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Catching Up On Transactions

Perhaps lost in the excitement over getting yet another Boras client in need of a change of secenery, longtime watchlister C Israel Pineda was taken off the 40-man. Yesterday, he was outrighted to Rochester.

The Red Wings also announced yesterday that 2023 MVP Travis Blankenhorn has been re-signed and extended an non-roster invite to Spring Training, joining:

  • OF Dylan Crews
  • OF James Wood
  • 3B Brady House
  • OF Robert Hassell
  • IF Trey Lipscomb
  • 2B Darren Baker
  • C Brady Lindsly
  • 1B Lewin Diaz
  • LHP Joe LaSorsa
  • 1B Juan Yepez

Sorry. That’s it. The so-called Hot Stove might warm your hands, but can’t fry an egg.

8 Commments

  1. I’m still expecting the Nats to announce like 5+ more players to Rochester. Almost all of our prospects of note, particularly the batters, will start the season in Harrisburg or lower. We’re going to need more than Blankenhorn, Diaz and Yepez to fill out the roster.

    With that said, it appears some additional minor league free agents have been made without anyone picking up on it (though if you continue reading, you’ll understand why). The Red Wings’ roster has a few new names listed https://www.milb.com/rochester/roster, but don’t expect them all to stay in AAA:
    Daison Acosta – from the Mets, 25 yo, recently converted to relief, last played in AA with a 4.75 ERA with worrying control

    Wander Arias – from the Royals, 24, another reliever with good K number, but gets rocked, very high HRs allowed and never posted an ERA below 5.20 at any level stateside (yikes), peaked at A+ so don’t expect to see him in Rochester

    Ty Tice – from TOR, 27, another guy with good K number but absurdly high ERA (lowest in the past 3 seasons was 6.37, woof)

    Samuel Vasquez – from CLE, 24, never pitched above low A, need I say more?

    Here’s to hoping there’s a few more Gerson Moreno/Anthony Banda and Blankenhorn/Rutherford kind of signings very soon to fill out the Red Wings’ roster, because it’s looking very thin at the moment.

    1. There are always available players from the minor leagues to add to Rochester and/or Harrisburg. Not prospects but “fillers”!

      1. Of course. The guys I listed are the definition of “filler”. I’m just hoping for more filler, who were formerly prospects and may still have some upside, rather than guys who were bad, are currently bad and will be bad.

        The Nats are uniquely positioned to appeal these AAAA players, as there are so many holes in their current major league roster, and therefore paths to playing in the majors. Whereas, for a team like the Dodgers, or even the Orioles, there are at least 3 better players ahead of them at every position, and it wouldn’t be an appealing destination if your goal is to play in the majors.

        1. I spoke too soon. Today the Nats signed Adonis Medina, a former top 100 prospect with the Phillies, who’s fallen off a cliff the past few seasons. But there’s still definitely upside there, even if just as a reliever.

        2. It’s not just the opportunity, it’s the (relative) success the Nats have had with supposed AAAA guys like Thomas, Meneses, and Garrett.

          That said, playing time in the field is going to be a relative concept depending on how many of the top prospects they move to AAA. Wood, Crews, and Hassell could be the starting OF, with House at 3B and Lipscomb somewhere in the infield. I personally think that most if not all of those guys could use a little more seasoning at AA, but so far they haven’t asked me for my opinion.

          Millas and Pineda have catching sealed down, and they signed two free-swing 1Bs. Blankenhorn and Darren Baker will be on the infield, and there’s a decent chance that Alu will be back at AAA, all the more since Nunez can’t be optioned (as a Rule 5 pick) and Kieboom is out of options.

  2. I’m very happy that Pineda made it through waivers. He’s firmly entrenched as the #4 catcher in the system. He had a lost year in 2023 but good catching depth is hard to find.

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