Less than a week after the Texas Rangers granted his release so he could pursue other options with other organizations, C Chris Gimenez has re-signed with the team and will report to Triple-A Round Rock.
Gimenez, 31, had been acquired from Oakland on a waiver claim on March 29 and placed on waivers again on March 1. After he cleared waivers, he asked for, and was granted, his release to pursue other opportunities. He was in major league spring training camp with the A’s, batting .242 (8-33) with 3 doubles, no home runs, and 3 RBI in 25 games. Gimenez has .199 career batting average in 331 at-bats over parts of five seasons with Cleveland, Seattle and Tampa Bay.
Also, the Rangers released C Jose Felix, 25, and RHP Doug Mathis, 30, from Round Rock. Felix was at one point considered a major league prospect based on his arm strength and defensive abilities, but he never showed any real offensive tools in the Rangers’ organization. He began the year with a .256 career batting average and .287 OBP in 1,641 minor league plate appearances. Mathis was originally a Rangers draft pick and pitched for the team for parts of 2008-10 before signing minor league deals with other clubs. He returned to the Rangers this spring as depth for the Round Rock rotation.