OAKLAND -- The Oakland As selected right-handed pitcher Arnold Leon, infielder Grant Green and outfielder Shane Peterson from Triple-A Sacramento and right-handed pitcher Michael Ynoa from Single-A Vermont, the club announced today. To clear spots on the 40-man roster, the As outrighted right-handed pitcher Andrew Carignan to Sacramento and designated right-handed pitcher Jim Miller and infielder Brandon Hicks for assignment.
By adding them to the 40-man roster, the A's protect Leon, Grant, Peterson and Ynoa from being picked off by other teams in December's upcoming Rule 5 draft. The Rule 5 draft prevents teams from stockpiling minor leagues players that other teams would promote to the majors. Players are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft if they are not on their franchise's 40-man roster and either were signed at age 19 or older and have been in the organization for four years or were signed at age 18 or younger and have been with the team for five years.
Green batted .296 with 15 home runs and 75 RBIs in 125 games with Sacramento. He appeared in 49 games in left field, 30 in center field, 19 at second base, 19 at shortstop and 11 at third base. Green also played second base for Phoenix in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .273 with two home runs, 11 RBI and 10 walks in 17 games. The 25-year-old right-handed hitter was selected by the As in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft with the 13th overall pick. Originally a shortstop, Green converted to the outfield during the 2011 season at Double-A Midland. He is a .302 hitter in 388 games over four seasons in the minors.
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Leon combined for a 4-1 record, one save and a 2.70 ERA in 44 relief appearances with Single-A Stockton, Midland and Sacramento. He allowed a .271 batting average and struck out 74 batters in 66.2 innings. Leon is currently pitching for Culiacan in the Mexican Winter League and is 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in 12 relief appearances. The 24-year-old right-hander originally had his contract purchased by the As from Saltillo of the Mexican League March 15, 2008. He missed most of the 2010 and 2011 seasons following Tommy John surgery.
Peterson began the season at Midland and hit .274 with two home runs and 23 RBIs in 48 games before he was promoted to Sacramento July 2. He went on to bat .389 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 38 games with the River Cats for a .326 average overall. Peterson added 67 walks for a .460 on-base percentage. He was originally a second round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft and was traded to the As with Clayton Mortensen and Brett Wallace for Matt Holliday July 24, 2009. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter has a .286 career average in 517 minor league games.
Ynoa combined for a 1-4 record and a 6.46 ERA in 14 games, 12 starts, with the As affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League and Single-A Vermont. He allowed a .258 opponents batting average, including .203 against right-handed hitters. The native of the Dominican Republic was originally signed by the As July 2, 2008 but pitched in just three games prior to this year. Ynoa missed the entire 2009 season with a right elbow strain and made just three starts in 2010 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old right-hander missed the 2011 season as he continued his rehab.
Carignan was on the As Opening Day roster and went 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in 11 relief appearances over three stints before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow June 19. Hicks was claimed off waivers from Atlanta March 13 and spent most of the season at Sacramento where he batted .244 with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs in 90 games. He also had two stints with the As, hitting .172 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 22 games. Miller had four stints with Oakland in 2012 and was 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA and .217 opponents batting average in 33 appearances. He also logged a 0-3 record, six saves and a 2.79 ERA in 16 relief appearances with Sacramento.
Oakland Athletics
Oakland A's media services contributed to this report