Indians claim OF Joey Butler from the Tampa Bay Rays
The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has claimed OF JOEY BUTLER off outright waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. To allow room on the club's 40-man roster the Indians today designated LHP JAYSON AQUINO for assignment.
Butler, 29, spent most of the 2015 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting .276 (71-257) with 12 doubles, 8 home runs and 30 RBI over 88 games (.326/.416/.742). His .276 batting average was 5th among American League rookies. He also had two stints in Triple-A Durham where he batted .333 (40-120) with 9 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR & 24 RBI in 31 games (.991 OPS). The right-handed hitting native of Pascagoula, MS batted .338 over his first 44 games with the Rays last season and hit two home runs and drove in 6 runs in the season finale vs. Toronto on October 4. Butler, who has one option remaining, broke up Carlos Carrasco's no-hit bid with two outs in the 9th inning last July 1 in St. Pete.
He begin his pro career in the Tampa Bay Rays organization out of the University of New Orleans in 2008. He spent the 2014 season between Japan and the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to signing as a Minor League free agent with the Rays last January.
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