Texas Rangers sign Ben Revere to Minor league deal

The Texas Rangers and outfielder Ben Revere have agreed on a minor league contract, per reports. Revere, 30, is a left handed hitting center fielder who was originally a first round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2007. He’s spent time in the majors with the Twins, Phillies, Blue Jays, Nationals and Angels, though he didn’t appear in the majors last year.

One of the roster construction issues we have talked about is the limited options in center field behind Delino DeShields. Joey Gallo appears likely to be the backup centerfielder, though I doubt you’d want him playing there every day if something happens to DeShields, and Carlos Tocci is someone the Rangers will want to be playing every day in AAA after sitting in the bench in the majors as a Rule 5 guy in 2018.

Scott Heineman is the Rangers best alternative center field option on the 40 man roster, but after undergoing shoulder surgery, he’s going to miss the first part of 2019. Thus, Texas has an organizational need for someone who could play center field if Delino DeShields gets injured or is so bad he gets sent down.

So Revere is now here as a depth piece, and Nashville is just a three hour drive from Lexington, Kentucky, where he grew up, so he may feel Nashville is as good a AAA place as any to spend 2019 while waiting to get another shot in the big leagues.