Rangers acquire C Eli Whiteside in waiver claim from Toronto
Team has also signed INF/OF Brandon Snyder to minors contract as non-roster invite to Spring Training
The Texas Rangers announced today that the club has acquired catcher Eli Whiteside in a waiver claim from Toronto. Additionally, the team has re-signed infielder/outfielder Brandon Snyder to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
Whiteside, 33, has now been claimed on waivers by three different clubs this offseason. He had been acquired by Toronto in a waiver claim from New York-AL on December 3 after the Yankees had designated him for assignment on November 28. The Yankees acquired him in a waiver claim from San Francisco on November 5. Whiteside had been arbitration-eligible for 2013, but signed a contract with the Yankees on November 24, which makes him a signed player for next season.
He spent the bulk of last year with Triple-A Fresno in the San Francisco organization, batting .224 (45-201) with one homer and 20 RBI. He had two stints with the Giants, July 18-31 and Aug. 26-end of season, going 1-for-11 in 12 games. He has a career .215 average over 208 Major League games with Baltimore (2005) and San Francisco (2009-12). Whiteside was a member of the Giants' postseason rosters in 2010, but did not appear in any of the club's three series that year. As a rookie, the Mississippi native was behind the plate for Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter on July 10, 2009 vs. San Diego.
Snyder, 26, was not tendered a 2013 contract offer by the Rangers on the November 30 deadline. A member of the club's Opening Day roster, he spent five of the season's six months in 2012 with the Rangers, batting .277 with 3 homers and 9 RBI in 40 games. He was acquired from Baltimore in a January 3 trade.
With today's transactions, the Rangers now have a full 40-man roster along with 13 non-roster invitations to Major League Spring Training camp.