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Rangers Select Meibrys Viloria, Option Sam Huff

By Anthony Franco | June 21, 2022 at 4:20pm CDT

The Rangers shuffled their backup catcher situation this evening, selecting Meibrys Viloria onto the MLB club and optioning Sam Huff to Triple-A Round Rock. Texas also reinstated infielder Josh Smith from the 10-day injured list, brought back Mitch Garver from the COVID-19 IL, and returned Zach Reks and Jesús Tinoco to Round Rock. (Tinoco will no longer occupy a spot on the 40-man roster, as he’d been added to the MLB team as a designated COVID substitute). To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Viloria, outfielder Eli White has moved from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Viloria is headed to the big leagues for the first time as a member of the Texas organization. He played in 67 games with the Royals between 2018-20, hitting .215/.267/.287. Kansas City outrighted him off the 40-man roster last April, and he elected free agency at the end of the season after spending the entire year in the upper minors. Viloria latched on with the Rangers on a non-roster pact just before the lockout.

The lefty-hitting backstop has spent the entire season with Round Rock. He’s posted an eye-opening .344/.471/.512 line through 155 plate appearances to earn his way back to the majors. Those results have been propped up by an unsustainable .444 batting average on balls in play, but he’s also walked at a massive 17.4% clip. Viloria’s still just 25 years old and was a fairly well-regarded prospect during his time in the Royals’ system, so perhaps he’ll be able to carry some of that form over against big league arms. He still has a minor league option year remaining, so the Rangers can freely move him between Arlington and Round Rock now that he’s on the 40-man roster.

Huff heads back to Triple-A, where he’s posted a .260/.349/.575 line in 19 games. He’s hit .282/.320/.352 in 27 MLB contests this year, but he’s collected only three extra-base hits and is striking out at a 28% clip. Huff has run into a rough patch since the calendar flipped to June, while first baseman Nathaniel Lowe has caught fire. Between Jonah Heim at catcher, Lowe at first base and Garver’s return at designated hitter, there wasn’t going to be room in the lineup for Huff most days.

Smith missed nearly three weeks battling a shoulder sprain. The rookie steps in at third base tonight, where he’s likely to split time with fellow first-year player (and former Yankees prospect) Ezequiel Durán. Garver and starter Glenn Otto both went on the COVID list two weeks ago; Garver steps back into the MLB lineup, while Otto is headed to Round Rock for what figures to be a brief rehab stint before being activated.

White, meanwhile, suffered a fracture in his right wrist last week. He underwent surgery and is unlikely to begin any baseball activities before the start of August, meaning he’ll miss at least a couple months.

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Texas Rangers Transactions Eli White Glenn Otto Jesus Tinoco Josh Smith (1997) Meibrys Viloria Mitch Garver Sam Huff

A’s Designate Matt Davidson For Assignment
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Injured List Transactions: DeSclafani, Solano, Buehler
View Comments (28)

Comments

  1. Curly Was The Smart Stooge

    9 months ago

    Why Meibrys Viloria over Huff? Viloria a better defensive catcher?

    Reply
    • rangers13

      9 months ago

      i am with you. this makes no sense to me. Huff, Smith, Duran are part of a future Ranger team. Villoria is not.

      Reply
    • theroyal19

      9 months ago

      The lefty-hitting backstop has spent the entire season with Round Rock. He’s posted an eye-opening .344/.471/.512 line through 155 plate appearances to earn his way back to the majors. Those results have been propped up by an unsustainable .444 batting average on balls in play, but he’s also walked at a massive 17.4% clip.

      Reply
      • ButchAdams

        9 months ago

        In double a

        Reply
        • westex87

          9 months ago

          Round Rock is AAA

    • Fink Ployed

      9 months ago

      They like the fancier name.

      Reply
    • pims14

      9 months ago

      Huff wasn’t getting any playing time.. it’s better to get him some at bats at AAA than sit on the bench

      Reply
      • ButchAdams

        9 months ago

        Valid point, but if they can’t get huff playing time how r they gonna get this other guy playing time, at same position

        Reply
        • Modified_6

          9 months ago

          I would assume they value getting Huff at bats more than they do Viloria. You still need bench pieces, but if you don’t believe one guy is going to progress nearly as much as another, get the one you believe in long term the at bats if possible.

  2. Clown show

    9 months ago

    I can’t say his name.

    Reply
    • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

      9 months ago

      Thank you Bozo…

      Reply
      • ButchAdams

        9 months ago

        The management team sucks. Preached rebuild, rebuild, rebuild. Then go sign garver, semian, and seager to block huff, foscue, Smith, Harris, and Duran. They just can’t follow through with anything.

        Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          9 months ago

          Garver wasn’t a signing, he was a trade. They traded for him because he’s been one of the best performing offensive catchers in MLB. They wanted to have him for this year because they intended on being competitive, hence the $500M spent in the offseason. I think they overestimated their offense’s ability to compensate for their lack of pitching (much like Philly did with their lack of defense).

          So, I don’t think Garver is a block to anyone, because they knew Huff/Heim weren’t ready to lead a playoff team yet. He was the stopgap for this season. Yes, it failed, but I don’t think catcher is the problem.

          Your point about Semien & Seager? Yeah, I was shocked they signed both; but had they not signed one and those prospects didn’t work out, many would be claiming they should’ve done more.

          Just an objective view of the Rangers, although I do understand your perspective as a fan.

        • chris44

          9 months ago

          Why on earth do you expect all of Duran Smith and Foscue to workout at the mlb level? Prospects are prospects man, if you want to be good you have to have guys like Seager and Semien. Figure out the prospects later after they prove they can play. Heck Harris is barely at AA.

        • ButchAdams

          9 months ago

          How good do u think semien really makes us in yrs 5,6,7 of that contract. For Christ sakes, he’s had 4 good years out of 10, is a career .250 hitter and hit 30 homers twice. U don’t need all of them to pan out, just 1. Hell I’d take what Duran is doing right now for 600k over what semisn is doing for $25m. Guess well have to see in 4-5 yrs when those kids are on other teams, and semien is in his late 30s hitting 200 with 20 homers

        • ButchAdams

          9 months ago

          It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know it’s a bad idea to give a 7yr/$175m contract to an over 30 yo player that’s mediocre player with flashes of greatness at a position of strength on the farm.

        • ButchAdams

          9 months ago

          Can anyone honestly say that signing semien for the contract he got was better than spending that money on a pitcher, outfielder or even saving it for future. Giving bad contracts to choo, Andrus, odor and taking on princes bad contract was what got us in the mess we were in from 16-20

        • Yankee Clipper

          9 months ago

          Butch, I think you bring up very valid points. Say they don’t sign one of Seager or Semien…. Had they spend the money on, say, Syndergaard, it’s pretty much a waste also.

          I completely understand your thoughts on their allocation of the money spent, but it’s a crapshoot either way, man. Could’ve signed DeSclafani – he’s IL. Or Ray (meh).

          Lots of places that money could’ve gone and been wasted. That said, if I was in your shoes, I’d likely be saying the same thing, man.

          Think of it this way: You could be an Orioles fan right now! How much would that hurt?

        • chris44

          9 months ago

          It depends Butch, we don’t sit in on FO discussions, I personally suspect that there is a reason that Semien signed first and Seager Second. I think Cory had other offers and might not have taken Texas if Semien had not signed here first, it showed that we are serious about getting better.

          As for Duran, I love him. But he is a prospect, and hasen’t played long enough for the league to adjust to him, so no he isn’t close to as valuable as Semien.

          I bet it works out that Smith is the super utility, Duran changes positions to CF or LF and Foscue gets traded or takes Nate Lowe’s place at 1B.

        • Yankee Clipper

          9 months ago

          Sorry, but one last note: Your offense could be even better next year when they ban/limit the shift. We have no idea how that’s going to impact offensive seasons for key contributors like Semien/Seager, but they will likely improve either way. Pitching will still be available, but your IF is solid for the next several years.

      • Clown show

        9 months ago

        Yeah ok.

        Reply
  3. oldredgunslinger

    9 months ago

    It could be that Huff is a real slump right now and looks over matched. He is part of the future but needs to go back down and rebuild his confidence. And the Rangers signed Seagar and the others because they don’t want to march a triple A squad onto the field every game.They would get killed all the time and every rookie prospect would be shell shocked. Common sense.

    Reply
  4. RoastGobot

    9 months ago

    Any relation to the GOAT aubrey?

    Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      9 months ago

      I don’t know, but when Sam found out, he left in a Huff.

      Reply
      • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

        9 months ago

        Clipper, this hurts me, but I need to hook you up to Clown Show.
        Clown Show, aka Bozo, are you good to go with Clipper?

        Reply
        • Clown show

          9 months ago

          Crazy people shouldn’t talk. Go away stooge.

        • Yankee Clipper

          9 months ago

          Well, Curly, I think you have to do what’s in the best interest of the Nation of Alabama. Nobody can say what that is but you …. Alabamians? Anyway, as long as you don’t go poisoning any more sacred, historic trees cause you lose a football game, I’m okay with it, my friend.

          You’re unique, Curly, & God bless ya for it.

  5. DarkSide830

    9 months ago

    Viloria could very well be a late-bloomer. He was moved fairly quickly later in his KC tenure due to 40 man concerns and might be on the verge of a breakout having spent more time at AAA now.

    Reply

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