GOOD NEW; TEXAS RAGER SIGNED AN EXCELLENCE STARTER.

On Wednesday, the Texas Rangers announced the signing of seven free agents to minor league contracts, two of whom were former players. Both outfielder Elier Hernandez and pitcher Jesus Tinoco have experience with the Rangers.

Pitchers and catchers report to Surprise, Arizona, on February 14 for the start of Major League Spring Training camp. The two players have been invited, along with five other players. On February 19, all other players report. Tinoco pitched for the Rangers in 17 games in 2022, with a 2.18 ERA. That season, he made 13 saves for Triple-A Round Rock.

He played for the Saitama Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization in Japan during the previous season, going 0–3 in 35 innings with a 2.83 ERA. He is pitching for the Venezuelan Winter League team Navegantes de Magallanes right now. Hernandez played 14 games for the Rangers in 2022 after making his debut. With 18 home runs, 36 doubles, and 99 RBI in his last season with Round Rock, he slashed.298/.360/.478/.838 to earn the title of affiliate’s Most Valuable Player. He’s currently playing in the Dominican Winter League with Leones del Escogido.

Before joining the Rangers again, Hernandez looked into free agency. Sandro Fabian, an outfielder, spent the previous season with the Rangers, but he has never participated in Major League Baseball. With 23 home runs and 78 RBI, he slashed.288/.331/.523/.854. He is hitting.264 in 703 games with 87 home runs and 398 RBI in the minor leagues.

With Andrew Knapp, who has appeared in 325 MLB games with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and San Francisco, the Rangers have more depth at catcher.

He batted.233 with nine home runs and 29 RBI with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens of Detroit and the Sugar Land Space Cowboys of Houston the previous season while not playing in the Major Leagues. As a switch hitter, Knapp shares traits with Rangers starter Jonah Heim.

With the Seattle Mariners last season, pitcher Diego Castillo had an 8.23 ERA in 8 2/3 innings pitched. At Triple-A Tacoma, he had a 5.13 ERA while going 5-5. With 304 strikeouts in 258 games, 35 saves, a 3.22 ERA, and six MLB seasons of experience under his belt, he has a 24–18 record. Pitcher Gerardo Carrillo and outfielder Derek Hill were the other two players signed by the Rangers.

Hill spent three seasons with the Detroit Tigers before playing thirteen games for the Washington Nationals in the previous campaign. In 2023, he hit.317/.373/.509/.882 (102-322) with 17 doubles, six triples, and 11 home runs while playing for Triple-A Rochester. Carrillo is not a Major League pitcher. Before he tore his AC last season, he pitched in two games for the Washington organization’s Double-A Harrisburg. He has a 19–20 career record in the minor leagues and is currently pitching in the Mexican Winter League.