Cubs re-sign INF Munenori Kawasaki, sign C Carlos Corporan and 3B Chris Dominguez to minor league contracts
According to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, the Cubs added depth to the organization with three players on minor league deals.
The Cubs re-signed clubhouse and Joe Maddon favorite, veteran infielder Munenori Kawasaki to a minor league contract. Reports surfaced last week that Kawasaki was on the verge of re-upping with the Cubs.
Veteran catcher Carlos Corporan, who will provide the Cubs with a third catcher at Triple-A Iowa, signed a one-year deal. As is the case with majority of the players the front office brings in from outside the organization, Corporan has ties to the Cubs. Corporan came up in the Brewers system and has a history with Chris Bosio.
Chris Dominguez spent last season in the Red Sox system and last played in the majors in 2015 with the Reds.
Munenori Kawasaki, Carlos Corporan and Chris Dominguez should be on the list of players that received non-roster invites to big league camp when the front office releases the Cubs’ Spring Training roster later this month.
Munenori Kawasaki, 35, was in the Cubs’ system last year. Kawasaki was with the big league team in September and throughout the Cubs run to The World Series title. Kawasaki did not appear on any of the team’s playoff rosters but did play in 14 games in the majors in 2016.
Kawasaki was 7-for-21 with two doubles for a .333/.462/.429 slash line with a .890 OPS with the Cubs. In 102 games for Triple-A Iowa, he batted .255/.352/.312 with 11 doubles, two triples and a home run for a .664 OPS.
• Munenori Kawasaki’s Page on Baseball-Reference
Carlos Corporan, 33, was selected by the Brewers in the 12th round of the 2003 draft. Corporan turned 33 on Saturday (Jan. 7) and is a switch-hitter.
Corporan last played in the big leagues in 2015 with the Rangers. In 33 games, he hit .178/.244/.299 with four doubles and three home runs for a .543 OPS. Corporan broke in the majors with the Brewers in 2009. Four of his six years in the big leagues were with the Astros (2011-14).
Corporan was in the Marlins and Rays’ systems last season after signing with the Yankees in the off-season. In 57 combined games, he hit .197/.246/.333 with seven doubles and six home runs for a .579 OPS.
• Carlos Corporan’s Page on Baseball-Reference
Chris Dominguez, 30, was selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2009 draft. Dominguez hits and bats from the right side and is 6-foot-4, 235 pounds. He played in 77 games for Triple-A Pawtucket last season and hit .241/.275/.439 with 12 doubles, two triples and 13 home runs for a .714 OPS.
With the Reds in 2015, Dominguez appeared in 14 games and batted .261/.261/.522 with a double, a triple and a home run for a .783 OPS. In 22 big league games (2014 with the Giants, 2015 with the Reds), Dominguez was 7-for-40 for a .175/.195/.400 slash line with a double, a triple and two home runs for a .595 OPS.
• Chris Dominguez’s Page on Baseball-Reference