The Hawaii Tropics were very busy to end 2062 and turn the page into 2063. On December 4th, Hawaii signed Team Trainer Hector Fabian to a 5-year extension worth $1.8 million in total. Fabian has been with the Trops for 5 seasons and has some major accomplishments with the biggest being the successful rehab of Semih Gurani.
On December 9th, Hawaii signed free agent LF Juan Peralta to a minor league deal and placed him in Rookie Ball playing for the Gaylord Sting Rays. He is a 5/5/6/4/4/2 hitter and a 7/6/3 defender in left.
A week later, there was a flurry of activity with Hawaii selecting SP Fred Taylor from the Phoenix Talons in the Rule 5 Draft. He is a 5/6/7/5/6 starter with 3 mediocre pitches consisting of a slider, change and sinker. He will work from the bullpen in spring training.
The Trops then had three scouting discoveries from December 17-19 as they signed CF Claudio Reyes, P Gjelt van Zon and P Jumah Abdul-Hamid. All these players are very raw, and hopes are with every player is that they bump.
On New Years Day, the Tropics made their biggest move in the timeframe with the signing of veteran SP Slobodan Omeragic to a 1- year deal worth $2.5 million. Omeragic is on the back end of his career with 5/6/6/6/5 ratings and a 4- pitch mix of an 8 slider, 7 forkball, 7 change and a 6 sinker.
Hawaii GM Jim Walker said, “We’re not getting a bunch of studs in free agency. We’re getting serviceable guys that we can use in different roles against the Frick League.”
