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Yankees acquire Fernando Martinez

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(Jim Rogash/Getty)
(Jim Rogash/Getty)

With the injuries continuing to pile up at both the big league and Triple-A levels, the Yankees have acquired Fernando Martinez from the Astros for minor league reliever Charles Basford. Martinez was outrighted earlier this year and is not on the 40-man roster, and he will presumably report to Triple-A Scranton.

Martinez, 24, is a former top Mets prospect who never fully developed due to continued injury problems. The Astros originally claimed him off waivers from the Amazin’s last offseason. In 310 career MLB plate appearances, the left-handed hitting Martinez is a .206/.269/.362 (71 wRC+) hitter. He’s produced a .219/.291/.371 (69 wRC+) line in 117 Triple-A plate appearances this summer.

Basford, 22, was selected in the 37th round out of Samford in the 2012 draft. The right-hander pitched to a 5.18 ERA (3.57 FIP) in 24.1 innings for Short Season Staten Island after signing last summer, and he returned to the level this year. Basford allowed four hits and one run in two innings of relief work in his season debut last night.

Baseball America ranked Martinez as one of the 30 best prospects in baseball each year from 2007-2009, but this move is designed to give the team’s top minor league affiliate another warm body, not bolster the big league roster. With Zoilo Almonte called up and Brennan Boesch, Ronnie Mustelier, and Melky Mesa on the DL, Triple-A Scranton is running very short on outfielders. If Martinez shows up in the Bronx this summer, something has probably gone very wrong. Consider this the minorest of minor moves.

2012 Draft: Yankees sign nine more picks

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Via Matt Eddy, the Yankees have signed nine more draft picks: RHP Derek Varnadore (9th round), 1B Matt Snyder (10), LHP Caleb Frare (11), LHP James Pazos (13), LHP Tim Flight (17), LHP Dietrich Enns (19), OF Danny Oh (27), LHP Eric Erickson (34), and RHP Charles Basford (37). A recent tweet by RHP Nick Goody (6) indicates that he’s close to signing as well, if he hasn’t already. Frare is the only high schooler in this group, everyone else comes from the college ranks.

The Yankees have already signed (or agreed to sign) OF Austin Aune (2), RHP Taylor Garrison (7), OF Taylor Dugas (8), RHP Andrew Benak (14), and 1B/C Saxon Butler (33). First rounder RHP Ty Hensley is supposedly in Tampa for a physical, so he should be signing soon as well. All of the team’s draft picks can be found at Baseball America, and their draft pool status can be found on our 2012 Draft Pool page.