The Texas Rangers announced Wednesday that they acquired catcher Eli Whiteside in a waiver claim from Toronto and re-signed infielder/outfielder Brandon Snyder to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
Here is more from the Rangers:
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.
