Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz
Chris Martin‘s season started strong out of the parent New York Yankees’ bullpen when he pitched 12 times in April (0-0, 2.45, 1 save, 13 strikeouts in 11.0 innings). He was up and down the rest of the year when his earned run average ballooned to 5.66 for 24 total appearances.
Now the one-time Grand Prairie (2010) hurler is off to the Korean Baseball Organization where the right-hander presumably has been assured of a better payday compared to minor league play in the United States.
Broussard, Serna, Castro Among League Grads with New Contracts From Major League Organizations
The reality of former Independent players being among the many minor leaguers released by major league organizations always hits hard at this time in November, but there has been some good news as well with several onetime American Association members getting new contracts from their team.
This group includes Sioux City (2014) right-hander Geoff Broussard, who the Los Angeles Angels not only re-signed but promoted to the roster of Triple-A Salt Lake. Shortstop K.C. Serna (Amarillo 2013) got a similar promotion by Philadelphia. Another righty, Angel Castro (Lincoln 2010), who got some time in the majors this season, has been signed to a new AAA deal with Oakland.
Catcher Trevor Higgs, signed this past season from Fargo, has a new AAA contract from San Francisco. Eddy Rodriguez (Sioux Falls 2010, El Paso 2009), who has been mentioned as possibly transitioning from catching to coaching in the New York Yankees system, has a new AAA playing deal.
Outfielder Adam Godwin (Wichita 2010) was elevated from Class A to Double-A with his new contract from Pittsburgh and left-handed pitcher Kieran Mattison (Sioux City 2006, Grand Prairie 2008-09, Pensacola 2009) remains at AA with the Pirates.
