Red Sox Complete Trade With Rays, Acquire Catcher Ronaldo Hernandez & Infielder Nick Sogard
BOSTON (CBS) -- Chaim Bloom is showing that he has no problem dealing within the AL East. After swinging a trade with the Yankees last month, the Red Sox chief baseball officer made a deal with his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Red Sox have acquired catcher Ronaldo Hernandez and infielder Nick Sogard -- both minor leaguers -- from the Rays, the team announced Wednesday. Boston will send pitchers Chris Mazza and Jeffrey Springs to Tampa, both of whom were recently designated for assignment to clear room on Boston's 40-man roster.
Essentially, the Red Sox picked up two minor leaguers for pitchers they were ready to part ways with anyways. The trade adds more depth to Boston's farm system, which is something Bloom has been doing since he was hired ahead of last season.
Hernandez, 23, hasn't played above the Single-A level, but was ranked the No. 13 prospect in the Tampa system. He slashed .284/.339/.494 with 21 home runs in 109 games in Single-A in 2018, but his numbers dipped to .265/.299/.297 and nine homers for High-A Port Charlotte in 2019.
Sogard, also 23, was drafted by the Rays in the 12th round in 2019. A shortstop out of Loyola Marymount, he hit .290 in the New York Penn League in 2019.
Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers for Spring Training on Wednesday, with their first workout scheduled for Thursday.
