softball standout Pita Rona, and he'll begin his pro career in the Australian Summer League this year.

The Orioles have been just as busy on the domestic front, signing enough minor league free agents to fill out a team's roster. Robert Hinton, Oscar Villarreal, Chris George and Dennys Reyes join a robust field of more than a dozen minor league imports that also includes Winston Abreu, Willie Eyre, Armando Galarraga and Jon Link.

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Vicente Padilla, C Max St. Pierre [...] Continue Reading »

The bidding for Yoenis Cespedes can begin.

Major League Baseball informed teams today that Cespedes, a 26-year-old Cuban outfielder, is now a free agent. Cespedes recently received his Dominican residency, a prerequisite for MLB to declare him a free agent, and is now eligible to negotiate with teams. Word of Cespedes' defection began to circulate around early July last year, so the road to free agency has been a seemingly quick one for Cespedes, as many Cuban defectors have waited nearly a year or more for their paperwork to clear.

Update: According to the letter that MLB sent to teams, there still is one more step for Cespedes to officially sign, which is that he needs to obtain an unblocking license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Until then, teams are allowed to negotiate with Cespedes' representatives but have been instructed "not to enter into agreement" until he gets unblocked. So he is a free agent and eligible to negotiate with MLB teams, but he still needs to get his unblocking license before the contract can be consummated.

Cespedes has been playing for the Aguilas in the Dominican League playoffs, where he went 5-for-35 (.143) with no walks, 10 strikeouts and one home run. Baseball America subscribers can access an in-depth scouting report on Cespedes from the scouts who have tracked him for years.

The Athletics have agreed to terms with Dominican shortstop Yairo Muñoz for $280,000, the Dominican Prospect League announced.

Muñoz, 16, is a defensive-oriented, switch-hitting shortstop from Cabrera who trained with former Yankees infield coach Rafael Perez. Muñoz, who is around 6 feet, 170 pounds, also played in the Under Armour All-America game last August at Wrigley Field, where he went 2-for-4. Baseball America subscribers can read a complete scouting report on Muñoz from last summer before July 2.

Yoenis Cespedes played in Cuba’s top league since 2004 and developed into one of the top hitters in Serie Nacional before he defected last summer. 

His baseball skills are no mystery to teams that have done their homework on him, but for most fans, exposure has been limited. Getting to see all of his at-bats streamed live online for the Aguilas in the Dominican League playoffs has been a huge plus, and many U.S.-based scouts have been following along. That's over for now, however, as the Aguilas announced that Cespedes won't play again this year. He had been struggling, hitting .143/.167/.257 in 35 at-bats with a hit by pitch, no walks, 10 strikeouts and this home run. 

Luckily we were able to track down some great video from someone who posted four at-bats of Cespedes playing for Granma, his team in Cuba. In the video, Cespedes is the hitter in the first three at-bats, after which a double from Leslie Anderson (Rays) of Camaguey and Yoelvis Fiss of Ciego de Avila are spliced in between one final at-bat from Cespedes. I’m not much for spoilers (I always like to go in fresh), but I don’t think anyone should be surprised that these aren’t clips of him rolling over grounders to the shortstop.

[...] Continue Reading »

Players listed with an asterisk (*) re-signed on a minor league deal with the same organization following a removal from the 40-man roster.

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Winston Abreu, LHP Will Startup (re-signed), C Zach Booker (re-signed), 2B Travis Adair, 2B Tom DiBenedetto, 2B Peter Fatse (Pittsfield (Can-Am)), OF Edgardo Baez

Boston Red Sox
Signed: RHP Aaron Cook, RHP Justin Germano (Samsung (Korea))

The Red Sox signed both Justin Germano and Doug Mathis from Korea's Samsung Lions this offseason. Germano put up a 2.78 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 45 1/3 innings, while Mathis finished with a 2.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 64 1/3 innings. [...] Continue Reading »

Yoenis Cespedes has gotten off to a sluggish start in the Dominican League playoffs, but he flashed his bat speed and power potential tonight with his first home run since joining the Aguilas Cibaeñas.

