Texas Rangers add Robinson, exercise Lucroy option

The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of minor league infielder Drew Robinson, and have exercised their team option for 2017 on catcher Jonathan Lucroy, according to John Blake on Twitter.

The decision to pick up Lucroy's 2017 option was a given, and part of the reason the Rangers gave up Lewis Brinson and Luis Ortiz to get Lucroy was because he was under team control for 2017 with the $5.25 million team option.

The move to add Drew Robinson to the 40 man roster is more interesting.  Robinson, 24, was a fourth round pick out of Silverado High School in Las Vegas in 2010, and as a 2010 draft pick, he was eligible to become a free agent had the Rangers not added him to the 40 man roster.  Robinson put up a .257/.350/.480 slash line for AAA Round Rock in 2016, while playing third base as well as all three outfield positions.

Robinson is sort of a lefthanded Ryan Rua, a guy with a lot of swing and miss in his game, but who is versatile defensively and has some pop and will draw some walks.  Robinson has drawn praise for his approach at the plate, and now that he's on the 40 man roster, will likely get a chance at some point to show whether he can make enough contact at the major league level to be a useful bench piece.