The Rangers have acquired right-hander Clayton Blackburn from the Giants for minor league infielder Frandy De La Rosa, per announcements from both teams.
It’s no surprise that San Francisco found a taker for the 24-year-old Blackburn, who began generating interest after the Giants designated him for assignment Tuesday. Baseball America ranked Blackburn among the Giants’ 10 best prospects from 2012-15, including sixth in 2014, but his stock dropped with a disappointing 2016. In 136 1/3 innings, Blackburn logged a 4.36 ERA, 6.67 K/9 and 2.31 BB/9. That came after a far better showing in 2015, when he pitched to a 2.85 ERA – with 7.24 K/9 and 2.34 BB/9 – in 123 frames. The optionable Blackburn figures to provide starting depth for Texas, which has already sent him to Triple-A.
De La Rosa, meanwhile, has now been part of two deals since signing with the Cubs as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2013 (Chicago shipped him to the Rangers for righty Spencer Patton in 2015). At the time of the first swap involving De La Rosa, Baseball America’s Vince Lara-Cinisomo noted that he has “plus speed and decent hands but lacks the consistency to play shortstop, profiling as an offensive second baseman.” The 21-year-old switch-hitter has batted .253/.317/.352 in the minors, primarily at the Single-A level.
