Baseball America | Blog | Baseball America Prospects Blog | Minor League Transactions: Dec. 7-13

Here we present official minor league transactions, conveyed to us by Major League Baseball, for the period Dec. 7-13.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: LHP Steve Garrison, SS Josh Wilson
Released: RHP Teofilo Gutierrez

Atlanta Braves
Signed: RHP Robinson Lopez (released by Cubs, Feb. ’12)

The Braves originally signed Robinson Lopez out of the Dominican Republic in 2008, then traded him and two other minor league players to the Cubs for Derrek Lee in August ’10.

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: LHP Logan Mahon (Gateway (Frontier)), C Kevin Dultz (released by D-backs, Oct. ’12), SS Niuman Romero

Boston Red Sox
Signed: 2B Jonathan Diaz
Acquired: RHP Graham Godfrey from Athletics as player to be named for RHP Sandy Rosario
Acquired: RHP Kyle Kaminska from Pirates as player to be named for RHP Zach Stewart

Chicago Cubs
Signed: RHP Jensen Lewis

Chicago White Sox
Signed: OF Ruben Sierra Jr. (Normal (Frontier))

Cleveland Indians
Signed: RHP Fernando Nieve

Houston Astros
Acquired: RHP Ricky Martinez from Cardinals for cash considerations

Kansas City Royals
Signed: RHP Dan Wheeler, LHP George Sherrill, C Mitch Canham (Long Island (Atlantic)), OF Willy Taveras
Released: RHP Jose Brazoban, 3B John Whittleman
Traded: RHP Jake Odorizzi, LHP Mike Montgomery, 3B Patrick Leonard and OF Wil Myers to Rays for RHP Wade Davis, RHP James Shields and a player to be named

Los Angeles Angels
Released: RHP Brian Lawrence, 2B Ryan Mount

Los Angeles Dodgers
Traded: SS Jake Lemmerman to Cardinals for 2B Skip Schumaker

Miami Marlins
Signed: RHP Jonathan Albaladejo, RHP Amaury Rivas, SS Ed Lucas
Released: C Dallas Hord

Milwaukee Brewers
Signed: LHP Travis Webb

Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP Bryan Augenstein, RHP Scott Elarton, RHP Virgil Vasquez (Southern Maryland (Atlantic)), LHP Mike O'Connor, 1B Reynaldo Rodriguez, SS Ray Olmedo, OF Brandon Boggs, OF Clete Thomas (re-signed)
Released: RHP Ricky Bowen, RHP Steve Hirschfeld, LHP Clint Dempster, LHP Corey Kimes, 3B Jacob Younis, OF Wang-Wei Lin

New York Yankees
Removed from 40-man: 3B Jayson Nix (outrighted to Triple-A)

Oakland Athletics
Signed: RHP Yeiper Castillo
Released: RHP Chad Lee
Traded: RHP Graham Godfrey to Red Sox as player to be named for RHP Sandy Rosario

Philadelphia Phillies
Traded: RHP Lisalverto Bonilla and RHP Josh Lindblom to Rangers for 3B Michael Young and cash

Pittsburgh Pirates
Traded: RHP Kyle Kaminska to Red Sox as player to be named for RHP Zach Stewart

St. Louis Cardinals
Released: RHP Drew Benes
Traded: 2B Skip Schumaker to Dodgers for SS Jake Lemmerman
Traded: RHP Ricky Martinez to Astros for cash considerations

San Diego Padres
Signed: RHP Sean O'Sullivan, LHP Matt LaChappa (re-signed), LHP Juan Oramas (non-tendered and re-signed)
Acquired: RHP Wilfredo Boscan from Rangers as player to be named for RHP Cory Burns
Traded: 1B Vince Belnome to Rays for LHP Chris Rearick

San Francisco Giants
Signed: RHP Chad Gaudin, RHP Shane Loux, RHP Jon Meloan, RHP Ryan Sadowski (Lotte (Korea)), SS Wilson Valdez, OF Javier Herrera (Southern Illinois (Frontier))

A former top prospect with the Athletics, Javier Herrera has had a huge winter in the Venezuelan League, batting .407/.455/.780 with seven homers in 18 games for La Guaira, where he's teammates with Giants players Gregor Blanco and Hector Sanchez. The 27-year-old Herrera flamed out in the A's system, falling prey to injuries and a drug suspension, and earned his release in May ’09. He bounced around independent ball in ’12.

Seattle Mariners
Released: RHP Tim Boyce, RHP Ivan Julio, RHP Junior Nunez, RHP Zach Sterling, 3B Luis Matias

Tampa Bay Rays
Traded: RHP Wade Davis, RHP James Shields and a player to be named to Royals for RHP Jake Odorizzi, LHP Mike Montgomery, 3B Patrick Leonard and OF Wil Myers
Traded: LHP Chris Rearick to Padres for 1B Vince Belnome

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Jake Brigham (non-tendered and re-signed), RHP Joucer Martinez (released by White Sox, Oct. ’09), RHP Evan Meek, RHP Randy Wells, 2B Yangervis Solarte (re-signed), OF Chih-Hsien Chiang
Traded: 3B Michael Young and cash to Phillies for RHP Lisalverto Bonilla and RHP Josh Lindblom
Acquired: RHP Wilfredo Boscan to Padres as player to be named for RHP Cory Burns

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: RHP Buddy Carlyle, RHP Chorye Spoone (re-signed), RHP Rich Thompson, RHP Claudio Vargas, LHP Juan Perez, LHP Greg Smith, 1B Luis Jimenez, OF Eugenio Velez

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Tyler Herron (Fargo-Moorhead (American Association)), RHP Paterson Segura, LHP Francis Castro, 3B Neivy Pilier

Neivy Pilier, who signed for $225,000, has a quick bat and a strong arm at third base, while Paterson Segura tops out at 92 mph and offers advanced pitchability for his age, according to the website for the Dominican Prospect League.

Matt LaChappa's story deserves to be told every time the Padres officially resign him to a contract. This June will mark 20 years since the club drafted him out of a San Diego county high school, the first Kumeyaay player drafted. While warming up before a game in High-A in 1995, he inexplicably suffered a massive stroke which left him paralyzed and permanently bound to a wheelchair. At the time, Padres CEO Larry Lucchino said that LaChappa would "always be a Padre," and the long-time administrative director of the club's farm system, Priscilla Oppenheimer, decided to take a literal interpretation and simply tender him a contract the following year. By continuing to keep him an official member of the organization, they've kept Matt covered by MLB's health insurance program and he is now fully vested in the retirement plan. It's a small act of remarkable kindness.

Posted by David | December 17, 2012 at 10:59 pm | Shortcut

Hey matt
Is brian lawerence the same Brian Lawerence who was name pitching coach recently for minor league afflilation team??

Posted by Michael | December 18, 2012 at 2:14 am | Shortcut

@Michael

Yes, Brian M. Lawrence served as pitching coach for Normal (Frontier League) in 2012, and he will serve in the same capacity for the Padres' high Class A Lake Elsinore affiliate in 2013. That's why he was released by the Angels, so that he could join the Padres.

Posted by Matt Eddy | December 18, 2012 at 10:23 am | Shortcut

More on the Giants' signing of Javier Herrera: Jose Alguacil, San Francisco's minor league roving infield instructor, coaches for Margarita in the Venezuelan League and recommended the signing. The Giants had solid reports on Herrera from the past, and given his youth (27 years old) and winter performance, they rolled the dice.

Posted by Matt Eddy | January 2, 2013 at 5:02 pm | Shortcut