Keeping track of the 2013 Isotopes

Updated Jan. 29, 2015

Most people think of a player on a triple-A roster as one phone call away from the major leagues. That's true. But I like to remind people those same players are also one phone call away from their careers ending. They might be knocking on the door to the majors, but there's another group of players in single-A and double-A ready for a promotion.

That's something to keep in mind as you review the 2013 Isotopes. That was just two seasons ago. It's remarkable how many players are either out of baseball, or the writing is on the wall that their career will be ending soon. It's a harsh reality of life in professional baseball.

LHP Geison Aguasviva did not play in 2014.

C Eliezer Alfonzo played for Oaxaca in the Mexican League in 2014. Other than 19 games for the Topes in 2013, Alfonzo has played three straight years in the Mexican League. The 2015 campaign will be his age-36 season.

INF Alfredo Amezaga utilized the opt-out clause in his contract in June 2013 to leave the Dodgers organization and play for Tigres de Quintana Roo in Cancun. Amezaga played for the same team in 2014. He posted an impressive .313/.389/.412 slash line. This will be his age-37 season, so it’s probably Mexico or nowhere for Amezaga.

RHP Steve Ames was traded to the Marlins, along with fellow Topes reliever Josh Wall, for starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco on July 6, 2013. Ames made his big-league debut two weeks later. Ames missed almost all of the 2014 season with a shoulder injury. He returned late in the season, making 23 combined appearances between the Marlins Florida Gulf Coast League team, double-A Jacksonville and triple-a New Orleans. Ames remains in the Marlins organization.

OF Matt Angle, after spending the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Topes, signed a minor league contract with the Marlins. His 2014 campaign was a nightmare. He got off to a dreadful start, struggling mightily at the notorious pitchers park in New Orleans. Angle was released in early August with a .213/.280/.264 slash line. He signed with the A’s in late January 2015 and is expected to play at triple-A Nashville. As of now, he’s the owner of one major league home run … off Justin Verlander.

C John Baker, a two-time member of the Isotopes (with the Marlins and Mariners organizations), spent all of last year as the Chicago Cubs backup catcher. Baker made history by scoring the winning run, and getting the victory on the mound, in the Cubs’ 16-inning victory over the Rockies on July 29. Baker hit .192/.273/.231 in 208 plate appearances. The Cubs elected not to re-sign him and Baker became a free agent. He signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners, including an invitation to big league camp, on Jan. 28, 2015. Baker will compete for the Mariners backup catcher job. If not, we could see him in Tacoma.

INF Brian Barden played 11 games for Pirates de Campeche in the Mexican League, then 23 games for Leones de Yucatan. He returned to the United States in mid-June and played for Somerset in the independent Atlantic League. According to his Facebook page, Barden is now an insurance agent at Bankers Life and Casualty Company. Barden was always a fun guy to be around. If his career is over, he should proud of his accomplishments.

OF Nick “Chili” Buss signed a minor league contract with the Diamondbacks in November, following former Dodgers minor league player development director Dejon Watson to the desert. Buss should enjoy playing at triple-A Reno and will get a better opportunity for a job in the major leagues if he can rediscover his 2013 form.

C Drew Butera spent the entire 2014 season with the Dodgers, was designated for assignment, and traded to the Angels. He’s expected to be the Angels backup catcher behind Chris Ianetta.

OF Alex Castellanos signed a minor league contact with the New York Mets in November, and will probably spend most of the season with triple-A Las Vegas. Castellano played last year with triple-A El Paso, so this will likely be his third PCL team in three years.

           

RHP Angel Castro was voted the Topes’ pitcher of the year by his teammates in 2013, then signed a minor league contract with the Cardinals and began 2014 with triple-A Memphis. In 26 games (14 starts), he posted a 4.02 ERA. The Athletics acquired Castro in a cash transaction on August 9. In four starts for triple-A Sacramento, Castro posted a 7.91 ERA. Castro is still listed on the A’s website, so he’s probably still on a minor league contract with them.

