ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced the following transactions:
- Left-handed pitcher Jesse Biddle activated from 60-day injured list and assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville
- Outfielder Zack Granite assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville
- Infielder Logan Forsythe, outfielder/designated hitter Hunter Pence, and right-handed pitcher Edinson Vólquez formally become free agents
- Catcher Welington Castillo and international slot compensation acquired from Chicago White Sox in exchange for infielder/outfielder Jonah McReynolds
Biddle made 15 relief appearances for Atlanta, Seattle, and Texas this season, pitching in 4 games for the Rangers after being acquired from the Mariners in a June 28 waiver claim. He was placed on the injured list on July 16 with left shoulder fatigue and transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 28 for the duration of the campaign. Granite did not appear with the Rangers during his lone stint on May 29-30 and spent the rest of the season with Nashville. He was acquired from the Twins in a March 3 trade.
Forsythe batted .227 with 7 home runs and 39 RBI in 101 games for the Rangers in 2019. Pence hit .297 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI for Texas, and he was honored last week for his efforts with comeback player of the year awards from Sporting News and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Vólquez went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 11 games/4 starts for the Rangers, spending nearly five months on the injured list from April 5-August 31 with a right elbow sprain. All eligible players automatically become free agents at 8:00 a.m. CT on the first day after the end of the World Series.
Castillo, 32, batted .209 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI over 72 games with the White Sox in 2019. His current contract includes a team option for the 2020 season. Originally signed by the Cubs in 2004, Castillo has a career .254 batting average and .738 OPS figure over a 10-year MLB career with Chicago-NL (2010-15), Seattle (2015), Arizona (2015-16), Baltimore (2017), and Chicago-AL (2018-19).
McReynolds, 23, was originally selected by Texas in the 13th round of the 2016 June draft, and batted .239 with 6 home runs and 32 RBI over 56 games with Spokane in the Northwest League this past season.
Following these transactions, the Rangers now have 37 players on the club’s Major League roster, along with four players on the 60-day injured list: RHP Jesse Chavez, OF Joey Gallo, LHP Taylor Hearn, RHP Nate Jones.
RANGERS ANNOUNCE REPORTING AND FIRST WORKOUT DATES:
The Rangers also announced the dates for reporting and first workouts for their 2020 spring training camp in Surprise, Arizona:
Tuesday, February 11—Pitchers and Catchers Report
Wednesday, February 12—Pitchers and Catchers First Workout
Sunday, February 16—Infielders and Outfielders Report
Monday, February 17—First Full Workout.
WINTER BALL UPDATE:
The Surprise Saguaros squad featuring many Rangers prospects finished as runner-up to the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League championship game on Saturday…RHP Cole Uvila was named to MLB.com’s list of breakout Arizona Fall League prospects…he finished 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA (3 ER/10.2 IP) and 7 walks/16 strikeouts in 9 games for Surprise…RHP Josh Advocate allowed just one unearned run across 9 games/11.1 innings and posted a 0.62 WHIP figure while holding opposing batters to 3-for-37 (.081)…OF Bubba Thompson walked and scored Surprise’s only run in the AFL championship game…he finished the season ranked among AFL leaders in home runs (T6th, 3) and runs (T9th, 13)…INF Jax Biggers finished among AFL leaders in stolen bases (T5th, 6) and walks (T7th, 12)…OF Leody Taveras has registered a .370/.452/.370/.822 (10-27) slash line in 11 games with Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Winter League…RHP Demarcus Evans has no record and a 1.59 ERA (1 ER/5.2 IP) through 5 games for league-leading Leones del Escogido.
From Rangers PR staff reports
