Minor League releases

This is a tough time of year as minor-league players start to get rotated out of the system. Brian McTaggart tweeted that the Astros have released:

Jean Batista - international free agent signed in 2011. Hit .287/.307/.458 in 145 games over three seasons, and only played in 95 games over 2012/2013.

Ryan Connolly - undrafted free agent signed in June 2013. He was 1-2 with a 5.22 ERA/1.67 WHIP, with 20K:12BB in 29.1IP for Greeneville last season.

Zachary Dando - 2011 32nd Round pick. In 58 games (one start), Dando allowed a 3.56 ERA/1.25 WHIP, but only threw 101IP in three seasons between the GCL Astros, Greeneville, and Tri-City.

Alex Gillingham - Acquired from Colorado in the Wilton Lopez trade. Gillingham was the Rockies' 11th Round pick in 2011, but only threw eight innings for Lancaster in 2013.

Kyle Hallock - 2011 10th Round pick out of Kent State. Hallock made 59 appearances, everywhere from Tri-City in 2011 to Oklahoma City in 2013 with a career 5.63 ERA/1.55 WHIP. He got knocked around in Lancaster and Corpus (over 6.00 ERA in both places) before allowing 17H/8ER with 6K:8BB in 19.1IP for OKC.

Parker Hipp - undrafted free agent signed in 2013. Hit .159/.280/.190 in 24 games (75 PAs) for Greeneville in 2013.

Angel Ibanez - 2012 28th Round draft pick out of UT Pan-Am. In 93 games for Greeneville in 2012/13, Ibanez hit .256/.307/.309 with 63K:25BB in 376 PAs.

Euris Quezada - Signed as an international free agent prior to 2009. In parts of five seasons with the Astros organization (never rising above Low-A), Quezada had a 5.52 ERA/1.56 WHIP, with 138K:72BB in 190.2IP.

Blair Walters - Acquired in the Brett Myers trade with Chicago in July 2012. Walters struggled at High-A Lancaster, posting a 7.37 ERA/1.79 WHIP in parts of two seasons. He did pitch one game for OKC, allowed 4H/2ER, 4K:3BB in 4.1IP.


Blair Walters:

Would like to say Thank you to the Astros Organization for giving me to pursue my dream of playing baseball. It was a good run.
— Blair Walters (@bwalters34) March 18, 2014

Meet the Alexes

Earlier tonight, the Astros traded Wilton Lopez and a PTBNL to the Rockies for RHPs Alex White and Alex Gillingham. Who are these guys?

Alex White

Alex White is a 24-year old RHP (6'3" 215lbs), and was the Indians' 1st Round pick in 2009. He was acquired by the Rockies in the Ubaldo Jimenez deal. He's not arbitration-eligible until 2015, and won't be a free agent until 2018.

In 23 games (20 starts), White threw 98IP, allowing 114H/60ER, for a 5.51 ERA/1.68 WHIP, with 64K:51BB. His FIP was a little better, 5.23, while his xFIP was 4.72.

Ben Badler tweeted: Alex White's stock has tumbled. Perception isn't as good as reality here.

Back in March, White was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, coming in at a .174 BAL. GM Dan O'Dowd said:
We have not seen any indication of this since we got the kid. He's been a choirboy, but he screwed up.

And everyone lived happily ever after.

Alex Gillingham

Gillingham is a 23-year old 6'3" 200lb RHP, drafted in the 11th Round of the 2011 draft by Colorado.

For Low-A Asheville in the South Atlantic League in 2012, Gillingham was 6-8 in 19 starts with a 3.66 ERA (3.43 FIP), allowing 122H/50ER in 123IP, with 83K:28BB. Gillingham allowed just five homers in all of 2012, good for a 0.4 HR/9 rate.

Wilton Lopez traded to the Rockies

A timeline of the Wilton Lopez trade to the Rockies:

10:27pm: McTaggart, quoting Luhnow, says White will be in the rotation. Luhnow says Ambriz and Cosart are possibilities for the now-vacant closer role in Houston.

10:11pm: @Rockies:
Rockies have acquired RHP Wilton Lopez and player to be named later or cash from HOU for RHPs Alex White and Alex Gillingham. 

10:08pm: Troy Renck:
Rockies acquire Lopez for Alex White and a minor-league pitcher. 

10:01pm: Troy Renck:
I expect Rockies to land Lopez...teams ironing out last few wrinkles. 

9:53pm: Brian McTaggart:
Wilton Lopez to the Rockies. More to come. 

9:26pm: Troy Renck:
Rockies would look to send two young pitchers to Houston for Lopez, a proven setup man. Parker Frazier would not be in deal. 

9:11pm: Troy Renck tweets:
Rockies closing in on acquiring Wilton Lopez from Astros. Know that the Astros like AA pitcher Parker Frazier. 

7:51pm: Troy Renck:
Rockies continue looking to add relief help and have talked with Astros about Wilton Lopez. If health fine, and told is OK, he'd help.