The organization continues to mine the international amateur market for starting pitching depth, headlined by the signing of Yodo Matsumoto out of Japan. Matsumoto is signed to a minor league contract and enters a system that is always looking to add arms to the lower levels of the farm. When you sign an amateur starting pitcher from Japan, the immediate question is always how the transition to the North American professional development structure will unfold. Matsumoto will head to the complex to begin that process. The coaching staff will strip things down and evaluate exactly what they are working with before he ever sees a full-season affiliate.

The club followed that move by signing Jose Herrera, an amateur starting pitcher out of the Dominican Republic. Herrera is also on a minor league contract and represents the traditional hunt for raw tools and projectable frames in the Caribbean market. The Dominican Republic remains the primary pipeline for high-variance amateur pitching, and Herrera will slot right into the complex or Dominican Summer League roster. He is a long way from facing hitters in Erie or Toledo. The focus for Herrera will be entirely on building a physical foundation and letting his raw profile play in the lowest levels of the minor leagues.

Both Matsumoto and Herrera represent the foundational, unglamorous work of the international scouting department. You do not sign amateur starting pitchers to minor league contracts expecting them to provide immediate depth for the major league club. You sign them to populate the complex and let the development staff figure out what they actually have on the mound. The real evaluation begins when they take the ball in a game setting. Until then, they are just names on a transaction wire with a massive amount of developmental innings ahead of them.

Notebook

2051-04-03

  • [G]Released by the New York organization.
  • [G]Released by the Los Angeles organization.
  • Optioned C Nick Cuyler to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned 2B Guo-liang Thean to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned CF Juan Medina to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned 3B Keyon Ferguson to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned SP Sang-yeon Kim to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned SP Jose Gonzalez to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned SP Omar Ramirez to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned RP Edward Pineda to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned C Nick Cuyler to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned 2B Guo-liang Thean to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned CF Juan Medina to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned 3B Keyon Ferguson to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned SP Sang-yeon Kim to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned SP Jose Gonzalez to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned SP Omar Ramirez to Triple A Toledo.
  • Optioned RP Edward Pineda to Triple A Toledo.
  • Demoted SP Jose Gonzalez from Triple A Toledo to Double A Erie.
  • Demoted SP Robby Flores from Triple A Toledo to Double A Erie.
  • Demoted SP Sang-yeon Kim from Triple A Toledo to Double A Erie.
  • Demoted SP David Duran from Triple A Toledo to Double A Erie.
  • Placed SP Enreecko Puzon on the Eastern League 7-day injured list, retroactive to 03/31/2051.
  • Promoted SS Elijah Duff from Double A Erie to Triple A Toledo.
  • Promoted RP Ismael Serrano from Low-A Lakeland to High-A West Michigan.
  • Promoted RP Nate Williams from Low-A Lakeland to High-A West Michigan.
  • Promoted C David Matthews from Low-A Lakeland to High-A West Michigan.
  • Demoted C Danny Valdez from High-A West Michigan to Low-A Lakeland.
  • Promoted 1B Alex Camacho from Low-A Lakeland to High-A West Michigan.

2051-04-06

  • [I]Injured (patellar tendinitis),out for 2 weeks.
  • [G]Signed a minor league contract out of Japan with the Detroit Tigers organization.
  • [I]Injured (mild hamstring strain),day-to-day for one week.

2051-04-07

  • [I]Injured (hyperextended ankle),day-to-day for one week.
  • [I]Injured (sprained thumb),day-to-day for 4 weeks.
  • [I]Injured (mild calf strain),day-to-day for 2 days.
  • [I]Injured (hamstring soreness),day-to-day for 3 days.
  • RP Jon Oviedo was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: mild calf strain. This is a day-to-day injury expected to last 2 days.

2051-04-08

  • [I]Injured (sore thumb),day-to-day for 1 day.
  • [I]Injured (back stiffness),day-to-day for 3 days.
  • [A]Goes 5-6 against the Jupiter Hammerheads, with 1 2B, 3 RBI and 4 R.

2051-04-09

  • [G]Signed a minor league contract out of Dominican Republic with the Detroit Tigers organization.
  • [I]Injured (back spasms),day-to-day for 2 days.

2051-04-10

  • [G]Signed a 1-year minor league contract extension with the San Diego Padres organization.