Pittsburgh Pirates Procure Sean Rodriguez From Tampa Bay Rays

The Pittsburgh Pirates obtained infielder Sean Rodriguez on Monday from the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later and cash.

Rodriguez, who will turn 30 in April, was designated for assignment last week by the Rays. The 6-foot, 200-pound utilityman is eligible for salary arbitration. He played in 96 games for Tampa in 2014, and hit .211 in 237 at-bats where he set career bests with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs.

The Miami native is listed as a second baseman, shortstop and left fielder, but he saw time in 2014 at all four infield positions as well as the outfield for the Rays.

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In another move on Monday, Gaby Sanchez, 31, was designated for assignment by the Bucs to make room for Rodriguez. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound first baseman appeared in 123 games for Pittsburgh in 2014, and he hit .229 with seven home runs and 33 RBI.

General manager Neal Huntington has been busy reshaping the roster as he dealt Ike Davis to Oakland last month, and designated John Axford and Jeanmar Gomez for assignment, thus making the two free agents. It is clear to everyone that the first base job belongs to Pedro Alvarez going into spring training.

From The Clipboard: The Bucs front office also inked three players on Monday to Minor League agreements which included invitations to Major League Spring Training.

The three are outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, infielder Deibinson Romero, and catcher Sebastian Valle.

Hernandez, 27, was in the Pirates farm system from 2009-2012. Last season, he played for Triple-A Omaha, Triple-A Charlotte and the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League. The 6-foot, 190-pound outfielder hit a combined .280 with 19 doubles, 16 stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 75 games for the three teams.

Romero, 28, spent 2014 with the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound first and third baseman put up a .265 average with 31 doubles and eight home runs last season.

Valle, 24, split his time last season between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley of the Phillies farm system. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound catcher hit .238 between the two teams in 2014.