The following is an unedited news release from the Texas Rangers, published Dec. 4, 2017.
The Texas Rangers today announced the signings of four players to minor league contracts with invitations to 2018 major league spring training camp: right-handed pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez, outfielder Anthony Gose (pronounced Goes), left-handed pitcher David Hurlbut, and infielder Christian Lopes.
Gonzalez, 25, was not tendered a 2018 contract offer by the Rangers prior to the deadline on December 1, which made him a free agent. He missed the entire 2017 season with an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery on July 24. The Rangers' first selection in the 2013 June draft, Gonzalez saw major league action with the club in 2015-16, combining to go 4-8 with a 4.54 ERA over 17 games/13 starts.
Gose, 27, spent the last of three seasons in the Detroit organization in 2017, when he saw his first action as a pitcher. The left-hander posted a 0-2 record with a 7.59 ERA (9 ER/10.2 IP) over 11 relief appearances with High-A Lakeland, recording 14 strikeouts against 6 walks with a 1.219 WHIP and .189 opponents batting average. He last pitched on July 2 before missing the duration of the season with left elbow inflammation. Once rated as one of the top prospects in baseball, Gose owns a career .240 batting average with 12 home runs, 69 RBI, and 57 stolen bases across 372 major league games as an outfielder for Toronto (2012-14) and Detroit (2015-16).
Hurlbut, who turned 28 last month, was 10-8 with a 3.44 ERA (50 ER/130.2 IP) over 23 games/22 starts with Triple-A Rochester. The southpaw was selected by Minnesota in the 28th round of the 2011 June draft out of Cal State Fullerton and has compiled a 3.27 ERA over 151 games/114 starts in seven minor league seasons. He currently has a 2-0 record with a 3.38 ERA (10 ER/26.2 IP) in 6 games/5 starts with Licey in the Dominican Winter League.
The 25-year-old Lopes played at three levels of the Toronto farm system in 2017, batting .269 (94-349) with 7 home runs and 46 RBI over 96 games with rookie-level Bluefield, High-A Dunedin, and Triple-A Buffalo. He has appeared at shortstop, second, third, and left field since the Blue Jays chose him in the seventh round of 2011 June Draft out of Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California.