In a 3-2 count against Astros righthander Rhiner Cruz, Cespedes lifted a 97-mph fastball over the left field wall in the sixth inning. Including tonight's 1-for-4 showing, Cespedes is 3-for-23 (.130) with a hit by pitch, no walks and six strikeouts while serving as the Aguilas DH. 

Here's the home run, for your viewing pleasure:

Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has put on some electrifying showcases for scouts in the past couple of months, but his winter ball debut tonight didn't include anything that will go on his highlight reel.

Serving as the DH for the Aguilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican League playoffs, Cespedes went 0-for-3, striking out in his first three plate appearances before getting hit by a pitch in his fourth trip to the plate against the Gigantes del Cibao.

Cespedes showed some patience in his first plate appearance against Astros righthander Erick Abreu, taking the first four pitches to get to 3-1 before fouling off an inside fastball. The next pitch to Cespedes was a breaking ball that he swung through for the strikeout, with the bat flying out of his hands and nearly splintering someone near the third base on-deck circle.

Facing Mets righthander Jeurys Familia in his next at-bat, Cespedes struck out on three straight 95-mph fastballs, watching the first one go by before swinging and missing at the next two. Astros righthander Rhiner Cruz (the top pick in December's Rule 5 draft) recorded Cespedes' third strikeout of the night, getting him to chase an 0-2 breaking ball off the plate. Cespedes did reach base in his final plate appearance when righthander Roman Colon hit him with a 2-1 fastball.

Playing in the Dominican League is a risky move for the 26-year-old Cespedes, who has done plenty to generate interest from teams between his performance in Cuba, his showings over the last two years on the international circuit and most recently in private workouts for teams in the Dominican Republic. While Cespedes has been working out and facing live pitching for teams that have put him through those private workouts, he hasn't played baseball in a competitive game environment (including night games under the lights) since last April when his season with Granma ended in Cuba's Serie Nacional. So while it was a rough debut, there's no reason to put much stock into one game.

Cespedes still is in the process of trying to acquire Dominican residency before Major League Baseball declares him a free agent, the timetable for which is unclear.

Players listed with an asterisk (*) re-signed on a minor league deal with the same organization following a removal from the 40-man roster.

Atlanta Braves
Released: RHP Willie Kempf, RHP Robert Roth, 3B Nick Popescu, OF Trent Baker

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Francis Beltran, RHP Willie Eyre (re-signed), RHP Ross Wolf, C Allan de San Miguel

The Orioles non-tendered Willie Eyre in December, but they brought him back on a minor league deal to provide bullpen depth at Triple-A, much like Francis Beltran and Ross Wolf as well as Jon Link and Kyler Newby from earlier this month.

Boston Red Sox
Acquired: 2B Brad Emaus from Rockies for cash considerations

Brad Emaus did not play after June 30 last year because of a thumb injury, but he batted .313/.389/.564 in 163 at-bats for Triple-A Colorado Springs prior to that. He still has two seasons before he qualifies for minor league free agency. [...] Continue Reading »

The Twins have signed 16-year-old Venezuelan righthander Mauricio Silva for $370,000.

Silva is 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and was considered one of the more promising Latin American pitching prospects among players who became eligible to sign on July 2, 2011 (or in Silva's case, when he turned 16 on July 24). Baseball America subscribers can access Silva's complete scouting report from before July 2.

Silva, who agreed to terms with the Twins in the fall, most recently pitched in the Liga Paralela (the minor league version of the Venezuelan League), where he appeared in eight games as a reliever. Silva had a 2.08 ERA in 8 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and six walks.

The White Sox have signed Venezuelan righthander Luis Martinez for $250,000, the organization's most expensive international signing in recent years.

