Rangers sign former Yankees journeyman utilityman to minor league deal

Rangers, former Yankees utilityman Andrew Velazquez agree to minor league deal

The Texas Rangers have signed utilityman Andrew Velazquez to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training, the team announced.

Velazquez, 31, last played in an MLB game in 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels. He spent this past season with the New York Yankees organization, stealing 25 bases while hitting .242/.304/.345 in 106 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Velazquez in the seventh round of the 2012 MLB Draft. The Diamondbacks traded Velazquez and outfielder Justin Williams to the Tampa Bay Rays for right-handed pitcher Jeremy Hellickson in the 2014-15 offseason.

Velazquez made his MLB debut in 2018 with Tampa Bay. He hit .300/.417/.400 (130 OPS+) in 12 plate appearances during his first year in the big leagues. He made 12 plate appearances with Tampa Bay in 2019 before being traded to the Cleveland Guardians.

Velazquez had just 12 plate appearances with the Guardians before being claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles in February of 2020. He played in 40 games for Baltimore during the 2020 season before electing free agency in the offseason, leading him to sign a minor league deal with the Yankees.

Velazquez appeared in 28 games for New York during the 2021 campaign. The Angels claimed him off waivers in the following offseason.

Velazquez appeared in a career-high 125 games with Los Angeles as the team's primary shortstop in 2022, posting 1.4 bWAR and a .196/.236/.304 (52 OPS+) slash line with nine home runs. He posted -0.5 bWAR and a 50 OPS+ with the Angels in 2023.

Velazquez spent the past two seasons in the Yankees organization, stealing 58 bases in Triple-A.

New Ranger Andrew Velazquez provides exceptional defensive versatility

The Rangers' new utilityman can play shortstop, third and second base and all three outfield positions. While Velazquez won't be starting for the Rangers, he could make the team's 26-man roster with a strong spring training. His defensive versatility is valuable, and if any key players suffer an injury, he could be called up to the big-league squad.