Baseball America | Blog | Baseball America Prospects Blog | Minor League Transactions: Dec. 15-Jan. 3

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

Mike Jacobs must serve the entirety of his 50-game suspension before he can suit up for an Arizona affiliate. He tested positive for human growth hormone last summer, becoming the first play.

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

Boston Red Sox
Signed: LHP Rich Hill (re-signed), SS Pedro Ciriaco
Released: RHP Anatanaer Batista
Traded: RHP Raul Alcantara, 1B Miles Head and OF Josh Reddick to Athletics for RHP Andrew Bailey and OF Ryan Sweeney

Chicago Cubs
Signed: 2B Edgar Gonzalez, OF Joe Mather
Released: RHP Gian Guzman, OF Manuel Barrios, OF Jesus Morelli
Traded: LHP Sean Marshall to Reds for LHP Travis Wood, 2B Ronald Torreyes and OF Dave Sappelt

Chicago White Sox
Signed: 3B Corey Smith
Released: RHP Jamaal Hollis, RHP Sam Phippen, RHP Stephen Sauer, LHP Justin Edwards, 2B Drew Lee
Traded: RHP Jason Frasor to Blue Jays for RHP Myles Jaye and RHP Daniel Webb

Cincinnati Reds
Signed: RHP Michael Griffin (re-signed), C Brian Esposito, C Brian Peacock, 2B P.J. Phillips
Released: OF Josh Garton
Traded: RHP Brad Boxberger, RHP Edinson Volquez, C Yasmani Grandal and 1B Yonder Alonso to Padres for RHP Mat Latos
Traded: LHP Travis Wood, 2B Ronald Torreyes and OF Dave Sappelt to Cubs for LHP Sean Marshall

The Angels made P.J. Phillips a second-round pick in ’05, but he never advanced past the Cal League and batted .254/.296/.389 in three seasons there. Older brother Brandon Phillips is slated to earn $12 million for Cincinnati in his final year under contract.

Erstwhile outfielder Michael Griffin, a 14th-round pick from Baylor in ’05, has worked only sporadically as a pitcher, the role for which the Reds re-signed him. He appeared in three games as a reliever for Triple-A Louisville last year.

Signing catchers Brian Esposito and Brian Peacock will help the organization cover for innings lost by the trade of Yasmani Grandal's and Devin Mesoraco's promotion to the big leagues.

Cleveland Indians
Signed: 2B Argenis Reyes (re-signed), 3B Andy LaRoche, 3B Jose Lopez, OF Felix Pie
Traded: RHP Cory Burns to Padres for OF Aaron Cunningham

Colorado Rockies
Signed: C Jose Gonzalez (re-signed), C Wil Nieves, 3B Brendan Harris, OF Leonard Davis, OF Brandon Roberts

Detroit Tigers
Signed: OF Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson provides depth at second base and all three outfield spots, but he's coming off a rough two years in the big leagues (.203/.272/.370 in 307 plate appearances), and things haven't gone much better in Triple-A. The Tigers become his fifth organization in five years.

Houston Astros
Removed from 40-man: SS Brian Bixler (outrighted to Triple-A)

Kansas City Royals
Signed: LHP Sandy Garce

Los Angeles Angels
Signed: RHP Eric Hurley, C Robinzon Diaz, 3B Adam Heether, OF Ryan Langerhans

Los Angeles Dodgers
Signed: LHP Cedrick Bowers, LHP John Grabow, LHP Derrick Loop, 2B Maikol Gonzalez (El Paso (American Association)), 3B Josh Fields (Yomiuri (Japan)), SS Luis E. Nunez

Josh Fields returns to the States having batted .202/.241/.312 with two homers in 109 at-bats for Yomiuri last year.

Miami Marlins
Signed: RHP Rob Delaney, RHP Chad Gaudin, RHP Bobby O'Neill, C Miguel Fermin (re-signed), 3B Shawn Bowman, 3B Mike Cervenak (re-signed), SS Nick Green, OF Sergio Pedroza (re-signed)

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: LHP Victor Garate, LHP Juan Perez, SS Cesar Izturis

Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP Casey Fien, 1B Steve Pearce, 3B Sean Burroughs
Released: RHP Cesar Ciurcina, RHP Pedro Guerra, RHP Todd Van Steensel

New York Mets
Signed: RHP Jeff Stevens, LHP Chuck James, C Rob Johnson, 2B Corey Wimberly, SS Omar Quintanilla, OF Mike Baxter (re-signed)
Released: RHP Guillaume Leduc, LHP Orlando Tovar, C Nestor Moreno, C Amauris Valdez, 2B J.B. Brown, 2B Jet Butler, OF Dylan Brown, OF Breiner Soto

New York Yankees
Signed: RHP Adam Miller, SS Doug Bernier (re-signed), OF Cole Garner, OF Dewayne Wise
Released: RHP Jim Blueberg, RHP Francisco Cruceta, RHP Nathan Forer, RHP Mike Gipson, RHP Dustin Hobbs, RHP Corey Maines, RHP Mike Recchia, RHP Michael Solbach, LHP Trevor Johnson, C Jon Hurst, 2B Emerson Landoni, OF Mike Ferraro, OF Taylor Grote, OF Bobby Rinard

The Yankees will take the good with the bad as it pertains to Adam Miller, who recovered from two years lost to injury to appear in 31 games in the Indians system last year. The good: he struck out eight per nine innings and topped out near 96 mph in the bullpen. The bad: he racked up most of those strikeouts in high Class A, and his ERA (5.93), WHIP (1.64) and walk rate (4.3 per nine innings) were higher than you'd like to see.

