It’s been a busy few days for the Texas Rangers as not only did they acquire pitcher Yovani Gallardo in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, but they’ve also picked up catcher Carlos Corporan from the Houston Astros.
Corporan was designated for assignment by the ‘Stros thanks to their depth at the catching position, though the Rangers in need of a backup decided to strike while the iron was hot.
Source: Astros and Rangers have agreed on trade for Carlos Corporan. Player(s) being informed.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) January 21, 2015
In exchange, the Texas Rangers sent pitcher Akeem Bostick to Houston.
By no stretch is it a blockbuster move, but we’ve seen the importance of backup catchers emerge over the past few seasons and you probably aren’t going to find many available with more ability than Carlos Corporan. No, he’s not a good hitter and will likely struggle to maintain a .250 average, but he brings with him solid defense and an ability to handle a pitching staff, an attribute highly underrated.
Considering the very cheap price, there was no reason for the Texas Rangers not to pull the trigger. As for the Houston Astros, they simply no longer needed him and getting a 19-year-old pitcher in return is a pretty decent return value.
