San Francisco Giants Add Three Players on Minor League Deals
Over the past month, the San Francisco Giants have been busy adding pieces to their minor league system. Earlier in May, they added two former rising star pitchers that fizzled out, in Ricky Romero and Tommy Hanson. Over the past couple of days, the Giants added a few more players.
After initially declining his minor league assignment after being designated by the Giants, Erik Cordier agreed to another minor league deal with the Giants, and will report to Triple-A Sacramento.
Cordier began the 2015 season on the disabled list with an arm issue, and he ended up suffering the same fate as Travis Ishikawa. Cordier’s minor league rehab stint had run out of time, and with no available spots on the 25-man roster, the Giants designated Cordier for assignment because he had no options left.
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Maybe a little surprisingly, Cordier cleared waivers after being designated. Teams would normally be willing to overlook control issues if a pitcher throws 100-plus miles per hour, but no one took the chance on this 29-year-old flamethrower. He elected for free agency rather than accepting the assignment, but ultimately decided that returning to the Giants’ organization was best for him.
Cordier was very good during his rehab stint. In 12 games and 12 innings, split between San Jose and Sacramento, he allowed just four hits and two runs while striking out 20 batters. Those control issues continued to haunt him, as he allowed eight free passes. Overall in his minor league career, he walks more than five batters per nine innings.
According to Andrew Baggarly, Cordier’s new deal has a variety of opt-out dates, so Cordier could choose free agency again at any one of those points. Due to being designated, he is no longer on the 40-man roster.
Matt Eddy of Baseball America announced via twitter that the Giants signed utility man Jeff Kobernus and outfielder Engel Beltre on Friday. Kobernus, a former Cal Bear from San Leandro, California, was a second-round pick, 50th overall, by the Washington Nationals in 2009. The Boston Red Sox picked up Kobernus in the 2012 Rule 5 Draft, and traded him to the Detroit Tigers. He was returned to the Nationals when he failed to make the Opening Day roster in Detroit.
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The 26-year-old Kobernus made his major league debut on May 25th, 2013. Over the past two years, he’s made his way in to 28 games with the Nationals, but hit just .139 (5-36), but with his first big league home run, over that time. He was released by Washington during Spring Training.
Kobernus’s primary positions are second base and the outfield, where he can play all three spots. He also minimal experience at third base and shortstop during his minor league time, so he can play pretty much anywhere.
Beltre, now 25 years old, signed with the Red Sox in 2006 as a 16-year-old international free agent. He made his farm system debut in 2007, but was traded to the Texas Rangers later that year. He spent six seasons in the Rangers’ organization before making his major league debut in 2013. He would play 22 major league games that year, and hit .250 (10-40) with seven runs scored, a double, and an RBI while playing all three positions in the outfield.
In 2014, Beltre played just 13 games in the minor leagues, hitting .132 (7-53). He lost a lot of time due to a fractured right tibia, and was released by Texas after the season.
Beltre started the 2015 season with the Chicago White Sox organization, and hit .234 (18-77) with seven RBI in 21 games in Triple-A before being released.
With Beltre and Kobernus, the Giants are adding some organizational depth, both with major league experience. Cordier has a chance to help the big league bullpen a little further down the road if he decides to remain with the team.