World Baseball Network built a ledger of minor league contracts signed recently.
New York Yankees Reunite With Andrew Velazquez On Minor League Deal
The Yankees signed infielder Andrew Velazquez on January 3, per YES Network Reporter Jack Curry.
Velazquez, 30, was born in the Bronx and lived out his dream playing on the MLB roster for the Yankees in 2021. Velasquez is Mexican and Puerto Rican and has played in Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente the past four winters in Puerto Rico. He is currently playing for Leones de Ponce. He was a seventh-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2012 MLB Draft. Velazquez made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 and made his last MLB appearance with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023.
His MLB career numbers are 12 home runs, 40 RBI, 40 stolen bases, and a slash line of .189/.244/.293 in 566 at-bats.
Southpaw Dietrich Enns Signs Minor League Deal With Detroit Tigers
Enns announced on his Instagram profile on December 16 that he signed with the Tigers.
Enns, 33, was born in Frankfort, Ill., and has played one season in Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021.
He only appeared in 11 games in the 2021 season alongside one start, throwing 26.1 innings with a 3.42 ERA and posting a 2-0 record. Enns had two saves, allowing 24 hits, 10 earned runs, three home runs, seven walks, and a 1.177 WHIP with Tampa Bay.
Enns has played three seasons overseas with the Saitama Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan from 2022-23 and last season with the LG Twins in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Enns posted an 11-17 record with the Saitama Seibu Lions, throwing 176.1 innings in 35 appearances with a 3.62 ERA, allowing 156 hits, 71 earned runs, 20 home runs, 68 walks, 122 strikeouts, and a 1.270 WHIP.
In 2024, with the LG Twins, he pitched 167.1 innings with 157 strikeouts and an ERA of 4.19.
Nick Gordon Signs Minor League Deal With Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles announced on their social media accounts that they signed infielder Nick Gordon on December 31.
Gordon, 29, has played four MLB seasons and got MLB time with the Miami Marlins last season. It was a homecoming for the outfielder since he was born in Avon Park, Florida. Gordon is the younger brother of former MLB speedster Dee “Strange” Gordon. The Minnesota Twins selected the younger Gordon in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft with the fifth overall pick. He played three seasons with the Twins and made his MLB debut with them in 2021.
His MLB career stats are 23 home runs, 112 RBI, and a slash line of .244/.283/.386 in 956 at-bats.
Los Angeles Angels Sign Sabastian Rivero to Minor League Deal
The Angels signed Sabastian Rivero on January 1, per the MLB.com transaction log.
Rivero, 26, is a Venezuelan catcher who signed a MiLB deal with the Kansas City Royals out of Venezuela in 2015. He played two MLB seasons for them in 2021 and 2022 but only got 66 at-bats. The right-handed hitter also has spent the last two winters playing for Tiburones de La Guaria in LVBP.
Luis Frias Signs Minor League Deal With Cleveland Guardians
According to a team announcement, Frias, 26, signed with the Cleveland Guardians on January 2. He is a right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic.
He signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in 2015. He made his MLB debut with them in 2021 and was released in the middle of the season last year. The Blue Jays claimed him off waivers, and they released him after the season. He also played for Tigres del Licey in LIDOM in the winters’ of 2022 and 2023.
His MLB career numbers are 61 innings, 55 strikeouts, and an ERA of 7.38.
Mike Ford Signs Minor League Deal with Minnesota Twins
Ford, 32, signed with the Twins on January 2, per MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi.
The left-handed first baseman, born in Princeton, New Jersey, made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2019, a dream come true. Ford played three seasons for the Yankees and then bounced around with several MLB clubs. In 2024, he played for the Yokohama Bay Stars in the NPB in Japan. He also briefly returned to MLB, playing 17 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 2024.
His MLB numbers are 37 home runs, 89 RBI, and a slash line of .205/.298/.402 in 687 at-bats.
Moises Gomez Signs Minor League Deal with San Diego Padres
Gomez, 26, signed with the Padres on January 2, per MLB.com transaction log.
He was born in Venezuela and is a right-handed hitting outfielder. He’s played in the LVBP the last five winters, including this winter with Bravos de Margarita. He signed a MiLB deal with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015. Gomez has never played in MLB and made it as high as the St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Red Birds, last season.
His minor league career numbers are 127 home runs, 427 RBI, and a slash line of .248/.315/.449
Miguel Castro Sings Minor League Deal with Houston Astros.
Castro, 30, is an MLB veteran right-handed reliever who signed with the Astros on December 30, according to New York Post reporter Jon Heyman.
He pitched for the Diamondbacks last season. Castro was born in the Dominican Republic, and he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. He debuted with the Blue Jays in 2015 and was traded to the Colorado Rockies mid-season.
Castro’s MLB numbers are 460.2 innings, 410 strikeouts, and an ERA 4.20.
Enyel De Los Santos Signs Minor League Deal with Atlanta Braves
De Los Santos, 29, is a right-handed reliever born in the Dominican Republic who signed with the Atlanta Braves on December 24, according to the MLB.com transaction log.
Last season, he pitched for the Padres, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox. In 2014, he signed an MiLB deal with the Seattle Mariners and made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018.
