The Kansas City Royals have inked a minor-league contract with a former Texas Rangers catcher, the organization announced on Wednesday. Sandy León will be joining the Royals in Surprise, Arizona, for Major League spring training next month. Since they use the same complex, he will be close to his former Rangers colleagues. The 12-year MLB veteran played in 21 games for the Rangers in 2023, batting.146 with four RBI. León spent the previous season’s spring training with the Rangers, but the organization cut him after training camp ended. After re-signing him, the Rangers sent him to Triple-A Round Rock. April 10 was his call, and on June 14 he was assigned a task.
He signed with the Cleveland Guardians as a free agent, but he never received a call-up from the lower leagues. There are other former Rangers players on the Royals besides him. Earlier in the summer, Kansas City added relievers Will Smith and Chris Stratton. Cole Ragans, the AL Pitcher of the Month for August, was traded to the Royals last summer. Five years after the Washington Nationals recruited him as an international talent out of Venezuela, León made his major league debut in 2012.
He played with the Boston Red Sox for six seasons after spending three with the Nats, where he was a member of the club that won the 2018 World Series. He was a player for Miami, Minnesota, and Cleveland as well. He is eternal.208 hitter with 149 RBI and 31 home homers.
