According to Baseball America, the Cubs signed OF Mike Baxter to a minor league contract and re-signed RHP Carlos Pimentel with a minor league deal.
Veteran Mike Baxter was in the Dodgers organization last season and played in four games at the big league level. The lefty hitting, righty throwing 30-year old outfielder has spent parts of five seasons in the majors.
Baxter has a .225/.331/.342 line in 198 big league games with a .673 OPS. Baxter has 22 doubles, four triples and four home runs on his resume. Baxter’s best year in the majors was in 2012 when he batted .263/.365/.413 in 89 games with the Mets. Baxter hit 14 doubles, two triples and three home runs for a .778 OPS.
In 119 games for Triple-A Albuquerque in the PCL last year, Baxter hit .289/.365/.439 with 25 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs and a .804 OPS.
Baxter has experience at all three outfield spots in the majors and minors, mostly in right field, as well as first base plus second base and third base in the minors.
Mike Baxter has a history with Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod from their days together in San Diego.
RHP Carlos Pimentel spent last season at Triple-A Iowa after seven years in the Rangers’ system. Pimentel was 4-9 in 29 games, 15 starts, with a 5.35 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. Pimentel gave up 109 hits with 52 walks and 95 strikeouts in 101 innings. Pimentel started 15 games and finished four games.
Pimentel turned 25 in December and has not pitched about the Triple-A level. Over eight minor league seasons, Carlos Pimentel is 45-48 in 201 games, 133 starts, with a 4.16 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
Players Signed to Minor League Contracts 2014-15 Off-Season
- RHP Daniel Bard
- OF Mike Baxter
- LHP Francisley Bueno
- RHP Jesus Camargo
- RHP Anthony Carter
- OF Adron Chambers
- RHP Fernando Cruz
- OF Yovanny Cuevas
- RHP Jorge De Leon
- INF Jonathan Herrera
- OF Samir Lara
- RHP Carlos Pimentel
- RHP Andres Santiago
- INF Carlos Sepulveda
- C Taylor Teagarden
- INF/OF Chris Valaika
The Cubs should release the list of non-roster invitations to Spring Training in the very near future. Along with several of the players the team signed to minor league deals this winter, the first Spring Training roster will include Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Corey Black and Armando Rivero … and Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora should be in big league camp.