Downs, 28, hit .202/.253/.371 with eight homers in 191 plate appearances for Houston in 2012.  The year prior, he posted a .276/.347/.518 slash line with ten homers in 222 plate appearances for the Astros.  Downs also has experience playing first base, shortstop, third base, and the corner outfield spots.

Downs, 28, elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Astros back in October. He hit .202/.253/.371 with eight homers in 191 plate appearances for Houston in 2012, though one year prior he managed a .276/.347/.518 line with ten homers in 222 plate appearances. Downs has experience at all four infield positions and the two corner outfield spots.

As our Transactions Tracker shows, the Marlins have also signed Michael Wuertz, Austin Kearns, and Nick Green to minor league contracts this month.

• The Astros announced that Fernando Abad, Sergio Escalona, Edgar Gonzalez, Jose Valdez, Kyle Weiland and the recently-DFA'ed Matt Downs have been outrighted to Triple-A.  All will become free agents except Weiland, who has been placed on the Triple-A roster.
• The Brewers have outrighted Nyjer Morgan to Triple-A, the team announced.  Morgan was a key part of the Brewers' NL Central-winning team in 2011 but struggled last season, hitting .239/.302/.308 and getting less playing time in the Milwaukee outfield.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently projected Morgan as a non-tender candidate.
• The Brewers also confirmed that Jose Veras has elected to become a free agent after being outrighted off the 40-man roster yesterday.
• The Braves outrighted right-hander Erik Cordier to Triple-A, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports (Twitter link). The 26-year-old pitched at three levels this past season, posting a 5.85 ERA with 7.5 K/9 in 32 1/3 total innings. He walked 32 of the 155 batters he faced, however. The Braves announced that they also outrighted catcher J.C. Boscan and left-hander Robert Fish off of the 40-man roster. Boscan elected free agency, according to the team.

Downs played in 91 games for the Astros this past season, appearing at all four infield positions and at both corner outfield positions. He posted a .202/.253/.371 batting line in 191 plate appearances, down from the .276/.347/.518 line he posted in his first full season with the Astros. The 28-year-old bats from the right side and has shown slightly more power against left-handed pitching in his four-year MLB career.

Downs, 26, struggled in the bigs over 148 career plate appearances in 2009-10.  He played second base in the Majors, but has minor league experience at shortstop, third base, and the outfielder corners as well.  This year marked his third Triple A stint; his power slipped as he posted a .254/.348/.416 line in a half-season.  Downs was still considered a prospect heading into the 2009 season, when Baseball America ranked him 24th on their Giants list and published praise from GM Brian Sabean.

Downs, 26, struggled in the bigs over 148 career plate appearances in 2009-10.  He played second base in the Majors, but has minor league experience at shortstop, third base, and the outfielder corners too.  This year marked his third Triple A stint; his power slipped as he posted a .254/.348/.416 line in a half-season.  Downs was still considered a prospect heading into the 2009 season, when Baseball America ranked him 24th on their Giants list and published praise from GM Brian Sabean.