Rays acquire catcher Curt Casali from Tigers
ST. PETERSBURG, FL-The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired minor league catcher Curt Casali (cah-SAL-ee) from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for left-handed pitcher Kyle Lobstein.
Casali, 24, was a non-roster invite to major league camp with the Tigers this spring and played in seven games before being reassigned to minor league camp on March 4. In 2012, the right-handed batter combined to hit .270 (89-for-330) with nine home runs, 25 doubles, 38 walks and 43 RBI in 94 games between Class-A West Michigan and Class-A Advanced Lakeland. The backstop was originally selected by the Tigers in the 10th round of the 2011 June Draft out of Vanderbilt University. He has hit .263 with a .365 on-base percentage, 57 walks and only 60 strikeouts in 129 career games over two minor league seasons.
Lobstein, 23, had been selected from the Rays by the New York Mets in the 2012 Rule 5 Draft last December and was traded the same day to the Tigers in exchange for cash considerations. He spent spring training in major league camp with the Tigers, pitching to a 7.50 ERA (12-IP, 10-ER) over seven relief appearances. The lefthander was originally selected by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2008 June Draft and had a 30-30 record with a 3.85 ERA over four minor league seasons with the Rays, reaching as high as Double-A Montgomery last year.