Rangers Acquire INF Frandy De La Rosa From Cubs

The Texas Rangers today announced the following transactions:

Acquired infielder Frandy De La Rosa from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitcher Spencer Patton. De La Rosa has been assigned to the Rangers' Class A Hickory affiliate.

Purchased the contract of outfielder Nomar Mazara (pronounced muh-ZAHR-uh) from Triple-A Round Rock

Purchased the contracts of right-handed pitchers Jose Leclerc (pronounced lah-KLERK) and Connor Sadzeck from Double-A Frisco

Purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Yohander Mendez (pronounced yo-HON-der) from Class A Hickory

De La Rosa, who turns 20 on January 24, has played 3 seasons in the Cubs system after signing as non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2012. The switch-hitter spent last season with Eugene in the Northwest League, batting .273 with 20 doubles and 30 RBI in 62 games. He played for Cubs' Dominican Summer League club in 2013-14. The Dominican Republic native has played primarily at second base, but has also seen significant action at shortstop.

Leclerc, 21, was a starter last season for the first time in his career, going 6-8, 5.77 (66 ER/103.0 IP) over 26 games/22 starts with Double-A Frisco. The right-hander had made just one start in his first 4 professional seasons and went 4-4, 3.76 (33 ER/79.0 IP) with 71 strikeouts in his first 17 starts in 2015.

The 20-year-old Mazara combined to bat .296 (145-490) with 26 doubles, 2 triples, 14 home runs, and 69 RBI in 131 games with Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock last season. The outfielder was a mid-season All-Star in the Texas League and was tabbed the 12th-best prospect in the league by Baseball America. Mazara reached Triple-A for the first time in 2015, batting .358 (29-81) in 20 games with Round Rock after a late season promotion from Frisco.

Mendez, 20, went 3-3, 2.44 (18 ER/66.1 IP) over 21 games/8 starts with Low-A Hickory in 2015. The left-hander posted career highs in both innings (66.1 IP) and strikeouts per 9 innings (10.0) while splitting the season between the bullpen and rotation. He began the campaign in the Hickory bullpen and tossed 21.1 scoreless innings with 23 strikeouts before a move to the rotation.

The 24-year-old Sadzeck returned to the mound following elbow surgery in 2014 and was 3-2, 5.82 (39 ER/60.1 IP) in 18 games/14 starts with High-A High Desert and Frisco last season. He also pitched for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, recording 14 strikeouts over 10.0 innings in 7 relief outings.

Patton split last season with Texas and Round Rock, going 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA (24 ER/24.0 IP) over 27 relief appearances spanning 4 major league stints with the Rangers: May 4-14, June 7-10, July 25-August 26, and October 4.

After today's transactions, the Rangers now have 38 players on the team's major league roster.