TIGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH 12 PLAYERS ON 2019 MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACTS

The Detroit Tigers announced today that the club has agreed to terms with 12 players on 2019 Minor League contracts.

The list of signed players includes lefthanded pitchers Liarvis Breto, Eudis Idrogo and Caleb Thielbar, righthanded pitchers Johan Belisario, Christian Binford, Anthony Castro, Jose Cisnero, Fernando Perez and Andrew Schwaab, catcher Chace Numata and infielders Harold Castro and Pete Kozma. Harold Castro, Cisnero and Kozma have each received invitations to Major League Spring Training.

Belisario, 25, split the 2018 season between Single A West Michigan and Single A Lakeland, appearing in 22 games and posting a 3-2 record with three saves, a 1.39 ERA (51.2IP/8ER) and 61 strikeouts. In 182 career appearances, including 28 starts, at the Minor League level, Belisario has a 20-25 record with 39 saves, a 3.68 ERA (362.1IP/148ER) and 323 strikeouts. Belisario was named a midseason All-Star in 2014 with Rookie-level Connecticut.

Binford, 25, began the 2018 season in the Baltimore Orioles organization before being acquired by the Tigers. In 19 appearances, including nine starts, between Double A Bowie and Double A Erie, Binford had a 1-4 record with a 4.66 ERA (77.1IP/40ER) and 57 strikeouts. In 150 career appearances, including 132 starts, at the Minor League level, Binford has a 38-56 record with a 4.32 ERA (800.1IP/384ER) and 645 strikeouts. He was selected to the Futures Game in 2014 and was named a midseason All-Star in 2013 with Single A Lexington and 2014 with Single A Carolina.

Breto, 25, pitched in 19 games, including eight starts, between Single A Lakeland and Double A Erie last season, compiling a 5-5 record with a 3.21 ERA (61.2IP/22ER) and 73 strikeouts. In five Minor League seasons, Breto has a 19-13 record with seven saves, a 3.21 ERA (238.1IP/85ER) and 245 strikeouts.

Anthony Castro, 23, combined to make 25 appearances, including 23 starts, in 2018 between Single A Lakeland and Double A Erie, posting a 9-4 record with a 3.34 ERA (126.2IP/47ER) and 105 strikeouts. In 96 career appearances, including 90 starts, in the Minors, Castro has compiled a 31-20 record with a 3.27 ERA (454.1IP/165ER) and 405 strikeouts.

Harold Castro, 24, rejoins the Tigers organization after seeing time at three different levels in 2018, including his first Major League action. Castro combined to play in 103 games between Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo, hitting .265/.283/.319 with 34 runs scored, 13 doubles, two home runs and 29 RBI. He also appeared in six games with Detroit in September, bating .300/.300/.300 with two runs scored. In 676 career games in the Minors, Castro is hitting .276/.305/.340 with 288 runs scored, 102 doubles, 12 triples, 11 home runs and 199 RBI.

Cisnero, 29, is currently pitching in the Dominican Winter League with Leones del Escogido, where he has appeared in 10 games and has an 0-2 record with three saves, a 2.61 ERA (10.1IP/3ER) and 13 strikeouts. Cisnero has pitched in 139 games, including 101 starts, in his career in the Minors, posting a 34-30 record with three saves, a 4.35 ERA (535.1IP/259ER) and 588 strikeouts. He has also made 33 appearances at the Major League level, compiling a 2-2 record with a 4.66 ERA (48.1IP/25ER) and 46 strikeouts.

Idrogo, 23, saw time with both Single A West Michigan and Single A Lakeland in 2018, and went 6-5 with two saves, a 3.09 ERA (105.0IP/36ER) and 76 strikeouts in 27 appearances, including 11 starts. Idrogo has posted a 37-25 record with two saves, a 2.88 ERA (506.2IP/162ER) and 407 strikeouts in 113 career outings, including 80 starts, in the Minors.

Kozma, 30, spent most of the 2018 season with Triple A Toledo, batting .203/.260/.295 with 23 runs scored, 18 doubles, two triples, one home run and 17 RBI. He also played 27 games with the Tigers, hitting .217/.236/.348 with seven runs scored, four doubles, one triple, one home run and eight RBI. In seven Major League seasons, Kozma is hitting .215/.278/.291 with 89 runs scored, 33 doubles, four triples, five home runs and 62 RBI, while he is batting .232/.302/.334 with 459 runs scored, 177 doubles, 17 triples, 51 home runs and 393 RBI in 1,012 games at the Minor League level. Kozma was named a midseason All-Star in 2008 with Single A Quad Cities and 2009 with Double A Springfield.

Numata, 26, spent the 2018 season in the New York Yankees organization, appearing in 54 games between the GCL Yankees East and West, Single A Tampa and Double A Trenton and hitting .200/.257/.303 with 15 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, one home run and 16 RBI. Numata has batted .252/.319/.333 with 179 runs scored, 78 doubles, eight triples, 13 home runs and 186 RBI in 498 career games at the Minor League level.

Perez, 24, combined to make 37 appearances, including one start, between Single A Lakeland and Double A Erie in 2018, compiling a 5-1 record with one save, a 4.19 ERA (66.2IP/31ER) and 69 strikeouts. In eight Minor League seasons, Perez has posted a 29-34 record with one save, a 3.90 ERA (522.0IP/226ER) and 440 strikeouts in 153 appearances, including 84 starts.

Schwaab, 25, began the 2018 season in the New York Yankees organization, before being signed by the Tigers. Schwaab pitched in 41 games between Single A Tampa, Double A Trenton and Double A Erie, posting a 3-7 record with two saves, a 5.37 ERA (52.0IP/31ER) and 53 strikeouts. In four Minor League seasons, Schwaab has a 15-11 record with 36 saves, a 3.47 ERA (186.2IP/72ER) and 199 strikeouts. Schwaab was named a midseason All-Star in 2016 with Single A Charleston and 2017 with Single A Tampa.

Thielbar, 31, split the 2018 season between Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo, going 7-1 with a 2.05 ERA (57.0IP/13ER) and 51 strikeouts in 39 relief appearances. He has made 200 career outings, including four starts, at the Minor League level, posting a 26-10 record with 10 saves, a 2.83 ERA (327.1IP/103ER) and 290 strikeouts. He has also pitched in 109 games in the Majors, compiling a 5-3 record with a 2.74 ERA (98.2IP/30ER) and 79 strikeouts.

Comerica Park Seating Chart

Detroit Tigers Schedule

Detroit Tigers Parking Lots

Facebook Comments