NALB - 2022 Offseason/Preseason

K. Fields
2022-08-23T14:37:44-04:00
Baseball

Here were some notable roster moves prior to the 2022 NALB season.

The Brooklyn Knights had the following offseason/preseason activity:

The Knights extended the contracts of 7 players through salary arbitration: Sardar Dzhafarov, Ramone Alconer, Norman Forbes, John Ruben, Armando Alfaro, Chase Combs, and Syman Lowery.

C Andrew Strain, 2B Roberto Hernandez, RP Cristofór De Jesús, RP Bernard Gastelu, CF Cleveland Garfield, and 1B Joe Barnstaple filed for free agency.

Three players were lost in the Rule 5 Draft: 3B Ulf Durán, LF Loch Westlake, and 1B Howard Keats.

Traded 26-year old minor league 2B Brenton Gabriel to the Quebeck Sky Chiefs in exchange for C Nick Koche, CL Emílio Hornélas, SP Daniel Gutérrez, 2B B.J. McClellan, and SP Chris Dickson.

Signed free agent RP Xavier Widdison to a 4 year contract worth a total of $3,760,000. The 30 year old Aussie has played his entire 6 year NALB career with the Dayton Grizzlies.

Japanese star 1B Toshiro Kakuta announced his attention to play in the U.S. Several teams vied for his services. The Knights won the bidding war and signed him to a 5 year, $30.3 million contract.

Notable offseason free agent signings:

3B Adelmo Porcayo decided to stay in St. James. He signed a $19.2 million contract for 3 years.

SP Whitney Sanders was retained by the Beasts for another 4 years. His new contract is worth $40.8 million.

Vancouver's C Morris Brown was one of the top players available in free agency. The Wild made sure he isn't going anywhere by signing him to a 5 year deal worth a total of $68 million.

SP Charles Revels found himself a new team. After six seasons with the Beasts, he is headed to Key West thanks to a 3 year, $11,040,000 contract.

LF Fernando Canales left the Maples and signed with the Slam. He was pleased with Richmond's offer of $35 million over 5 years.

Sancho Alguirre was the other coveted catcher on the free agent market. Alguirre agreed to a 6 year, $75 million contract and will stay in Phoenix.

The Sky Chiefs couldn't come to terms with SS Marque Parita. He tested free agency and was rewarded by the Allies with a $29.3 million, 4 year contract.

Starting pitchers usually draw a lot of interest and command a market premium. That was the case with SP Rey Alvarado. After helping the Grizzlies win back to back championships, Alvarado declared free agency as the best pitcher available. He landed a major deal with the Vancouver Wild—$88.9 million over 7 years.

SS Joshua Ridings has made a name for himself with his glove. The Las Vegas Luck were looking to upgrade their defense so they signed him for 2 years at a total of $8 million.

Big name catchers were in supply in this year's free agent market. Andrew Strain won the Platinum Stick Award his last two seasons in Brooklyn. His new home, however, is St. Rock. The Mudcats inked a 5 year, $36,500,000 deal with him.

The Key West Corals take pride in having the league's best bullpen. They added yet another superstar power-pitching reliever in Júlio Guillén. He agreed to a 2 year contract worth $8,280,000/

The Stade Maples may have lost Júlio Guillén but they added Miguel Catarino. Catarino is expected to be the Maples' new closer. His defal was for 3 years and a total of $6,840,000.

There were several highly coveted free agents but perhaps none as much as SS Bubba Webb. The long time Grizzly spent last season in Nashville and had another productive year. He begins a new chapter with the Luisville Beasts thanks to a 5 year deal worth a total of $78.1 million.

LF Ángel Santago found himself a new home with the Firecats. Santago inked a new contract worth $5,920,000 over 2 years.

After roaming the outfield of Quebeck for 9 seasons, CF Bruno Payton decided to become a free agent. He opted to join the Richmond Slam thanks to an offer of $9,280,000 over 3 years.

Notable offseason trades:

Key West sent 32-year old 1B Toshiharu Fuji and 20-year old minor league 2B Wes Frier to the Maples for 31-year old 1B Jason Raynor and 22-year old minor league RHP Tom Bentz.

Washington traded 32-year old RHP Sosuke Nakamura and 24-year old minor league RHP Aricin MacKerracher to the Maples in exchange for 26-year old C George Medforth and 20-year old minor league RHP António Villanveua.

Nashville shipped 28-year old HP Renato Balcazar to Stade for 22-year old minor league CF Graviel Estado and 21 -year old minor league RHP Yi-ke Guang.

Cornfield worked out terms of a deal to send 29-year old LF Luis Vergel to Stade for 33-year old RF Roy Bennett, 20-year old minor league LHP Everette Burleigh, and 23-year old minor league LF Mack McQuisten.