With Opening Day less than two months away, American Association rosters continue to fill up, the second week of March was a big one as movement heated up along with the weather.

Let’s dive in!

Chicago Dogs

The Spin: The Dogs were quiet this week, with no moves taking place. Now, in the first week of March, the Dogs signed five players and acquired pitcher Andres Diaz in a trade with Gary SouthShore, so the Dogs aren’t entirely sitting on their hands right now.

Cleburne Railroaders

Signed: RHP John Baker, OF Jorge Bonifacio, LHP Bodi Rascon, RHP Paul Turelli
Released: LHP Joseph Carbone
Acquired: RHP Conner Richardson (from Fargo-Moorhead; for OF Jesus Lujano)
Traded: RHP Gabriel Aguilera (to Lake Country for PTBNL), OF Jesus Lujano (to Fargo-Moorhead for RHP Connor Richardson), OF Jordan Viars (to Evansville for future considerations), INF Sahid Valenzuela and future considerations (to Kansas City for PTBNL)

The Spin: Manager Pete Incaviglia’s M.O. has typically been sign all his guys early, then re-shuffle closer to Opening Day and there was a lot of shuffling, wheeling, and dealing this week. Four players were traded away and one more was released, with five newcomers coming in.

Among the newcomers, the headliner is former MLB outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, who slashed .259/.352/.448 with 17 home runs for Kansas City a season ago. Don’t ignore right-hander John Baker, a five-year Indy ball veteran who has turned in some solid seasons, but posted a 5.71 ERA in 16 starts in Chicago last year.

Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

Signed: C Tripp Clark
Acquired: OF Jesus Lujano (to Fargo-Moorhead for RHP Connor Richardson)
Traded: RHP Conner Richardson (from Cleburne; for OF Jesus Lujano)

The Spin: The RedHawks’ only moves both came on Friday, but they were both interesting for different reasons. Outfielder Jesus Lujano was acquired from Cleburne, and while he has no power, he slashed .318/.372/.376 with 11 steals in 58 games for the Railroaders a season ago and is a career .297 hitter in four Indy ball seasons. With literally no outfielders currently signed, Lujano solves the center field question.

Clark is an odd tale as well. The 2024 Oakland Baller moved to—and all around—the AA last season, playing between 11 and 20 games apiece for four different teams, but despite all the upheaval, he slashed .293/.358/.394 in 65 games. Juan Fernandez is the clear starter behind the plate, but Clark seems more than capable.

Gary SouthShore RailCats

Signed: RHP Nate Alexander

The Spin: The RailCats have been pretty quiet, with Alexander’s signing on Wednesday being Gary’s first in over a month. Nonetheless, it is a key one for the RailCats as Alexander returns for his third year at the Steel Yard after posting a 2.44 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 44.1 innings over a team-high 41 appearances a season ago. Gary quietly had a decent ‘pen last year and Alexander is a big piece towards continuing that trend.

Kane County Cougars

Signed: RHP Brandon Komar

The Spin: The two-time defending champions have been slowly replenishing the roster (which is normal for George Tsamis, don’t panic Cougs fans) and Komar was their only move this week.

The 26-year-old is a first-time Indy ball arm formerly of the Padres, Cardinals, and Reds systems. He’s reached Triple-A each of the last three years, with him splitting last year between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville for the Reds. The righty posted a 5.20 ERA with 68 punchouts in 81.1 innings working mostly as a reliever, though he does have 58 career starts under his belt.

Kansas City Monarchs

Signed: OF Cam Eden, LHP Jay Groome, C Charles Mack, RHP Ryan Middendorf
Acquired: INF Sahid Valenzuela and future considerations (from Cleburne; for PTBNL)
Traded: OF Troy Schreffler (to High Point; for PTBNL)

The Spin: Manager Joe Calfapietra has a knack for catching fallen stars and Jay Groome is a classic example. The 12th overall selection in the 2016 MLB Draft, Groome battled injuries and ineffectiveness before stalling out at Triple-A for three years and being released in 2024. The hulking 6-6, 262-pound southpaw looks to rebuild his career, though it’ll be interesting if KC plans to use him as a starter, where all but two of his 103 career appearances have come.

Eden, briefly a major leaguer in 2023, joins the outfield picture, while Middendorf returns to Indy ball after starting his career with the Schaumburg Boomers in 2021-22 before being picked up by Milwaukee and reaching Triple-A.

