Tigers Agree To Terms With 14 Players On Minor League Contracts For 2017 Season
DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers announced today that the club has agreed to terms on minor league contracts for the 2017 season with 14 players.
The list of signed players includes righthanded pitchers Ruben Alaniz, Johan Belisario, Endrys Briceño, William Cuevas, Jeff Ferrell, Santiago Garrido, Logan Kensing, Arcenio Leon, Dustin Molleken and Cory Riordan, catcher Miguel Gonzalez and infielders Argenis Diaz, Omar Infante and Gustavo Nuñez.
Alaniz, Cuevas, Infante, Kensing, Molleken and Gonzalez have each received an invitation to Major League spring training camp.
Alaniz, 25, split the 2016 season between Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo and had a 4-4 record with four saves, a 2.69 ERA (73.2IP/22ER) and 74 strikeouts in 52 appearances. In seven minor league seasons, Alaniz has a 39-34 record with four saves, a 4.48 ERA (558.2IP/278ER) and 394 strikeouts in 166 appearances, including 78 starts.
Belisario, 23, spent the entire 2016 season with Single A Lakeland and compiled a 0-2 record with one save, a 5.82 ERA (17.0IP/11ER) and 14 strikeouts. Belisario has a 15-22 career record with 34 saves, a 4.03 ERA (288.0IP/129ER) and 237 strikeouts.
Briceño, 24, appeared in 25 games, including 17 starts, with Single A Lakeland in 2016 and had a 4-7 record with a 5.94 ERA (103.0IP/68ER) and 81 strikeouts. In eight minor league seasons, Briceño has a 21-33 record with two saves, a 4.89 ERA (477.0IP/259ER) and 318 strikeouts in 120 appearances, including 89 starts.
Cuevas, 26, pitched in the Boston Red Sox organization in 2016, seeing time at both Triple A Pawtucket and in the majors with the Red Sox, making his major league debut. In 25 appearances, including 18 starts, with Pawtucket, Cuevas had a 6-8 record with a 4.19 ERA (131.0IP/61ER) and 85 strikeouts. Cuevas pitched in three games with Boston and went 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA (5.0IP/2ER) and three strikeouts. Cuevas has a career minor league record of 44-38 with six saves, a 3.65 ERA (728.1IP/295ER) and 585 strikeouts.
Diaz, 29, spent the entire 2016 season with Triple A Toledo, hitting .241 (78x323) with 32 runs scored, 13 doubles, three home runs and 32 RBI in 111 games. In 12 minor league seasons, Diaz has a .262 (1044x3988) batting average with 471 runs scored, 181 doubles, 25 triples, 12 home runs and 378 RBI. Diaz has also played 22 games at the major league level in his career and has a .242 (8x33) batting average with one double and two RBI.
Ferrell, 26, appeared in nine games, including three starts, between Single A Lakeland and Triple A Toledo in 2016, posting a 2-1 record with a 4.76 ERA (11.1IP/6ER) and 20 strikeouts. Ferrell has compiled a 32-28 record with 17 saves, a 4.20 ERA (491.0IP/229ER) and 403 strikeouts in 129 appearances, including 81 starts, in his minor league career. Ferrell has also pitched in nine games at the major league level and has a 0-0 record with a 6.35 ERA (11.1IP/8ER) and six strikeouts.
Garrido, 27, split the 2016 season between Single A Lakeland and Double A Erie and had a 2-3 record with five saves, a 6.22 ERA (59.1IP/41ER) and 55 strikeouts in 33 appearances, including two starts. In nine seasons at the minor league level, Garrido has a 17-31 record with 16 saves, a 4.48 ERA (488.0IP/243ER) and 371 strikeouts.
Gonzalez, 26, played in 66 games with Triple A Toledo in 2016 and hit .243 (52x214) with 17 runs scored, 12 doubles, two home runs and 33 RBI. Gonzalez has posted a .250 (449x1795) batting average in his minor league career with 201 runs scored, 100 doubles, six triples, 17 home runs and 196 RBI. Gonzalez has also played in five games at the major league level and has a .222 (2x9) batting average.
Infante, 34, played in the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves organizations during 2016. Infante played in 39 games with the Royals and hit .239 (32x134) with 16 runs scored, nine doubles, one triple and 11 RBI, while he appeared in 27 games with Triple A Gwinnett and batted .209 (23x110) with eight runs scored, five doubles, one triple, one home run and nine RBI. In 15 seasons at the major league level, Infante has posted a .271 (1427x5271) batting average with 609 runs scored, 260 doubles, 53 triples, 82 home runs and 542 RBI. Infante has a .273 (498x1823) batting average in his minor league career with 234 runs scored, 71 doubles, 13 triples, 12 home runs and 187 RBI.
Kensing, 34, saw time at both Triple A Toledo and in Detroit in 2016. Kensing pitched in 52 games for the Mud Hens and had a 1-1 record with a 3.44 ERA (49.2IP/19ER) and 48 strikeouts. He also appeared in three games with the Tigers and had a 1.93 ERA (4.2IP/1ER) and one strikeout. Kensing has compiled a 31-28 record with 45 saves, a 3.52 ERA (575.2IP/225ER) and 505 strikeouts in 326 appearances, including 43 starts, in his minor league career. In his major league career, Kensing has a 10-10 record with two saves, a 5.70 ERA (181.2IP/115ER) and 158 strikeouts in 157 appearances, including three starts.
Leon, 30, spent the 2016 season pitching for Acereros del Norte in the Mexican League. Leon has a 5-4 record with 36 saves, a 3.30 ERA (62.2IP/23ER) and 53 strikeouts in 60 outings. Leon has posted a career minor league record of 29-40 with 61 saves, a 4.51 ERA (653.0IP/327ER) and 548 strikeouts in 402 appearances, including 25 starts.
Molleken, 32, saw time with both Triple A Toledo and Detroit in 2016. Molleken made 42 appearances, including five starts, with the Mud Hens and went 2-4 with one save, a 3.58 ERA (60.1IP/24ER) and 56 strikeouts. Molleken made his major league debut with the Tigers last season, appearing in four games and compiling a 4.32 ERA (8.1IP/4ER) and eight strikeouts. In 13 minor league seasons, Molleken has a 40-29 record with 18 saves, a 4.64 ERA (651.2IP/336ER) and 588 strikeouts.
Nuñez, 28, spent all of 2016 with Double A Erie and hit .279 (97x348) with 48 runs scored, 12 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 31 RBI. In 825 games at the minor league level, Nuñez has a .268 (815x3043) batting average with 435 runs scored, 98 doubles, 34 triples, 19 home runs and 260 RBI.
Riordan, 30, pitched for both Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo in 2016 and had a 6-10 record with a 4.86 ERA (153.2IP/83ER) and 113 strikeouts in 27 appearances, including 24 starts. In eight minor league seasons, Riordan has posted a 49-57 record with two saves, a 4.48 ERA (1051.1IP/523ER) and 842 strikeouts.
