Rojas: Twins Sign Brayan Villarreal

[Seth Stohs]

ESPN's Enrique Rojas tweeted that the Twins have signed veteran, 27-year-old reliever Brayan Villarreal.

 

 

Brayan Villarreal and #Twins agree split contract, spring invite. $522K if stay in majors. Pitching in Venezuela

 

He spent all of 2014 in AAA Pawtucket (Red Sox) and last pitched in the big leagues in 2013. He had one good year, 2012 with Detroit, in the big leagues. 

[DaveW]

Not the worst depth signing, like he is still on the right side of 30

[benji21]

I really disagree with signing any bullpen arms this offseason, much less an average one.  Last I checked, our favorite club used something like ALL of their draft picks on relievers.  We have so many guys waiting in the wings or knocking on the door to do what Villareal does, or anyone else for that matter, better and for less money (not like money should matter for the Pohlads).  Who comes to mind?  Burdi, Logan Darnell, AJ Achter, Yohan Pino, Z. Jones, J. Reed, amongst others.  What this does is block some of these likely suspects.  Not the worst thing in the world, but it would be nice to see these guys.

[Thrylos]

TJ surgery in 2007, missed most of 2014 with elbow issues...    I would not really count, but there is zero risk at this point. 

[ScottyB]

I really disagree with signing any bullpen arms this offseason, much less an average one.  Last I checked, our favorite club used something like ALL of their draft picks on relievers.  We have so many guys waiting in the wings or knocking on the door to do what Villareal does, or anyone else for that matter, better and for less money (not like money should matter for the Pohlads).  Who comes to mind?  Burdi, Logan Darnell, AJ Achter, Yohan Pino, Z. Jones, J. Reed, amongst others.  What this does is block some of these likely suspects.  Not the worst thing in the world, but it would be nice to see these guys.

 

Who says he even makes the team?  He's not on the 40-man roster and when you say other guys can do what he could do for less money - IF he's good enough to make the team he makes $22K over minimum otherwise it's a minor league deal..  He could pan out to be someone like Burton was when we first signed him.

[Rosterman]

But a signing like this, along with arms in the minors, makes me cringe even more than we locked into Duensing (amongst others). But I guess you never can have enough pitching, and spring training shakes everyone out.

[ashbury]

It's a minor league signing. The invite to spring training, and a small pre-negotiated bump in salary if he should happen to make the 25-man roster, doesn't change that.  Teams sign AAA depth all the time.

[Otto von Ballpark]

It's a minor league signing. The invite to spring training, and a small pre-negotiated bump in salary if he should happen to make the 25-man roster, doesn't change that.  Teams sign AAA depth all the time.

And he's not a former Twin, so presumably that minor league deal comes with no guarantees.

[TheLeviathan]

Twins are usually pretty good at exactly these kinds of signings.  I wouldn't be surprised if Villarreal was a significant contributor.

[benji21]

Who says he even makes the team?  He's not on the 40-man roster and when you say other guys can do what he could do for less money - IF he's good enough to make the team he makes $22K over minimum otherwise it's a minor league deal..  He could pan out to be someone like Burton was when we first signed him.

 I understand all of that however, that being said, I don't even want him to make the team, become a guy like Burton, or anything else because I personally want to see them aggressively promote the minor league guys.  It would be another thing if the Twins had a strong history of flipping players at their peak value, but they don't.  If he could become a nice useful piece then be traded at the deadline, then yeah I'm all in.  But that's not what they do.  Also, I don't care about the money he would be paid, Twins are rolling in it. 

[nicksaviking]

I like it, it's no risk and if someone can help him harness his control he could be lights out.  His control doesn't even need to be good, just not shockingly awful like it was in limited action last year.  His BB are ugly but his H/9 is pretty good, sometimes outright great. 

