Athletics' Jasseel De La Cruz: Joins Oakland on MiLB deal
Rotowire
De La Cruz signed a minor-league contract with the A's on Tuesday, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic reports.
De La Cruz spent 2022 with Atlanta on a minor-league deal and will now make his way out west. The 25-year-old has a 7.21 ERA across 68.2 innings at the Triple-A level across the past two seasons.
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Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Reassigned to minor-league camp
Rotowire
De La Cruz was reassigned to Atlanta's minor-league camp Sunday.
De La Cruz was non-tendered by Atlanta at the end of November but signed a minor-league contract with the team last Sunday. He served as a non-roster invitee to begin spring training but should begin the regular season at Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Jasseel De La Cruz: Non-tendered by Atlanta
Rotowire
De La Cruz was non-tendered by Atlanta on Tuesday.
De La Cruz had brief stints in the majors each of the past two seasons, though he has yet to make his big-league debut. He had a 7.03 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 55:33 K:BB over 56.1 innings during 2021 at the Triple-A level, so Atlanta opted not to tender him a contract for 2022.
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Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Heads back to minors
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned De La Cruz to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
De La Cruz and fellow right-handed reliever Victor Arano were both send back to the farm following Sunday's series finale with the Phillies. The 23-year-old De La Cruz, who didn't appear in a game during his brief stint in the majors, will likely transition back into a starting role as he heads to Gwinnett.
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Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Recalled by Atlanta
Rotowire
De La Cruz was recalled by Atlanta on Saturday.
De La Cruz was briefly called up during the 2020 campaign but failed to make an appearance. He'll now be available to make his major-league debut after he recorded a 3.25 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 133 innings in the minors during the 2019 season. Although De La Cruz worked mainly as a starter in the minors, he should serve as a reliever in the big leagues for now.
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Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Demoted to alternate site
Rotowire
The Braves optioned De La Cruz to their alternate training site Wednesday.
After receiving his first big-league promotion Tuesday, De La Cruz didn't get the chance to make his debut in the Braves' 5-1 win over the Orioles later that day. He'll now return to the alternate site in Gwinnett with the Braves needing a spot on the roster for Cole Hamels (triceps), who was reinstated from the 45-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday.
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Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Earns first callup
Rotowire
De La Cruz was recalled from the Braves' alternate training site Tuesday.
De La Cruz throws hard, touching 99 mph as a starter, though that hasn't actually translated to many strikeouts thus far for the 23-year-old. He owns a career 21.2 percent strikeout rate in the minors and struck out just 19.9 percent of opposing batters in 87 innings for Double-A Mississippi last season, the highest level he's reached so far. He'll presumably pitch out of the bullpen during his time with the team.
The Braves optioned De La Cruz to Triple-A Gwinnett on March 6.
De La Cruz was part of the Braves' first wave of 40-man-roster players that was sent back to minor-league camp. The move came as little surprise, as the 22-year-old has yet to pitch at the Triple-A level. He split the 2019 season between three levels, spending the bulk of the campaign at Double-A Mississippi, where he posted a 3.83 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 87 innings.
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Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Added to 40-man roster
Rotowire
De La Cruz's contract was selected by the Braves on Tuesday.
De La Cruz made his debut in Double-A last season, and he recorded a 3.83 ERA with 73 strikeouts over 87 innings at that level. While his development is progressing nicely, his addition to the 40-man roster is primarily to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. The 22-year-old will likely return to the minors to begin the 2020 season.
Braves' Jasseel De La Cruz: Fans 10 for Mississippi
Rotowire
De La Cruz gave up four hits and two walks while striking out a season-high 10 over six scoreless innings for Double-A Mississippi on Sunday.
The 22-year-old started the season at Low-A but has roared through the Atlanta system, posting a 2.55 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 95:35 K:BB through 95.1 innings across three levels. An international signing in 2015, De La Cruz has bulked up since then and smoothed out his delivery, allowing him to routinely sit at 95 mph with his fastball, and his slider has the look of a true plus pitch. His changeup is also developing nicely, giving him a strong chance of sticking in the rotation all the way to the majors. He's still somewhat under the radar, but De La Cruz profiles as a future mid-rotation starter, adding to the organization's wealth of pitching prospects.
