ATLANTIC AND CAN-AM LEAGUE WORK LEAD TO METS GRABBING JONATHAN VELASQUEZ IN RULE 5 DRAFT

Jonathan Velasquez is fresh from three quality seasons in Independent leagues, and the right-hander, who could be starting to peak at 28, has his second major league-affiliated home of recent weeks after being selected by the New York Mets in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft Thursday morning during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, FL.

Velasquez was one of three former Independent players whose name was called during the draft, all in the Triple-A portion.

He had only recently signed with Minnesota after an exceptional season with the Camden (NJ) RiverSharks of the Atlantic League. Pitching for onetime major league catcher Ron Karkovice, Velasquez struck out 82 Atlantic League hitters and allowed only 58 hits in 73.2 innings spread over 61 appearances. That netted a 6-2 record and a 1.95 earned run average.

Velasquez, who was in the Philadelphia farm system earlier in his career, was a starter for Rockland County (Pomona, NY) of the Can-Am League in 2011-12, compiling a combined 14-13 record before joining Camden for one start at the end of the '12 campaign.

Arizona, which has been stockpiling Independent players of late, drafted 6-foot-7 righty Michael Lee, who spent most of this season starting for Atlanta's Double-A farm club. The 27-year-old was 9-8 for Mississippi (Pearl, MS) and made one start for Triple-A Gwinnett. Lee was a strikeout machine during an Independent stint at Rockford, IL in '12, whiffing 59 Frontier League hitters and allowing 30 hits in 41 innings. He had a 3-1, 2.20 record.

Boston selected 24-year-old multi-position player Jonathan Roof as a shortstop from Philadelphia's Double-A Reading, PA roster. He was listed as being at Traverse City, MI of the Frontier League one year ago although I cannot find that he actually appeared in any games. Roof played at the Class A level in 2013.

No Independent players were selected in the major league phase of the draft.

TWINS' LATEST INDY HOPEFUL IS PLAYER OF THE YEAR C. J. ZIEGLER

With slugger Chris Colabello and pitchers Andrew Albers and Caleb Thielbar all breaking into their major league roster this past season, the Minnesota Twins are continuing to mine Independent players, including Jonathan Velasquez (see story above).

The latest signee, who could someday compete with Colabello for playing time since both are primarily first basemen, is American Association and Independent League Player of the Year C. J. Ziegler, who homered a league-record 30 times while leading Wichita, KS into the Association playoffs. Ziegler, primarily a first baseman, also led the American Association with his 100 runs batted in, which led Baseball America to name him the top player in the non-affiliated ranks. The 28-year-old hit .316 to cap a two-year run with the Wingnuts in which he hit 48 homers and drove in 161 runs in 165 games.

OWENS, FOX MAINTAIN LEAGUE LEADS IN MEXICO

Atlantic League standouts Jerry Owens (Lancaster, PA) and Jake Fox (Somerset, NJ) rank No. 1 in some of the most important offensive categories as the Mexican League season rolls along. Owens is tops in both batting average (.361) and hits (66) and Fox leads in RBI (42 in 51 games). His nine home runs are third best in the league.

Another recent Atlantic League star, Cory Aldridge (Somerset) has the second best average (.377), is fourth in home runs (12) and fifth in RBI (36) in Venezuela. Shortstop Tucker Nathans, who started in Independent play (Can-Am and Frontier Leagues) and now is in the Baltimore farm system, has the third best batting average (.333) in Australia, one spot ahead of Brandon Tripp (.329), who played for St. Paul, MN of the American Association last season.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

JASON LANE GETS ANOTHER LOOK FROM SAN DIEGO IN HIS QUEST TO CHANGE POSITIONS AND RETURN TO THE MAJORS

Baseball’s top brass heads to Orlando this weekend for the annual Winter Meetings, which my longtime boss Bowie Kuhn used to occasionally point out were not actually held in the winter, and while former Independent players aren’t likely to be in the big-time headlines (unless Stephen Drew signs) a few more players who have been in non-affiliated leagues already have new deals.

San Diego gave outfielder-turned-pitcher Jason Lane a new contract. Lane is an interesting case since the southpaw, who turns 37 December 22, had his contract purchased by the Padres after he had won eight of 12 decisions for Sugar Land, TX last season. He was a decent 2-2 with a 5.24 earned run average in 11 appearances (six starts) for Triple-A Tucson, then was allowed to walk in order that he could play for the Skeeters in their quest for an Atlantic League title. (They lost in the first round of the playoffs.) Now, not unexpectedly, San Diego is going to give the California lefty one more look as he tries to complete the unusual position change for a 30-something and still get back to the major leagues.

More surprising to this corner was San Diego’s signing of infielder-outfielder Gabe Suarez, who turns 29 next week, to a minor league deal. Suarez had a busy ’13 as he played for Spain in the World Baseball Classic, then was in 29 games in the Atlantic League (Long Island, NY) and 72 in the American Association (El Paso, TX). He hit .261 for El Paso and only .221 for the Ducks, and still has only a handful of games above Class A except for some brief stints in the Mexican League.

Suarez has played for eight Independent teams (some of them more than once) since ’05, appearing in more than 500 games. He has been with Lincoln, NE, the Atlantic League’s traveling Road Warriors, Camden and Newark, NJ, Florence, KY and Kansas City, KS in addition to Long Island and El Paso.