LHP Kelvin De La Cruz was signed by the Orioles and added to their 40-man roster in December 2013, after an underappreciated good season with the Topes. De La Cruz didn’t make the Orioles opening day roster, got designated for assignment, cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minors. De La Cruz had a disappointing 2014 for triple-A Norfolk, posted a 5.98 ERA in 37 relief outings. He walked 31 in 49.2 innings. He’s still in the Orioles organization.

RHP Jose Dominguez was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on Nov. 20, 2014, along with minor league pitcher Greg Harris. The Dodgers received reliever Joel Peralta and minor leaguer Adam Liberatore. This is an interesting trade that new Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made with his former team. If Dominguez can throw strikes more consistently, he can be a dominant closer in the majors.

C Damaso Espino played for Somerset in the independent Atlantic League in 2014, slashing .252/.274/.298 in 80 games. Whenever his career ends, I hope Espino remains in baseball. He’s got a lot of knowledge to offer, and commands respect from teammates and coaches.

C Tim Federowicz was part of the blockbuster trade that sent former MVP runner-up Matt Kemp to the Padres. The Dodgers received catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and minor league Zach Eflin. Federowicz will team with all-star Derek Norris, acquired in a separate trade with the A’s, in a totally overhauled catching situation. Federowicz is out of options, so it’s finally to his advantage that he’ll stick in the majors.

RHP Stephen Fife is technically an unsigned free agent right now, according to Baseball America’s player locator. Fife underwent “Tommy John surgery” after the all-star break in 2014, so he’ll spend the 2015 season rehabbing his elbow. We’ll see what team signs him for 2016.

C Jesus Flores signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, the last week in January. He was released by the Royals on July 23, after spending the first 3.5 months at triple-A Omaha.

LHP Onelki Garcia missed the entire 2014 season with various injuries, including shoulder surgery. The White Sox claimed him off waivers on Nov. 20, 2014. The White Sox sure love former Dodgers relievers: Garcia, Javy Guerra, Ronald Belisario, Ramon Troncoso.

INF Elevys Gonzalez did not play in 2014.

INF Dee Gordon was traded to the Marlins, during the Dodgers’ flurry of trades around the Winter Meetings. Gordon, pitcher Dan Haren, former Isotopes Miguel Rojas and cash were sent to the Marlins. The Dodgers received Austin Barnes, reliever Chris Hatcher, highly-touted pitching prospect Andrew Heaney and Enrique Hernandez. Heaney was flipped to the Angels for second baseman Howie Kendrick.

RHP Javy Guerra remains in the White Sox organization. The Dodgers designated him for assignment on March 16 last year, knowing he wasn’t going to make the team and was out of options. The White Sox claimed him off waivers 10 days later. Guerra was effective, posting a 2.91 ERA in 42 games, with 8.0 hits per nine innings, and 7.4 strikeouts per nine. I always found Guerra refreshingly honest and smart. I hope he finds a long-time home with the White Sox.

OF Tony Gwynn, Jr. is an unsigned free agent. He made the Phillies opening day roster last year as a backup outfielder. He played his usual brand of stellar defense, but limited at-bats didn’t help a .152/.264/.190 slash line. Gwynn took an absence from the team after the death of his legendary father. The Phillies fans gave him a heartfelt emotional welcome back. Gwynn was released on July 28, 2014, re-signed with the Phillies six days later, and finished the season at triple-A Lehigh Valley. Gwynn put together a two-day baseball camp for youths in San Diego just before Christmas. I hope that’s a sign that Gwynn will remain involved in baseball the rest of his life, whether as a coach, a scout, or a broadcaster. He’s one of my all-time favorites and I’ll never forget this catch. Update: Gwynn signed a minor league contract with the Nationals on March 2.

INF Elian Herrera remains with the Brewers and is the top candidate for a reserve role. Herrera’s ability to play all over the diamond, which we saw in Albuquerque, makes him a valuable commodity for the Brewers. Updated Jan. 20, 2015 -- Herrrera was designated for assignment by the Brewers to make room for newly signed Neal Cotts. 

RHP Blake Johnson did not play in 2014. Johnson was nearly out of baseball three years ago. He showed up to the Dodgers annual tryout camp and won a job in 2013. That led to another two years of playing professional baseball. Johnson was one of the Topes’ best pitchers in the first half of 2013, but the switch from relieving to starting pitcher caught up with his arm. Johnson will always have his inside-the-park home run memory at Isotopes Park. 

LHP Aaron Laffey signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies in Nov. 2014, so it’s likely we’ll see him in an Isotopes uniform again. Laffey pitched well last year for triple-A Syracuse, in the Nationals organization, with a 3.67 ERA in 25 games (21 starts). Laffey struggled mightily at Isotopes Park in 2013, but hopefully he can redeem himself in 2015.

RHP Matt Magill was traded by the Dodgers to the Reds on Dec. 2, 2014 for outfielder Chris Heisey. Magill grew up a Dodgers fan and his major-league debut was the memory of a lifetime. But he needed a fresh start with a new organization. He’s been past by many pitchers on the depth chart, and the Dodgers couldn’t decide if they wanted to use him as a reliever or starters last year with the Isotopes. Magill will always have a special place in my memory because his family is so warm and friendly … and because his mom showed up at one of my book signings and bought two copies.

INF Ozzie Martinez signed a minor league contract with the Orioles in the offseason. Martinez, who was once traded for manager Ozzie Guillen, was traded for a player last year on May 18, 2014 -- to the Braves for Adrian Rivero. Martinez was mired at double-A Chattanooga at the time. The trade returned him to triple-A, and he slashed .288/.340/.350 for Gwinnett.

OF Jeremy Moore is an unsigned free agent. Moore was once a very bright prospect for the Angels, but a hip injury derailed his career. The Dodgers signed him in 2014 and he was still getting back into baseball shape, when he was involved in that ugly brawl against Memphis. Moore suffered a torn ligament in his thumb, went on the DL, probably came back too soon, struggled more, and was sent to double-A Chattanooga. Injuries limited Moore to 93 games in 2014, and he slashed a combined .232/.302/.444 between double-A Montgomery and triple-A Durham.

RHP Peter Moylan underwent his second “Tommy John surgery” late in spring training in 2014, when he was trying to make the Houston Astros bullpen. His twitter bio says it all: “when healthy I’m not bad at my job. #tommyjohn.” Moylan said he's dropped 35 pounds, his arm is feeling great, and he'll throw for interested teams sometime in the next couple months in hopes of signing a minor league contract. 

RHP Matt Palmer was released by the Mariners on August 17, about two weeks before the season ended at triple-A Tacoma, and remains an unsigned free agent. Palmer has pitched for five PCL teams: Fresno, Salt Lake, Tucson, Albuquerque and Tacoma. This will be his age-36 season.

RHP Red Patterson was outrighted off the 40-man roster, but remains in the Dodgers organization. I’ll be curious what role the Dodgers use him in 2015. He was such an effective swingman in 2013, which I thought was the best role for him. As an every fifth day starting pitcher in 2014, he wasn’t as sharp. I thought his arm was simply tired from pitching so much, between winter ball and a lot of innings in the majors and minors. A fresh Patterson could have an impact on the Dodgers in 2015.

LHP Rob Rasmussen remains in the Blue Jays organization and will be competing for a job in the major-league bullpen. Since getting drafted in 2010, he’s been with five different organizations. Imagine how many different pitching coaches he’s had in that time? Rasmussen made his big-league debut last year for Toronto, getting into 10 games in relief, and struck out 13 batters in 11 innings. The rest of his season was spent at triple-A Buffalo., where his ERA was a tidy 2.72. Rasmussen struggled the third time through the order as a starter, but appears to have found a home in the bullpen and with the Blue Jays.

INF Rusty Ryal is an unsigned free agent. Ryal opened the 2014 season with Sugarland in the independent Atlantic League. The Phillies signed him in early June, assigned him to triple-A Lehigh Valley, and he was released on August 13.                     

LHP Jonathan Sanchez is an unsigned free agent. The Cubs signed Sanchez after the 2013 to a minor league contract and he was sent to triple-A Iowa to begin the season. Sanchez’s first outing on April 4 went like this: hit batsman, foul popup, walk, walk, strikeout, walk, grand slam. Sanchez didn’t pitch the rest of the year and was released on July 4.

INF Justin Sellers had his contract purchased by the Pirates in October 2014. The slick-fielding infielder will try winning a backup infield job with the Pirates. Sellers got into 21 games for the Indians in 2014. The rest of the season was spent at triple-A Columbus.

  

RHP Steve Smith re-signed with the Dodgers to another minor league contract. Smith, the former New Mexico Lobo, has been the ultimate good soldier the last two seasons, bouncing between triple-A Albuquerque and double-A Chattanooga, the “phantom DL” and other phantom roster moves. Mid-summer in 2014, Smith switched to a three-quarter arm angle and the results looked promising. He flirted with a no-hitter against Las Vegas on July 5 and pitched well for Chattanooga late in the year. He’ll likely pitch for the Dodgers’ new affiliate in Oklahoma City in 2015.

                                   

3B Ian Stewart signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Dec. 12, 2014.  Stewart surprisingly made the Angels’ opening day roster in 2014, eight months after the Dodgers released him from his triple-A contract. Stewart was 12-for-68 with 31 strikeouts, when the Angels sent him to triple-A Salt Lake in late May. Stewart slashed .198/.319/.347 with the Bees. Stewart was once the fourth-ranked prospect in all of baseball, back in 2005, and this will be his age-30 season.

RHP Shawn Tolleson is expected to be a mainstay in the Texas Rangers bullpen again in 2015. Tolleson was finally able to stay healthy in 2014 and turned in the type of productive season so many envisioned, compiling a 2.76 ERA in 64 games, striking out 8.7 per nine innings, while allowing 7.0 hits per nine. The Dodgers had a roster crunch when they tried sneaking him through waivers in October 2013, but it’s a decision that definitely backfired, considering their bullpen woes in 2014.

C J.R. Towles played almost the entire 2014 season with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League. The Rangers signed him in late-August and he played six games at triple-A Round Rock to finish the year. Towles only briefly played for the Isotopes in 2013. His thumb required surgery after a home-plate collision initiated by New Orleans pitcher Duane Below. Unless he’s re-signed with Bridgeport, Towles is currently an unsigned free agent.

OF/1B Scott Van Slyke remains a fixture on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster, as a masher of left-handed pitching who can play all three outfield positions and first base. While his roster spot is guaranteed, it would be a shock if he’s not still on the team.

           

RHP Luis Vasquez is an unsigned free agent. He’s always had control issues, but an electric arm, so the Braves took a flier on him prior to the 2014 season. Vasquez made 11 appearances for triple-A Gwinnett and his numbers were typical of his career: 11.1 innings, 11 walks, 15 strikeouts. He gave up 16 runs for an 11.91 ERA. He was released on July 31, 2014 by the Braves.

RHP Josh Wall signed a minor league contract, with an invite to spring training, with the Pirates on Jan. 30, 2015. Wall left the Isotopes, when the Dodgers traded him and Steve Ames to the Marlins for Ricky Nolasco on July 6, 2013. The pitchers were told the news between games of a doubleheader. Wall was claimed off waivers by the Angels in October 2013. He allowed six runs in two outings for the Angels -- at Detroit on April 18-19, 2014 -- and was sent to triple-A Salt Lake. Wall was claimed off waivers by the Pirates on May 22, 2014 and optioned to triple-A Indianapolis, where he finished the season. 

C Matt Wallach did not play in 2014.                               

RHP Sean White did not play in 2014.

RHP Chris Withrow underwent “Tommy John surgery” in late May 2014, a tough setback for a young man who overcame the yips earlier in the minors and had become a dominant member of the Dodgers bullpen. Recovery is usually about 12 months, so normally he would be an option for the Dodgers sometime in June/July 2015. But he also had back surgery in December, so he's a longshot to pitch this year. 

If you didn't keep track, that is three players still in the Dodgers organization. Yes, three. It was only 16 months ago. You expect massive turnover on a triple-A team. But only three? Staggering.

[Note: keeping track of this many players, and finding their transactions, is not easy. If you have corrections, please send them my direction.]