Texas Rangers sign Travis Snider to minor league deal

The Texas Rangers have signed first baseman Travis Snider to a minor league contract, according to Jon Heyman on Twitter.

Snider was, once upon a time, a top prospect — he was the #14 overall pick in the 2006 draft, and heading into 2009, was the #6 prospect on the BA rankings and #5 on the BP prospect rankings.

His power never developed, however, and he didn’t hit for much average, with the result being he’s bounced around as a journeyman. The Blue Jays, who originally drafted him, traded him to the Pirates in July, 2012, for Brad Lincoln. The Pirates sent him to Baltimore for a PTBNL and Stephen Tarpley before the 2015 season, and then the Orioles released him late in 2015, and he returned to Pittsburgh.

Snider was with the Royals’ organization in 2016, but spent the year in AAA, and was released on July 31.

This appears to be simply a depth signing, a guy that Banister is familiar with who swings lefthanded and who could maybe, in a pinch, be asked to contribute. Snider has a career .244/.311/.399 slash line, and turns 29 next month.