SEATTLE BUMPS SHACKLEFORD UP TO TRIPLE-A

One can only believe he signed for five figures less than the reported deal for Robinson Cano, but at least right-hander Stephen Shackleford has a new contract with Seattle. At 24, Shackleford is on the Triple-A Tacoma, WA roster one year after posting a combined 3-4, 2.71 record for 47 appearances between Classes A and AA in the Mariners’ chain. He worked very briefly for Florence, KY in the Frontier League in 2012, and has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning for his professional career.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

COMPARING LEAGUES AND TRACKING DOWN PLAYERS THIS THANKSGIVING DAY

I am always interested in how players compare one Independent league against another. Josh Lowey, featured in the most recent Independent Baseball Insider column, had some interesting thoughts since he was in the American Association in 2012 and the Atlantic League this past season.

He believes Atlantic League “hitters are slightly more patient”, with the belief that is primarily based on the league, overall, having players with more experience. I asked if pitchers throw harder in the Atlantic, as I have heard some say. “I couldn’t say they throw harder,” the veteran of six Independent seasons (he was in the Frontier League for four years) told me.

Lowey, who has built a 58-21 record but still is looking for his first chance with a major league organization, was confident in one respect: “The level of play has gone up every year.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THIS GROUP

The turkey should taste better to this dozen former Independent players, all of whom have been assigned by their major league organization to Triple-A teams and at least one level higher than their most recent team for the offseason:

By ARIZONA: RHP Eddie McKiernan (Lincoln, NE, American Association), OF David Peralta (Amarillo, TX, and Wichita, KS, American Association, and Rio Grande Valley, United League), RHP Mark Serrano (Laredo, TX, American Association), RHP Blayne Weller (Windy City, Frontier League). Peralta started his pro career in an Independent league.

By ATLANTA: RHP Mitch Atkins (Somerset, NJ, Atlantic League), RHP Brandon Cunniff (Southern Illinois and River City, Frontier).

By CHICAGO WHITE SOX: LHP Ryan Bollinger (Windy City), 3B Chris Curley (Florence, KY, Frontier), RHP Mike Recchia (Windy City), OF Josh Richmond (Florence).

By NEW YORK METS: RHP Cody Satterwhite (Sioux City, IA, American Association).

By OAKLAND: C-DH Ryan Delgado (Fargo, ND, American Association).

NEW CONTRACTS FOR THIS TRIO:

C Jose Yepez (Pensacola, FL, American Association, and Gary, IN, Northern League) was given a new contract to stay in the Atlanta chain although he is now on a Double-A roster. OF Kalian Sams (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) got a new contract from Texas while RHP Daniel Stange (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) joined Washington’s farm system. He was in the majors briefly this past season with the Los Angeles Angels.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

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.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

SAM KATZ A HALL OF FAMER AND WE TRACK FREE AGENTS AND THE WINTER LEAGUES

Congratulations are in order for one of Independent Baseball’s longtime owners, Sam Katz.

The boss man of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, also known as a concert promoter and as mayor of Winnipeg, has been named to the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame, with induction set for June 7 in Morden, Manitoba.

YES, ALL ARE FREE AGENTS

Baseball’s lengthy list of six-year free agents includes several who logged some time in the major leagues in the last two seasons.

**Catcher Cody Clark (San Diego, Golden League) is no longer under contract to Houston, which gave him his first major league games late in the year.

** RHP Robert Coello (Edmonton and Calgary, Golden) got considerable attention from the Los Angeles Angels until his shoulder acted up.

**LHP Justin Hampson (York, PA and Long Island, NY, Atlantic League) was with the New York Mets.

**RHP Shawn Hill (York) was cut loose by Detroit.

**RHP Logan Kensing (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) was let go by Colorado.

**RHP Stu Pomeranz (New Jersey, Can-Am League) once seemed to have a promising opportunity with Baltimore.

**C Eddy Rodriguez (Sioux Falls, SD and El Paso, TX, American Association) got into a few games with San Diego.

**1B-OF Brock Peterson (Bridgeport) will offer power potential to someone. He had a shot with St. Louis this season.

SCHULTZ, NATHANS AMONG WINTER LEAGUE LEADERS

Bo Schultz (Grand Prairie, TX, American Association) has been leading the Arizona Fall League in both innings (28.1) and strikeouts (24) while building a 3-0 record and 2.22 earned run average after six starts. He belongs to Arizona.

Cody Satterwhile (Sioux City, IA, American Association), a New York Mets hopeful, has allowed only two earned runs in nine innings spread over nine outings in winning his only decision and picking up one save.

The newest Indy vet in the AFL is Arizona’s Henry Garcia (Rio Grande Valley, United League), and he stands 0-1, 6.75 after four appearances. The New York Yankees’ Vidal Nuno (Washington, PA, Frontier League) has lowered his earned run average to 3.20 after four starts and one relief appearance in which he has struck out 18 and walked only three in 19.2 innings.

Baltimore shortstop hopeful Tucker Nathans (Newark, NJ, Brockton, MA and the New York Federals, Can-Am League, and Florence, KY, Frontier) is off to a fast start with the bat in Australia, hitting .435 and averaging two hits a game (10-for-23) after his first five appearances.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions