MLB: Top 5 Minor League Contracts Signed Thus Far

With spring training approaching we take a look at the best minor league deals that have been signed so far that could have a major impact.

A lot of experienced major league players have come to realize this offseason that the best offer they are going to get is minor league contract.

What that essentially means is that the players aren’t deemed good enough to take up a spot on the 40-man roster, so they’ll have to prove their worth in Spring Training, or perhaps even in the minor leagues to start the season.

Every season we see a couple of these signings make a major impact with a big league club. A lot of these teams are hoping to strike gold with these minor league signings.

You’ll see a lot of small budget teams sign players to minor league contracts. It’s a cost-effective solution to try and build a solid lineup.

Also, you’ll see a lot of teams who are not expected to contend this season sign bounce-back candidates to minor league deals in hopes they might be able to trade them during the season for a future asset.

From the player’s standpoint, while they aren’t happy to get a non-guaranteed contract in the big leagues, it’s a chance to re-establish themselves in hopes of earning a big league contract the following season.

One example I can remember from last season is Derek Holland who signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants before the 2018 season. He went out and posted a 3.57 ERA in 171.1 innings with 169 strikeouts. This offseason the Giants signed him to a one-year contract worth $6.5 million for 2019 and a team option for $7 million in 2020.

Anibal Sanchez did the same last year with the Braves and got a two-year deal worth at least $19 million with the Washington Nationals this offseason.

While there could be more of these signings to come as Spring Training picks up, here are a few of the best minor league contracts we’ve seen so far.

Matt Davidson – Texas Rangers

The best minor league deal I’ve seen so far is the Texas Rangers signing Matt Davidson. I like this deal for a lot of reasons, but maybe the most intriguing is they could use him as a two-way player.

I love where the sport is going with these two-way players, and it sounds like Davidson has a legitimate chance to do that with the Rangers.

With the bat he brings a lof power having hit 26 and 20 home runs respectively the last two seasons. But he’s also hit just .220 and .228 in those seasons with 165 strikeouts in each.

Last year was his best season in the big leagues yet as he was able to draw more walks and finished with an on-base percentage of .319.

Davidson is capable of playing either corner infield position and he can obviously DH in the American League.

As a pitcher last season he tossed three scoreless innings for the White Sox with two strikeouts, while allowing just one hit and one walk.

If he can prove to be a value out of the bullpen as well, you have to think that only increases his chances of making the big league club.

I think Davidson has a really good chance of breaking Spring Training on the Rangers major league roster, and he could even be a part of their future with four years of control left.

Francisco Liriano – Pirates

Another player who is looking to go back where he’s had success in the past to re-establish his career is Francisco Liriano.

From 2013 to 2016 he started 107 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 3.67 ERA and WHIP of 1.31 and a K/9 of 9.5

Since then he’s pitched for three different teams with varying success and failures. Last year he pitched for the Detroit Tigers and posted an ERA of 4.58 in 133.2 innings with 110 strikeouts.

The Pirates have three solid starters at the top of their rotation, so Liriano will have a chance to compete for one of the last two spots.

Also, there is a chance that Liriano becomes a left-handed reliever for the Pirates out of the bullpen and a swing swam when a spot start is needed.

The 35-year-old has plenty of experience and is going back to a place where he’s been succesful in the past. Pittsburgh is hoping they can strike gold again with Liriano as they try to compete in the NL Central this year.

There is a pretty solid reward for Liriano if he can make the team as he’s set to earn $1.8 million with a potential $1.5 million of incentives.

Melky Cabrera – Pirates

The Pirates made another solid minor league signing this offseason by acquiring Melky Cabrera. The 34-year-old outfieder has spent 14 years in the major leagues where he is a proven hitter with a career average of .286.

Last season he signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians where hit played just 78 games and hit .280 with a .335 on-base percentage and 6 home runs. It was the first time he didn’t reach double-digit home runs since 2013, and that’s probably just because he didn’t play enough games.

With Gregory Polanco recovering from shoulder surgery that he had back in September, Cabrera could compete with Lonnie Chisenhall to see some playing time in the Pirates outfield.

At the very least, he could add depth to the outfield and be a switch-hitting bat off the bench.

Cabrear doesn’t give you much defensively, but he’s more than capable with the bat.

He’ll earn $1.15 million if the makes the big league club out of spring training with $850,000 in incentives.

Unless Mekly just looks out of shape and falls flat on his face in Spring Training, I think he’s a pretty safe bet to make the team. This is another really solid deal for the Pirates.

Matt Joyce – Indians

The guy who will could potentially replace Melky in the Cleveland Indian’s outfield is Matt Joyce, who the Tribe signed to a minor league deal this offseason.

Joyce is 34-years-old and will be looking to play his 12 season in the big leagues where he has a career average of .240 with an on-base percentage of .339 and 138 home runs.

He’s spent the last two seasons with the Oakland A’s where he had two very different seasons.

After hitting .242 with 25 home runs in 2017, he hit just .208 with 7 home runs in 2018.

Back issues cost him most of the 2018 season as he only played in 83 games — compared to the 141 and 140 he played the previous two seasons before 2018.

The Indians are hoping that his injury troubles are behind him now and he will get back to producing like he did in 2017.

A glaring issue for the Indians entering the 2019 season is thier outfield. While they’ll easily be the favorite to win the AL Central again, they have to find some answers in thier outfield.

Bradley Zimmer could potentially miss the start of the season, leaving their outfield even thinner.

If Joyce can prove himself healthy and effective in Spring Training, there is a very claer path towards him being a starting outfielder for the Indians at least to start the 2019 season.

Ichiro Suzuki – Mariners

This one is more of a nostalgic signin with Ichiro Suzuki getting a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners. I think a lot of people thought his Hall of Fame career was over when he took a front office job with the M’s last year, but it looks like he wants to give it another shot.

The 45-year-old has spent 18 years in the big leagues, which is amazing considering he didn’t start his big league career until he was 27.

He’s racked up over 3,000 hits with a career average of .311, 10 straight All-Star appearances, and an AL MVP.

Last season Ichiro played in just 15 games and hit just .205 — obviously the lowest average of his career.

With the Seattle Mariners in an obvious rebuild, it makes sense for them to give Ichiro one last shot with them.

I also would not be surprised if this is just an attempt to have him play in the opening series in Japan between the Mariners and A’s on March 20-21.

If so, I think that is a brilliant move for the Mariners, Ichiro, and Major League Baseball — as well as for Japan. It will be a great opportunity to celebrate a great career.

It would not surprise me at all if Ichiro makes the club out of Spring Training just for that series and then reprises his role in the front office.

Best of the Rest

I don’t really know why, but I love the Devin Mesoraco signing for the New York Mets. I don’t think he has a chance to make the big league club out of Spring Training, but I think he gives them some solid depth at the position.

Once a prized prospect, the 30-year-old catcher has struggled to hit at the big league level. He had an All-Star season in 2014 when he hit .273 with 25 home runs and 80 RBI, but he hasn’t been able to repeat that production since.

He hit 10 home runs for the Mets last year, and I think there is still some good baseball left in him.

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The Mets made a couple of other solid minor league deals by bringing in Gregor Blanco and Rajai Davis to compete for spots on the bench as back-up outfielders. Both bring a lot of experience and could give the Mets solid depth in their outfield.

Miami signing Curtis Granderson to a minor league deal is a great move because someone needs to show those young players how to succeed at the major league level.

The soon-to-be 38-year-old Granderson has more than done that in his 15-year career.

Be on the lookout for more of these minor league signings as the season approaches. While they may not seem like much at the time, some of these signings could pay huge dividends for contending and non-contending teams.