His MLB career numbers are 248.1 innings, 261 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.46.
Brennen Davis Signs Minor League deal with Yankees
Davis, 25, signed with the Yankees per Just Baseball reporter Aram Leighton on December 24.
Davis was a former top prospect for the Chicago Cubs in 2022 and was 15th in MLB Pipeline.com’s Top 100 Rankings. Davis was born in Chandler, Arizona and was drafted in the second round of the MLB Draft in 2018. Several back injuries derailed him during his Cubs tenure but he showed raw power when playing in their minor league system with 48 home runs in 1,189 at-bats. Last season, he reached their Triple-A affiliate, the Iowa Cubs.
His career MiLB numbers are 48 home runs, 165 RBI, and a slash line of .238/.350./.415 in 1,189 at-bats.
Diego Castillo Signs Minor League Deal With Rockies
Castillo, 30, is a Dominican right-handed reliever who signed with the Rockies on December 26, according to Aram Leighton.
Castillo is a six-year MLB veteran who pitched for the Twins last season. He signed a MiLB deal with the Rays in 2014. Castillo made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2018 and helped guide them to the World Series in 2020, which the Rays lost in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners at the 2021 trade deadline and pitched with them through the 2023 season. He also pitched for the Dominican Republic in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
His MLB career numbers are 278.1 innings, 330 strikeouts, and a 3.20 ERA.
Carlos Perez Signs Minor League Deal with Cubs
Perez, 34, is a Venezuelan catcher who signed with the Cubs per MLB.com transaction log on December 22. He signed a MiLB deal with the Blue Jays in 2008 and made his MLB debut with the Angels in 2015. His last MLB action came with the Oakland Athletics in 2023. He has played in the LVBP for seven winters, most recently with Navegantes del Magallanes in 2023–2024.
His MLB career numbers are 17 home runs, 78 RBI, and a slash line of .218/.265/.327 in 786 at-bats.
Junior Fernandez Signs Minor League Deal With Royals
Per their social media accounts, Fernandez, 27, signed with the Royals on December 21. The right-handed pitcher is currently pitching with Águlias Cibaeñas in LIDOM and has pitched three winters for them. He signed with the Cardinals out of the Dominican Republic in 2014. He made his MLB debut with them in 2019 and was claimed by the Pittsburgh Pirates off waivers in the 2022 season. Fernandez also pitched in the NPB with the Chiba Lotte Mariners in 2024.
His MLB career numbers are 54 innings, 47 strikeouts, and an ERA of 5.17.
Philadelphia Phillies Signed Guillo Zuñgia and Nabil Crismatt to Minor League Deals
Zuñgia, 26, and Crismatt, 30, are both right-handed pitchers who signed with the Phillies on December 13, according to the MLB.com transaction log.
Zuñgia and Crismatt were both born in Colombia.
Zuñgia signed a MiLB deal with the Braves in 2016 and made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2023. He also pitched for Colombia in the 2023 WBC and for the Angels in 2024. Zuñiga pitched for Tigres de Cartagena in the 2022-2023 winter in Colombia in Liga Profesional de Béisbol.
Zuñgia’s MLB career numbers are 19.2 innings, 17 strikeouts, and an ERA of 5.09.
Crismatt signed a minor league deal with the Mets in 2012 and made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2020. Last season, he pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also pitched for Colombia in the WBC in 2017 and 2023. In 2023, he struck out three batters in four innings and had an ERA of 2.25. He is currently pitching with Gigantes del Cibao in LIDOM and has pitched there for four seasons.
Crismatt’s MLB career numbers are 177 innings, 162 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.71.
New York Mets Signed Anthony Gose and Luis Ortiz to Minor League Deals
According to MLB.com reporter Anthony DiComo, Gose, 34, and Ortiz, 29, signed MiLB deals with the Mets on December 20.
Gose was born in California and pitched for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics and the WBSC Premier 12 in 2024, both of which took place in Tokyo, Japan. He is an MLB veteran who signed an MiLB deal with the Phillies in 2008. He made his MLB debut with the Cleveland Indians and pitched with Cleveland through last season.
Gose is pitching with Toros del Este in LIDOM and has pitched three winters with them.
His MLB career numbers are 32 innings, 41 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.78.
Ortiz will miss the 2024 season due to Tommy John’s recovery. He was born in California and is Mexican American. The Texas Rangers selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2018 and pitched for the Phillies last season.
His MLB career numbers are 34 innings, 25 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.76.
Houston Astros Sign Jose Gonzales to Minor League Deal
Gonzales, 24, is a left-handed outfielder who signed with the Astros on January 2, per Francys Romero of Besibolfr.com. Gonzales was born in Texas and is Mexican American. It will be a nice homecoming for him, as he played three seasons at Texas State from 2021 to 2023. He then went to the MLB draft league with the Williamsport Crosscutters to finish the 2023 season. Last season, he played for the Yolo High Wheelers in the Pioneer League and had 19 home runs and 84 RBI, with a slash line of .370/.473/.640 in 322 at-bats.
WBN’s Matt Tallarini contributed to this article.
