Twins Sign 8 to Minor League Contracts
December 15, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release
ROCHESTER, NY - The Minnesota Twins have re-signed infielders Tommy Field and Leonardo Reginatto, signed right-handed pitcher Drew Rucinski, catchers Eddy Rodriguez and Dan Rohlfing and infielder Benji Gonzalez to minor league contracts. All received invites to MLB Spring Training.
Field was signed by Minnesota and assigned to Rochester on May 14 last season after opening the season with the Detroit's Triple-A team in Toledo. He hit .235/.313/.413 with 33 runs scored, 13 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 42 RBI in 82 games with the Red Wings.
Reginatto spent most of 2016 with Double-A Chattanooga, batting .270/.328/.337 with 44 runs scored, 17 doubles, two triples, two homers and 46 RBI in 109 games with the Lookouts. He was transferred to Rochester on August 9 and hit .241/.265/.278 with two runs scored, three doubles and nine RBI in 23 games with the Red Wings.
Rucinski was with Triple-A Iowa for the entire 2016 season, going 7-15 with a 5.92 ERA in 28 appearances, all starts. He allowed 187 hits, 108 runs, 102 earned, 16 home runs, 43 walks and 116 strikeouts over 155.0 innings. Rucinski was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 2011 out of Ohio State University.
Rodriguez joins the sixth MLB organization of his career, having spent time in the Cincinnati, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Boston and N.Y. Yankees organizations and two seasons in the Independent Leagues. He appeared in 44 games last year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, batting .214/.265/.329 with 11 runs, seven doubles, three homers and 13 RBI in 44 games for the RailRiders.
Rohlfing, who was originally drafted by Minnesota in 2007 and spent parts of three seasons in Rochester, hit .273/.313/.435 in 53 games between Triple-A Reno and Double-A Mobile of the Arizona organization in 2016. He was last with the Red Wings in 2015 but was traded to the Mets before he appeared in a game that year.
Gonzalez spent the entire 2016 with the Seattle organization at Double-A Jackson, batting .271/.342/.386 with 78 runs, 33 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 59 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 129 games, all starts at shortstop, with the Generals. He was originally drafted by Pittsburgh and has spent time in the San Diego organization.
The Twins also announced the re-signing of right-handed pitcher Alex Wimmers and the signing of first baseman/outfielder Ben Paulsen to MiLB contracts with invites to MLB Spring Training earlier this month.
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