According to Wingnuts general manager Josh Robertson (don’t call him “Nate” — that’s an inside joke, sort of), Wichita will sign Dustan Mohr and the veteran outfielder will be in uniform on Saturday against Sioux City for the first-half finale.
Mohr was a Wingnut until late May, when he was sold to the Colorado Rockies organization. At the time, Colorado outfielders Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe were on the disabled list, so the team needed some guys to step in at the minor league level.
Holliday and Hawpe are back with the big club, and Mohr struggled in his two-month stint with Triple-A Colorado Springs, batting about .160. But Colorado’s loss is Wichita’s major gain. Mohr, a seven-year major league veteran, gives the Wingnuts probably the most dangerous lineup in the American Association and provides another power threat to go along with Michael Thompson and the surging Stephen Peason.
Since Mohr is a classified American Association veteran (a player with more than five years of professional experience), the Wingnuts were forced to release another veteran and an LS-4 (four years of experience) to make room under the salary cap for Mohr. So on their way out are David Gates (when he gets off the 7-day disabled list on Sunday) and Paul Bartolucci, who was mostly a bench player since signing on June 21.
Mohr will take over right field full-time, moving recently-signed Leivi Ventura into a platoon role in left with Blake Gailen. Ventura, a natural third baseman, can also spell Thompson at the hot corner.