Arlington Rangers Release Veteran Catcher Sandy León
The Texas Rangers have released veteran catcher Sandy León, who had signed a minor league contract after camp in Arizona. The 34-year-old Venezuelan signed with the Rangers before spring training began, but unfortunately, he did not make the final roster.
Texas announced the decision Monday before Texas’ exhibition game against Kansas City, the team with which he shares the training complex in Surprise, Arizona. Leon has played 533 games with five teams in 11 seasons, with a batting average of .210 as a player with Boston, Washington, and Miami.
The Rangers were Leon’s fourth team since last year. He started last spring camp with the Cleveland Rangers, but was released before the start of the season. He signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds on April 16 and was re-acquired by the Rangers on June 28 before shipping him to Minnesota on Aug. 2. He became a free agent after the season.
Mitch Garver is back after missing the second half of last season with the Rangers after undergoing surgery on his right arm in July. Jonah Heim played in 111 games last season, and Texas also has prospect Sam Huff.
In 33 games with the Guardians and Twins last year, Leon hit .169 with no homers and four RBIs. With the roster changes for the Rangers, it will be interesting to see who they will put behind the plate for the upcoming season.
As baseball season approaches, many teams are finalizing their rosters, making tough decisions on who to keep and who to release. For Sandy León, it is unfortunate that he did not make the cut, but hopefully, he will find a spot on another team.
