I have not posted minor league transactions since the middle of April, so I imagine it’s time. I’ll be posting an update about free agent signees later, so don’t look for those here.

  • The Houston Astros released Ford Stainback (Haymarket 2012) and Edwin Medina (Winchester 2014). Stainback hit 248/345/302 in 149 at-bats in pro ball, all in 2015. Ford was honored with the “Oscar Padron Award” for character and leadership after his ’15 season. Medina hit 242/370/315 in 260 at-bats at four different levels over two seasons.
  • Antoan Richardson (Winchester 2003) was released after 16 at-bats this minor league season by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Los Angeles Dodgers scooped him up right away, buuuuut has since released him as well. Antoan has 20 major league at-bats under his belt, and over 3,000 of them in the minors.
  • Brody Greer (Rockbridge 2012) was released by the Diamondbacks, but then was signed by Miami. In 62 minor league games, Brody is 3-4, 2.92, with 15 saves and 112 strikeouts in only 79 2/3 innings. Hmmm.
  • The Los Angeles Angels signed David Carpenter (Covington 2004), and has subsequently released him. Tampa Bay released him back in March. David has pitched in 218 games in the majors, and 204 in the minors.
  • Ben Guez (Covington 2006) was released by the Milwaukee Brewers. Ben batted 2,802 times since he was drafted in 2008. Alas, all those at-bats happened in the minor leagues.
  • Erik Kratz (Waynesboro 2000, Harrisonburg 2001) was been around the block in the last few months. He was playing for the Astros, was released, then signed with the Angels. After 40 plate appearances in Triple-A, the Angels sold Erik to Pittsburgh. So he’s back in the big leagues, you know, hitting home runs off of Madison Bumgarner and stuff like that….
  • Sikes Orvis (Waynesboro 2013) was released by the Chicago White Sox. Sikes hit 227/331/347 in 150 at-bats in his career. He played in one game in 2016; he went 0-3.
  • The Pirates have released Guido Knudson (Woodstock 2009) and Garrett Russini(Waynesboro 2014). Knudson pitched in the majors in 2015 (with the Tigers), and 272 innings in the minors, where he went 7-16, 3.11, with a 1.21 WHIP. He was 1-2, 3.08, with a 1.10 WHIP in 26 1/3 innings in 2016- pretty good. Russini hit 263/344/281 in 57 at-bats in 2015, his only pro season.
  • The Seattle Mariners scooped Knudson up a couple days ago, and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. They also signed another minor league free agent, Kevin Munson (Covington 2008), who joined Knudson in Tacoma. Kevin elected free agency last October from Arizona. He was a 4th round pick in 2010, and struck out 345 batters in 285 innings before he joined the Rainiers. (Brad Mills (Harrisonburg 2005) and Emilio Pagan (Harrisonburg 2010) are also in Tacoma, by the way…)