World Baseball Network has listed minor league contracts with Major League Baseball organizations as January approaches its end.
The signing acquisitions listed below are not in chronological order from when the players joined the MLB organizations.
Luis Patiño Returns to San Diego Padres On Minor League Deal
Patiño, 25, signed a minor league deal to return to the Padres on January 6, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The right-handed Colombian pitcher was once a prized prospect who was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for Blake Snell before the 2021 season. He has pitched four MLB seasons, including the end of 2023 with the Chicago White Sox.
His MLB career numbers are 136.1 innings, 124 strikeouts, and an ERA of 5.02.
Padres also sign veteran catcher Martin Maldonado and utilityman Niko Goodrum
Maldonado, 38, signed with the Padres on January 16, per The Athletic reporter Dennis Lin.
Maldonado played for Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC and has played in Liga de Besibol Profesional Roberto Clemente for 10 years with the Indios de Mayaguez and joined the Leones del Escogido as a reinforcement after the regular season. Last season, the righty was with the Chicago White Sox at the MLB level. His greatest accomplishment was winning the World Series with the Houston Astros in 2022. He has always been known for his defense, winning a Gold Glove in 2017 with the Los Angeles Angels.
He has played in 14 MLB seasons, and his career numbers include 115 home runs, 372 RBI, and an OPS of .622 in 3,449 at-bats.
Goodrum, 32, signed with the Padres on January 17, per MLB.com transaction log. Goodrum was a second-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2010 MLB draft. The switch hitter has also played for the Detroit Tigers, Astros, Angels, and Rays. Last season was split with the Angles and Rays at the MLB level, but he only had 29 total MLB at-bats in 2024.
His career MLB numbers are 42 home runs, 152 RBI, 47 stolen bases, and a slash line of .224/.297/.383 in 1,404 at-bats.
Detroit Tigers re-sign Tomas Nido to MiLB deal
Nido, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Tigers on January 17, per Detroit Free Press reporter Evan Petzold. Nido is a Puerto Rican catcher who established a strong defensive reputation with the Mets. Nido made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2017 and played eight seasons with them. Last year, he was released and picked up by the Chicago Cubs in the middle of the season.
His MLB career numbers are 17 home runs, 86 RBI, and a slash line of .210/.245/.309
Eddy Alvarez and Garret Cooper Signed MiLB Deals With Atlanta Braves
Alvarez, 34, signed with the Braves on January 6, per MLB.com transaction log. He is a left-handed hitting Cuban American, and he played with Team USA in the 2020 Olympics, helping them win a silver medal in Tokyo. Alvarez has had brief MLB stints with the Miami Marlins from 2020-2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022, and the New York Mets in 2024.
He has one home run and 11 RBI in 135 career at-bats.
Cooper, 34, signed with the Braves on January 12, per Fansided reporter Robert Murray. The right-handed hitting first baseman spent last season with the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. He made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 2017, and he was traded to the Marlins before the 2018 season for right-handed pitcher Michael King. Cooper made his lone All-Star appearance with the Marlins in 2022. He was traded to the Padres at the 2023 trade deadline.
His MLB career numbers are 57 home runs, 233 RBI, and a slash line of .265/.333/.427 in 1,735 at-bats.
Minnesota Twins sign Armando Alvarez to Minor League Deal
Alvarez, 30, signed with the Twins on January 2, according to the MLB.com transaction log. He made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics last season and had two RBI in 37 at-bats.
The right-handed hitting utility man was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB draft. He is Cuban American and has played eight seasons in the minor leagues.
His MiLB career numbers are 90 home runs, 412 RBI, 29 stolen bases, and a slash line of .273/.329/.447 in 2,589 at-bats.
Philadelphia Phillies invite NPB pitcher Koyo Aoyagi to Spring Training
According to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Scott Lauber, the Phillies will invite Hanshin Tigers pitcher Aoyagi, 31, to attend spring training as a nonroster invitee on January 17. Aoyagi pitched in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan for nine seasons and was a three-time All-Star.
His career NPB numbers are 898.1 innings, 647 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.08.
Shintaro Fujinami signs Minor League Deal with Seattle Mariners
Fujinami, 30, signed a MiLB deal with a spring training invite with the Seattle Mariners on January 17, per MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi. Fujinami is Japanese. He made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2023 and was traded to the Baltimore Orioles later that season. He spent last season with the New York Mets Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets.
Fujinami played in the NPB for 10 seasons from 2013-2022 for the Hanshin Tigers before coming to MLB. His career NPB stats are 994.1 innings, 1,011 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.41.
Milwaukee Brewers re-sign Jake Bauers to minor league deal and Jorge Alfaro on MiLB deals
Bauers, 29, signed an MILB deal on January 6, per a Brewers team announcement. He will have a chance to earn his way back on the MLB roster in spring training. In 302 at-bats for the Brewers last season, Bauers had 12 home runs, 43 RBI, and an OPS of .662. He also hit 12 home runs with the Yankees in 2023 and was traded after the season. Bauers is a left-handed first baseman and outfielder who made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Rays.
