Rangers add Leury Garcia and Joe Ortiz, trade for Jake Brigham

Per John Blake on Twitter, the Rangers have purchased the contracts of minor league infielder Leury Garcia and minor league lefthander Joe Ortiz in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.

In addition, they have traded Barret Loux and a player to be named later to the Chicago Cubs for righthanded pitcher Jake Brigham.

Garcia was widely expected to be added to the 40 man roster this offseason, with Ortiz also being considered a strong candidate. The other player I thought would be in the mix was lefthanded pitcher Chad Bell, who had a breakout year this season.

Garcia, 21, is a speed-and-defense type who profiles as someone who could be a contributor at the major league level through his baserunning and defensive versatility. A natural shortstop who has plus defense at the position, Garcia also played some second base and centerfield this season, as the organization looked to expand his defensive repertoire to make him more valuable as a utility player.

Ortiz, 22, is a sidearming lefty out of Venezuela who looks to have a potential major league future as a LOOGY. He posted a 2.15 ERA in 62 innings between AA and AAA this season, and I thought he was a potential September call-up this year.

Garcia and Ortiz are both 5'7", which led Tepid Participation to say on Twitter today that if they were the two players added, it would be the smallest move in team history.

Brigham coming back to Texas means that there are now three more players on the 40 man roster than there were at the start of the day. Brigham was sent to the Chicago Cubs for Geovany Soto in July, a move that was mildly surprising, as the Rangers have really liked Brigham and been patient with him as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Loux was signed by the Rangers for a $312,000 bonus two years ago yesterday, after being selected in the first round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2010 draft, but then having the D-Backs refuse to sign him because of injury concerns.

Brigham profiles as a potential middle reliever, while Loux, with lesser stuff but a deeper repertoire, profiles as a potential back-end starter.