Rangers amend contract of 3B Adrian Beltre to extend him through 2016 season

The Texas Rangers announced today that the club has amended the contract of third baseman Adrian Beltre to extend him through the 2016 season. Beltre agreed to a 6-year contract with the Rangers on January 5, 2011, with the 6th year being a vesting option.

Beltre has produced a .315 batting average with a .364 on-base percentage and .530 slugging percentage over his first 4 seasons with Texas from 2011-14, averaging 29 home runs and 94 RBI per year. He has been selected Rangers Player of the Year for each of the past 3 seasons. In 2014, he was selected to the All-Star Game for a 4th time and landed his 4th career Silver Slugger Award while ranking among American League leaders in on-base percentage (3rd, .388) and batting average (4th, .324).

Beltre has 2341 career games at third base, the 3rd-highest total in major league history, and has won 4 Gold Glove Awards. His 395 career home runs rank 7th among active players and 5th all-time among third basemen. Over the last 5 seasons (2010-14), Beltre ranks among major league leaders in batting average (3rd, .316), hits (4th, 904), runs batted in (5th, 478), and home runs (8th, 145). His major league career began in 1998 at the age of 19.

ELLIOT JOHNSON ADDED TO CAMP: INF/OF Elliot Johnson has signed a minor league contract with the Rangers, and he will be a non-roster player in major league spring training camp. Johnson (#78), who will turn 31 on March 9, spent last season in the Cleveland organization. He was on the Indians' Opening Day roster and appeared in 7 games for Cleveland before he was designated for assignment on May 3. He spent the rest of the year with Triple-A Columbus, batting .236 with 5 homers and 37 RBI. Johnson has a career .215 average over 318 major league games with Tampa Bay (2008, 2011-12), Kansas City (2013), Atlanta (2013), and Cleveland (2014). He has seen big league action at every position except pitcher and catcher.

With the signing of Johnson, the Rangers now have 63 players on the club's spring training roster: a full 40-man roster and 23 non-roster invitees.

JURICKSON PROFAR UNDERGOES SURGERY: INF Jurickson Profar underwent right shoulder surgery today at the Trinity Surgery Center in Arlington. During the procedure, Rangers Team Physician Dr. Keith Meister repaired a labrum tear in the shoulder. Dr. Meister reported that the surgery went well and nothing else needed to be surgically repaired in the shoulder. Profar will begin a rehab program in the next few days and is expected to be sidelined for the entire 2015 season.