 

In the past walks have seemed to bother the Twins more than hits but perhaps that was more of a Gardy/Anderson thing.  If you strike guys out and don't give up hits, extra base hits in particular, walks don't usually do much harm except to your pitch count.

[Kwak]

If he makes the Twins, he gets $522K--virtually the same as the minimum salary! Money isn't a problem, playing in the minors wouldn't be a problem, and if he somehow makes the Twins we have no reason to think there is a problem.  What's the discussion point? 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Who says he even makes the team?  He's not on the 40-man roster and when you say other guys can do what he could do for less money - IF he's good enough to make the team he makes $22K over minimum otherwise it's a minor league deal..  He could pan out to be someone like Burton was when we first signed him.

 

Minimum is actually getting a bump this year. I've seen $507,500 reported.

[Brandon]

I reported this yesterday in the what's our next move thread.

 

But I do think this is the type of signing where the Twins find lightening in a bottle. I am just now seeing how many candidates we have ready to compete for a spot next season.  though if we have 7 relievers we have 2 possibly 3 spots open depending on if Pressley gets a spot. I do think the Twins could go out and find 1 player who is more established here or just go with numbers to find the quality. 

 

Established bullpen pieces

Perkins

Fien

Deunsing

Theilbar

 

Almost established

Pressley

 

numerous candidates

Achter

Pino

Burdi

Graham

Villareal

Tonkin

Oliveres

Thompson

Darnell

I am sure there are more options here that I am not aware of

 

Including failed rotation options as one of these guys will be in the rotation

Pelfry

Millone

May

Meyer

[Danchat]

I actually like this signing a lot. This is the type of no-risk high-reward signing I like. If Villareal isn't any good, he'll go to AAA. If he makes the team, he's 27 and has had a good season before. If he pitches poorly, we can easily boot him out and fire up another young bullpen pitcher.

 

This is the type of pitcher we should have signed last offseason, rather than signing Guerrier.

[stringer bell]

I reported this yesterday in the what's our next move thread.

 

But I do think this is the type of signing where the Twins find lightening in a bottle. I am just now seeing how many candidates we have ready to compete for a spot next season.  though if we have 7 relievers we have 2 possibly 3 spots open depending on if Pressley gets a spot. I do think the Twins could go out and find 1 player who is more established here or just go with numbers to find the quality. 

 

Established bullpen pieces

Perkins

Fien

Deunsing

Theilbar

 

Almost established

Pressley

 

numerous candidates

Achter

Pino

Burdi

Graham

Villareal

Tonkin

Oliveres

Thompson

Darnell

I am sure there are more options here that I am not aware of

 

Including failed rotation options as one of these guys will be in the rotation

Pelfry

Millone

May

Meyer

The Rule V guy needs to be listed, perhaps in his own category. I would quibble with listing Thielbar, especially, as established. He has less than two years service and an option remaining. If he isn't any more effective than the second half of last season, I can see him being sent out.

[jokin]

I actually like this signing a lot. This is the type of no-risk high-reward signing I like. If Villareal isn't any good, he'll go to AAA. If he makes the team, he's 27 and has had a good season before. If he pitches poorly, we can easily boot him out and fire up another young bullpen pitcher.

 

This is the type of pitcher we should have signed last offseason, rather than signing Guerrier.

 

I really like this signing.  No risk, very high-reward potential.  I recommended that the Twins draft him in the Rule V a year ago.  I am glad he was on the Twins radar.  If he can get anywhere close to where he was just two years ago, he would be a huge asset in the bullpen, at rock bottom prices.  If the guy can still bring it anywhere close- touching 99MPH and consistently throwing at 96-7 in 2012- you'd have a terrific set-up man option- much better, potentially, anyway than Burton.

[jokin]

 I would quibble with listing Thielbar, especially, as established. He has less than two years service and an option remaining. If he isn't any more effective than the second half of last season, I can see him being sent out.

 

Yup.  The very first LHP that emerges and shows something in ST is going to have T-Bar on the run.