Monday, November 18, 2013

NEW ORGANIZATIONS SIGN LOMAN, STRIZ AND RICHARDSON WITH YANKEES INVITING SPEEDY OUTFIELDER TO MAJOR LEAGUE CAMP

Intriguing offensive tools have landed two former Independent players, first baseman Seth Loman and outfielder Antoan Richardson, with deals in new major league organizations.

Loman always shows considerable power, starting with 2008 when he hit 19 home runs and drove in 60 runs in the same number of games in the now departed Golden League (St. George, UT). A switch hitter who doesn’t turn 28 until next month, Loman has been given a Triple-A contract with Atlanta (Gwinnett) after hitting 14 more round-trippers while splitting time between the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore farm systems last summer. He got his first significant time in Triple-A.

Richardson is a speedster, with 318 steals in his professional career, which includes limited play with the parent Atlanta Braves in ’11. He stole 39 bases last season while splitting time between Minnesota’s top two farm clubs. The New York Yankees, no doubt taking notice of his career .278 average and .398 on-base percentage in extensive minor league duty, signed Richardson as a free agent and have invited him to major league spring training. Richardson spent parts of 2009 and 2010 with Schaumburg, IL, when the current Frontier League city was still in the Northern League.

Right-handed pitcher Nathan Striz also has a contract with a new organization. The 25-year-old, who spent some time in the Frontier League (Washington, PA) in 2012, has moved from the Boston farm system to Colorado, and has been elevated from Class A to AAA. He has averaged more than a strikeout an inning in his career.

Four other former Independent players have signed new deals to stay with their ’13 organization. Infielder Mark Minicozzi, who has inched his way up the San Francisco ladder, now has a Triple-A (Fresno) deal. He played in the Can-Am League (Worcester, MA), Atlantic (Camden, NJ) and in current American Association cities Winnipeg and Kansas City, KS when both still were in the Northern League.

Lefty Will Startup (Sugar Land, TX, Atlantic) has been elevated to Triple-A (Toledo) with his new Detroit agreement while infielder Jonathan Roof (Traverse City, MI, Frontier League) has returned to the Philadelphia farm system and right-hander Race Parmenter has returned to Atlanta’s chain. He started his pro career with Southern Illinois of the Frontier League.


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