Cole Garner could become the Yankees' new Greg Golson, as an athletic righty bat who can cover any outfield post and hit for some power. The 27-year-old former Rockie has turned in three straight good years in the minors, and he spent a year on Colorado's 40-man roster.

Oakland Athletics
Signed: RHP Travis Schlichting, RHP Merkin Valdez, LHP Fabio Castro
Traded: RHP Rob Gilliam and LHP Gio Gonzalez to Nationals for RHP A.J. Cole, RHP Brad Peacock, LHP Tom Milone and C Derek Norris
Traded: RHP Andrew Bailey and OF Ryan Sweeney to Red Sox for RHP Raul Alcantara, 1B Miles Head and OF Josh Reddick

Philadelphia Phillies
Signed: C Steve Lerud

Pittsburgh Pirates
Signed: RHP Ryota Igarashi, RHP Mike Loree (re-signed), C Jose Morales, SS Anderson Hernandez, SS Greg Picart (re-signed)
Released: RHP Mitchell Fienemann, RHP Joe Parsons, RHP Jarryd Sullivan, LHP Diomedes Mateo

St. Louis Cardinals
Signed: LHP R.J. Swindle, 2B Eugenio Velez

San Diego Padres
Signed: C Brad Davis, 2B Anthony Contreras (re-signed)
Released: RHP Simon Berroa, RHP Jeury Castillo
Traded: RHP Mat Latos to Reds for RHP Brad Boxberger, RHP Edinson Volquez, C Yasmani Grandal and 1B Yonder Alonso
Traded: OF Aaron Cunningham to Indians for RHP Cory Burns
Traded: C Luis Martinez to Rangers for RHP Ryan Kelly

The Padres designated Luis Martinez for assignment after the acquisition of Yasmani Grandal, and then worked out a deal with the Rangers that brought back 24-year-old Ryan Kelly, who now has been traded three times before reaching Double-A. He might grow to be a big league reliever one day because he pitches at 90-93 mph with a plus downer curveball in the low 80s—not a bad pickup for a catcher who clearly waits behind Nick Hundley, John Baker and Grandal on the depth chart.

San Francisco Giants
Signed: RHP Adam Thomas (Road Warriors (Atlantic))

Adam Thomas pitched for the independent Atlantic League's traveling team last year, returning to baseball after three years away. The Giants must have liked what they saw of the 32-year-old, a former Athletics farmhand, in the Mexican Pacific League. Thomas struck out 21 in 23 innings and notched 15 saves for Mochis.

Seattle Mariners
Signed: RHP Josh Kinney, SS Munenori Kawasaki (SoftBank (Japan))
Released: RHP Leonardo Rodriguez, RHP Alfredo Venegas

Japanese shortstop Munenori Kawasaki had eyes only for the Mariners, where friend Ichiro Suzuki stars. The 30-year-old accepted a minor league deal with a spring training invite after batting .267/.310/.327 in 603 at-bats for SoftBank last year.

Tampa Bay Rays
Signed: SS Joel Barroso
Released: LHP Josh Satow

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Jon Edwards, RHP Doug Salinas, C Chris Robinson
Released: RHP Andrew Doyle, LHP Juan Grullon, LHP Kasey Kiker, LHP Yoon-Hee Nam, LHP Paul Strong, C Carson Vitale, 3B Mitch Hilligoss, 3B Jimmy Swift
Traded: RHP Ryan Kelly to Padres for C Luis Martinez

You might remember Keller, Texas, native Jon Edwards as a mashing right fielder in the Cardinals system. But after batting .211/.289/.399 in 303 at-bats during two cracks at low Class A, St. Louis set him free in October ’10. Edwards tried his hand at pitching in the independent Pecos League last year and fared well enough to sign with Texas as a righthander.

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Stephen Marek, RHP Yohan Pino (re-signed), SS Brian Bocock
Traded: RHP Myles Jaye and RHP Daniel Webb to White Sox for RHP Jason Frasor
Removed from 40-man: RHP Jim Hoey (outrighted to Triple-A)

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Dan Cortes, RHP Jeff Fulchino, RHP Kyle Winters, LHP Michael Ballard, 3B Chad Tracy (Hiroshima (Japan)), SS Andres Blanco, OF Mike Cameron, OF Xavier Paul
Traded: RHP A.J. Cole, RHP Brad Peacock, LHP Tom Milone and C Derek Norris to Athletics for RHP Rob Gilliam and LHP Gio Gonzalez

Chad Tracy batted .235/.293/.336 in 149 at-bats for Hiroshima last season, a year after dividing his time between the Cubs, Yankees and Marlins organizations.

The Oakland A's DFA'd catcher Landon Powell on December 23rd. Do you know his current status?

Posted by Mike | January 6, 2012 at 6:00 am | Shortcut

What is latest status on Joe Inglett?

Posted by Steven Schroeder | January 7, 2012 at 12:26 am | Shortcut

The last we have on Inglett is his release by the Astros on May 27. He does not appear to have latched on in Japan or Korea, nor has he appeared on the indy scene.

Posted by Matt Eddy | January 7, 2012 at 10:35 am | Shortcut

The Marlins purchased O'neill from Windy City of the Frontier League.

Posted by JP | January 16, 2012 at 2:32 pm | Shortcut