The Monarchs also shipped out one first-time Indy ball player (Schreffler) and brought in another (Valenzuela), both of whom were released from MLB organizations last season.

Lake Country DockHounds

Signed: RHP Alan Zhang Carter, RHP Jake Pilarski, OF Brett Roberts
Released: RHP Gabriel Aguilera
Acquired: RHP Gabriel Aguilera (from Cleburne; for PTBNL)
Transferred: OF JT Benson (to New York Mets)

The Spin: The DockHounds had one of the most noteworthy weeks, seeing outfielder JT Benson being picked up by the Mets. Benson began his pro career with the DockHounds in 2024 before posting a strong season in Evansville in ’25 and returning to Lake Country this offseason. Benson is the third DockHound to be picked up in the new year, joining INF Jack Blomgren (Texas Rangers) and RHP Trey Dillard (San Francisco Giants).

The Hounds also brought back right-handed relief ace Alan Zhang Carter, who pitched in Mexico last season, but posted a ridiculous 0.72 ERA and 11 saves with 61 strikeouts in 37.2 innings in 2024. If he’s anything close to that, the 28-year-old is on Reliever of the Year watch. Jake Pilarski is also an interesting bullpen arm who began his career in the Frontier League before being signed by the Dodgers and reaching Double-A. He has not pitched since 2024, though.

Brett Roberts probably is now in line to replace Benson after a massive season in the Pioneer League, slashing .380/.429/.679 with 20 homers and 23 steals for the Northern Colorado/Colorado Springs trainwreck, then holding his own over 20 games in the Frontier League.

Lincoln Saltdogs

Signed: INF Nick Shumpert, RHP Tyler Stasiowski
Acquired: INF Nick Shumpert (from Evansville; for future considerations)

The Spin: Lincoln has made some head-scratching signings this winter, but Shumpert is one of the most accomplished players they’ve picked up, acquiring him in a trade then immediately signing him on Tuesday. Shumpert is a veteran of four AA seasons, but last year he slashed just .210/.286/.343 in 88 games between Sioux Fall and Cleburne with a drop in power and a spike in strikeouts. He still brings speed, but will the 29-year-old bounce back at the plate?

Stasiowski is a first-time Indy ball arm who previously pitched the last two years in Low-A in the Twins system, logging a 6.53 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 51.0 nnings solely out of the bullpen.

Milwaukee Milkmen

The Spin: The Milkmen were quiet this week, though that’s probably due to the fact that they already have 29 players under contract. Their only recent action was signing a pair of left-handers, Raul Alcantara, and Naswell Paulino, last week.

Sioux City Explorers

Signed: INF Jordan Donahue, RHP Rob Hughes

The Spin: The X’s went younger with these two signings, inking a pair of 25 year-olds. Hughes has two years of experience in the Pioneer League, posting a 4.24 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 51.0 innings over 49 outings in relief, which is not bad at all for that offense-heavy environment. Could he break out for the Explorers like Chase Jessee did after leaving the PBL for Sioux City last year?

Donahue is a little older for a first-time pro, signing on Tuesday just three days after his 25th birthday. He slashed .302/.401/.383 with 5 homers, 89 RBI, and 31 steal in 183 games across four years at the University of Hawaii.

Sioux Falls Canaries

Signed: INF Chris Kwitzer

The Spin: Last week, the Birds brought back home run king Jabari Henry and this week they may have eyed their replacement for MVP third baseman Calvin Estrada, who played in Puerto Rico and Australia this winter, but hasn’t signed anywhere for the summer yet.

Chris Kwitzer has enjoyed considerable success in the Frontier League, but in his first foray into the Association last year struggled mightily in Cleburne, slashing .225/.250/.312 with just two home runs in 59 games, leaving the Birds to bank on the Birdcage’s cozy dimensions to help get the 31-year-old back on track.

Winnipeg Goldeyes

Transferred: INF Bryce Arnold (to Cleveland Guardians)

The Spin: Bryce Arnold was picked up by Cleveland on Tuesday, becoming the second Goldeye to be signed since New Year’s, joining RHP James Colyer (Washington Nationals). Oddly enough, neither man ended up playing a game for Winnipeg, as Colyer was an Oakland Baller last year and Arnold was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization for three seasons before being released last fall.

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