SURPRISE, Ariz. -- With the few remaining free-agent outfielders coming off the board, the Rangers have reached an agreement with Drew Stubbs on a Minor League contract.
General manager Jon Daniels said "it's a possibility" that the Rangers could still add another outfielder. Daniels declined to discuss specifics, but the Rangers have had ongoing conversations with David Murphy. The Rangers have increased their efforts to add depth after the news that Josh Hamilton will miss the first month of the season because of a sore left knee.
Stubbs, a right-handed hitter, is a seven-year veteran who finished last season with the Rangers, going 2-for-21 in 27 games. An accomplished defensive player with plus speed, Stubbs was used as a pinch-runner and a defensive replacement during the postseason.
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"He is a plus defender who can play all three outfield positions," Daniels said. "He can really run, and we think there is more in the bat than we saw last year. We'll see where it goes."
The Rangers' left-field candidates already include Ryan Rua, Justin Ruggiano, James Jones and Patrick Kivlehan. Rookies Nomar Mazara and Lewis Brinson could also play their way into the mix. Joey Gallo appeared in 19 games in left last season, but he is focusing on playing third base this spring.
Stubbs has primarily been a center fielder in his career because of his defensive ability. He was the Reds' starting center fielder from 2011-12 before playing for the Indians in '13 and the Rockies from '14-15.
The 31-year-old is a career .244 hitter with a .313 on-base percentage and a .395 slugging percentage. He has 152 career stolen bases in 842 games, but he also averages a strikeout every 3.3 plate appearances. That's the third-worst mark among active players with at least 2,500 career at-bats.