His MLB career numbers are 51 home runs, 183 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and a slash line of .208/.302/.361 in 1,521 at-bats.’
Alfaro, 31, also signed a MiLB deal with the Brewers on January 16, per Rober Murray. The right-handed catcher is an eight-year MLB veteran who last played with the Boston Red Sox in 2023. He made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2016. Alfaro is Colombian and played for them in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He has also played in LIDOM for the Tigres del Licey the past three winters.
His MLB career numbers are 48 home runs, 198 RBI, and a slash line of .253/.302/.393 in 1,590 at-bats.
Franchy Cordero Signs Minor League Deal With Washington Nationals
Cordero, 30, returned to the States with a MiLB deal with the Nationals on January 15, per Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media. Cordero is a left-handed hitting outfielder, and he went overseas to the NPB to play with the Saitama Seibu Lions last season. His last MLB action came with the Yankees in 2023; the lefty outfielder is Dominican. His MLB debut was with the San Diego Padres in 2017.
In seven MLB seasons, he has hit 27 home runs, had 87 RBI, and had an OPS of .678 in 722 at-bats.
Athletics Sign C.D. Pelham to MiLB Deal
Pelham, 29, is a left-handed pitcher who signed a minor league deal with the Athletics, per The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal on January 9. Pelham was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers. He pitched in the All-Starts Futures game for them in 2018 and made his MLB debut that same season. Pelham hasn’t returned to MLB since and played in Liga Mexicana de Béisbol for the Leones de Yucatán in 2024.
He struck out seven batters in 7.2 MLB innings with six runs allowed (7.04 ERA), and he had 18 strikeouts in 17.1 innings with a 1.04 ERA in LMB.
Keston Hiura Signs Minor League Colorado Rockies
Hiura, 28, signed a MiLB deal with the Rockies on January 15, per MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand.
Hiura is Chinese and Japanese and was the top prospect in the Brewers system in 2019 and ranked 20th in MLB Pipeline.com Top 100 Rankings. He had a strong rookie season with 19 home runs and an OPS of .938 in 348 at-bats. Hiura hit 31 total home runs in three seasons from 2020-2022. The Brewers released him after the 2022 season, and he didn’t return to MLB until last season with the Los Angeles Angels. He only got 27 MLB at-bats with no home runs or RBI in 2024.
His MLB career numbers are 50 home runs, 133 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and a slash line of .238/.318/.453
Sean Newcomb Returns Home to Red Sox
Newcomb, 31, was born in Massachusetts and signed a minor league deal on January 17 to create a homecoming with the Red Sox per a team announcement.
He also received an invite to Spring Training and pitched 10 MLB innings with the Athletics last season. He was a first-round pick of the Angels in the 2014 MLB Draft. He was traded to the Braves in the 2015 season for shortstop Anderelton Simmons. He pitched five seasons with the Braves and then was traded to the Cubs at the 2022 trade deadline. Towards the end of the 2023 season, in August, he was traded to Athletics.
His MLB career numbers are 431 innings, 438 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.51.
San Francisco Giants sign Joey Lucchesi to Minor League Deal
Lucchesi, 31, is signing a MiLB deal with the Giants, according to New York Post reporter Jon Heyman. This deal includes an invite to spring training and can increase to $1.5 million if he makes the MLB roster.
Lucchesi is a California native, and he now gets to return home after starting his MLB career with the San Diego Padres in 2018. The left-handed pitcher was traded to the Mets before the 2021 season. Lucchesi suffered from Tommy John surgery in 2021 and didn’t pitch in 2022. He pitched with the Mets for parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons and was also with their Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets.
Lucchesi’s MLB career numbers are 394.2 innings, 388 strikeouts, and an ERA of 5.23.
Miguel Díaz Also Signs Minor League Deal With Giants
Diaz, 34, signed with the San Francisco Giants on December 28, per MLB.com transaction log.
He is a Dominican right-handed reliever and is currently pitching for the Tigres del Licey in Liga de Béisbol de la República Dominicana and made an appearance with the Houston Astros last season. Diaz has pitched seven MLB seasons and three winters in LIDOM. He made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2017 and pitched with them through the 2021 season with the expectation of 2020. He then went to the Tigers in 2022 and had MLB appearances in two seasons.
His career MLB numbers are 127.1 innings, 132 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.81.
Los Angeles Angels Sign RHP Connor Brogdon To Minor League Deal On December 23 From Teams’ Transaction Page
Brogdon was assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake City on December 23. The 30-year-old from Clovis, Calif., played with the Philadelphia Phillies from 2020-24 until he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 6, 2024, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Benony Robles heading to the City of Brotherly Love.
Last season between the Phillies and Dodgers, Brogdon posted a 24.00 ERA with four appearances, throwing three innings, allowing five hits, eight earned runs, and striking out three batters.
His career MLB numbers in five seasons are 145 innings, 146 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.97.
