Rangers Sign Seven NRIs To Minor-League Deals
The Texas Rangers announced the signings of seven free agents on Wednesday to minor league contracts, including two players who have previously played for the team. Pitcher Jesus Tinoco and outfielder Elier Hernandez have both logged time with the Rangers. The pair, along with five other players, have invites to Major League Spring Training camp, which starts on Feb. 14 when pitchers and catchers report to Surprise, Ariz. All other players report on Feb. 19. Tinoco had a 2.18 ERA in 17 games for the Rangers in 2022. He saved 13 games that season for Triple-A Round Rock.
He spent last season with the Saitama Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization in Japan, where he went 0-3 with a 2.83 ERA in 35 innings. He is currently pitching with Navegantes de Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League. Hernandez made his Rangers debut in 2022, playing 14 games. Last year with Round Rock he was named the affiliate’s Most Valuable Player after he slashed .298/.360/.478/.838 with 18 home runs, 36 doubles, and 99 RBI. He is currently playing with Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League. Hernandez explored free agency before returning to the Rangers. Outfielder Sandro Fabian was in the Rangers’ organization last season but has never played at the MLB level. He slashed .288/.331/.523/.854 with 23 home runs and 78 RBI. In the minors, he’s batting .264 with 87 homers and 398 RBI in 703 games.
The Rangers added depth at catcher with Andrew Knapp, who has played in 325 MLB games with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and San Francisco. He was not in the Majors last season and batted .233 with nine homers and 29 RBI with Detroit’s Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens and Houston’s Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Like Rangers starter Jonah Heim, Knapp is a switch hitter. Pitcher Diego Castillo had a 6.23 ERA in 8 2/3 innings with the Seattle Mariners last season. He went 5-5 with a 5.13 ERA with Triple-A Tacoma. He has played six MLB seasons and has a 24-18 record with 35 saves, a 3.22 ERA, and 304 strikeouts in 258 games. The Rangers signed two other players — outfielder Derek Hill and pitcher Gerardo Carrillo.
Hill played 13 games for the Washington Nationals last season and previously played three seasons with the Detroit Tigers. He slashed .317/.373/.509/.882 (102-322) with 11 home runs, six triples, and 17 doubles with Triple-A Rochester in 2023. Carrillo has never pitched in the Majors. He pitched in two games for Double-A Harrisburg in the Washington organization before he tore his AC last season. He is currently pitching in the Mexican Winter League and has a career 19-20 record in the minors.
