The Indians acquired Justin Sellers from the Dodgers on Sunday in exchange for cash considerations.
Sellers, who turned 28 on Feb. 1, was designated for assignment by Los Angeles on Feb. 22 after the club signed Erisbel Arruebarrena. Sellers was the Dodgers' opening day shortstop last year when Hanley Ramirez was on the disabled list. However he hit just .188 in 27 games and spent the rest of the season in Class AAA Albuquerque, where he batted .270 and drove in 65 runs along with 26 doubles and four home runs.
In 81 Major League games, Sellers has a .199 average. That is why the book on Sellers is he's a good, versatile infielder who struggles at the plate. When first called up midway through the 2011 season, he had a .278 average in his first 16 games, but his plate production has dropped off since then. Most of Sellers' games have been at shortstop (50 with Dodgers) but he had 15 games at second and 13 at third.
Sellers, who went to Cal State Fullerton, was drafted by Oakland in sixth round in 2005. He was traded to the Cubs in 2009 and then acquired by the Dodgers later that spring.
To make room for Sellers on the 40-man roster, the Indians have designated infielder David Cooper for assignment. Cooper appeared in two of the Indians' three spring training games at first base and was 0 for 2.
After being rained out on Saturday, the Indians face Seattle at 3:05 p.m. today in Goodyear.