Martinez, who turns 17 on Jan. 29, is 6-foot-4, 195 pounds and gets good downhill angle on an 88-91 mph fastball that has hit 92, an increase from the 84-88 mph velocity he was showing last summer around July 2. He has a projectable frame with long arms and plenty of room to fill out, so he should have at least a plus fastball in time. Martinez has a solid delivery, a high-70s curveball that is his best secondary pitch and he mixes in a changeup as well.

Martinez is from Carupano and trained with Luis Blasini, whose other notable signings from the July 2, 2011 signing class included Rangers lefthander Yohander Mendez ($1.5 million) and Rangers outfielder Eduard Pinto ($350,000).

Martinez is the first major signing for the White Sox since hiring Marco Paddy away from the Blue Jays after the 2011 season to run their Latin American scouting. The White Sox had been slow to rebuild their international program since firing former director of player personnel David Wilder and two international scouts amidst a massive bonus kickback scandal and have been one of the most frugal teams abroad. They ranked among the lowest-spending teams on international amateurs in 2010 with an estimated $345,000 and were only slightly above that mark in 2011 prior to the Martinez signing, which was agreed to in December.

While it's only one signing, adding Martinez could be an indication of the White Sox's efforts to increase their international resources in 2012.

Two minor leaguers drew 50-game suspensions from the commissioner's office for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Both suspensions are effective at the start of the 2012 season.

Nationals righthander Zechry Zinicola, 26, was suspended for a second violation for a drug of abuse. The 2006 sixth-round pick out of Arizona State had his best season in 2011, tossing just 40 innings with a 44-13 strikeout-walk ratio while going 3-1, 2.01 between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. He's posted 49 saves and a 4.05 ERA in 293 career innings, allowing just 17 home runs.

Giants catcher Drew Stiner was suspended after testing positive for an amphetamine, falling under MiLB's performance-enhancing drug policy. Stiner, 19, signed as a 43rd-round pick out of Owasso (Okla.) High in 2011 and was a teammate of Orioles first-rounder Dylan Bundy. He signed in mid-August and has yet to make his pro debut.

With the Hall of Fame results being announced today, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and dig up some old scouting reports from the Baseball America archives on some of the ballot's notable candidates. . .

Here is a scouting report on Barry Larkin, when he ranked No. 8 on the Reds Top 10 list in 1986, written by Tracy Ringolsby. . .

8. Barry Larkin, ss, 21, 5-11, 175, R-R
When Larkin came out of Cincinnati's Moeller High School in 1982, the Reds thought enough of him to make him a second-round selection. Larkin, however, turned them down and decided to go to the University of Michigan. The Reds never gave up hope, and when Larkin was eligible in the draft again last summer, they used their No. 1 pick to take him. This time he signed, and he gave the Reds nothing but reason for optimism with his debut.

Larkin looked right at home in AA, hitting .267 for Vermont. He didn't show power (one home run in 255 at-bats), but that will come. The key for him was just getting his feet on the ground, and he was not overpowered by the high level of competition (21 strikeouts in 255 at-bats). He will have good power for a shortstop.

In fact, he should hit enough that he could be moved to third base, a good possibility considering (Kurt) Stillwell is on the verge of making it to the big leagues.

It would only be because of Stillwell that Larkin would have to change positions. He's got the range and natural actions of a shortstop, and good enough arm strength to play the position on turf.
[...] Continue Reading »

For a look at the bigger picture, check out Trade Central and the Minor League Free Agent Tracker.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: C Mark Reed (re-signed), 1B Mike Jacobs

Atlanta Braves
Signed: SS Emerson Landoni
Released: LHP Matt Crim, LHP Dustin Richardson, 2B Marcus Lemon, OF Willie Cabrera

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: RHP Eun Chul Choi, RHP Jon Link, RHP Kyler Newby, RHP Raul Rivero (re-signed), SS Carlos Rojas (re-signed), OF Lee Cruz (Amarillo (American Association)), OF Antoan Richardson [...] Continue Reading »