The Cardinals have claimed outfielder Joey Butler off waivers from the Rangers, the team announced on Twitter. Texas designated Butler for assignment earlier in the week when reinstating Nelson Cruz from the restricted list at the completion of his 50-game suspension.
The 27-year-old Butler made his big league debut for the Rangers this season, collecting 15 plate appearances and recording four hits. Drafted by the Rangers out of the Universtiy of New Orleans in the 15th round back in 2008, Butler is a career .300/.392/.468 hitter in 1,563 Triple-A plate appearances. He should serve as a nice depth piece for the Cardinals, though with Matt Holliday, Jon Jay and Oscar Taveras looking like the future starting outfield going forward, Butler is unlikely to be afforded the chance to see if his stellar Triple-A production can translate to the Majors in an everyday role.
