Arizona Diamondbacks

Rays acquire OF Jeremy Hazelbaker from Diamondbacks for cash considerations

Published Apr. 10, 2018 7:55 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Rays press release

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher José De León (recovery from Tommy John surgery) was transferred to the 60-day DL.

Hazelbaker, 30, will join Triple-A Durham. The left-handed hitter split last season, his first in the Diamondbacks organization, between Triple-A Reno and the majors. He appeared in 41 games and made seven starts (4-CF, 2-RF, 1-LF) at the major league level, batting .346/.443/.577 (18-for-52) with two doubles, two triples and two home runs. He hit .370/.469/.741 (10-for-27) off the bench and .313/.421/.375 (5-for-16) as a pinch-hitter. Over two seasons in the majors with the Diamondbacks (2017) and St. Louis Cardinals (2016), he has hit .258/.327/.500 (65-for-252) with nine doubles, five triples, 14 home runs and 38 RBI in 155 games (45 starts). He was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on April 6.

Since 2016, Hazelbaker has hit four pinch-hit home runs, tied for third in the majors behind Matt Adams (five) and Adam Lind (five). Over that same span, he ranks fifth in the majors with a .526 slugging pct. as a pinch-hitter (min. 50 PA).

Hazelbaker was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2009 June Draft out of Ball State University. Over parts of 10 minor league seasons, he has hit .266/.343/.438 (791-for-2,971) with 151 doubles, 88 home runs, 395 RBI and 253 stolen bases in 818 games. He was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star Team in 2010, Southern League All-Star Team in 2014 and Texas League All-Star Team in 2015, and was named to Organizational All-Star Teams by MLB.com for the Red Sox in 2010 and 2011 and for the Cardinals in 2015.