Phillies Acquire Jimmy Paredes from Blue Jays
By Matt Veasey
The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired a utility player from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations.
The Phillies announced this afternoon that they have obtained 27-year old utility player Jimmy Paredes from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for undisclosed cash considerations.
Paredes is a 6’3″, 200 pound switch-hitter who has played most often in the outfield or at 3rd base, but has also seen spot duty at 2nd base, over parts of six big league seasons with four different organizations.
He was originally an amateur free agent signee of the New York Yankees as a 17-year old out of his native Dominican Republic back in 2006.
After playing parts of the four years in the Yanks’ farm system, Paredes was sent to the Houston Astros along with reliever Mark Melancon in exchange for veteran Lance Berkman.
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Paredes made his big league debut with Houston in 2011, and played parts of three seasons with the Astros. He was then selected off waivers in November of 2013 by the Miami Marlins.
Before spring training of 2014, Paredes was released and signed by two more organizations, first the Baltimore Orioles and then the Kansas City Royals.
He spent time in the big leagues with the Royals in that 2014 season before the Orioles re-acquired him via trade just prior to the MLB trade deadline that summer.
Paredes remained with the Orioles organization until being selected off waivers by the Blue Jays just over two weeks ago.
In 862 career plate appearances across 256 big league games, Paredes is hitting for a combined .257/.294/.373 slash line with 16 homers, 83 RBI, 91 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases.
Bottom line, he is a non-factor. Versatile defensively, yes. But he isn’t very good with the glove, so what’s the point there? A switch-hitter, sure. But can barely be considered better than the woeful options already with the team.
Unless there are some injury concerns that we are yet to be made aware of, it’s difficult to see the point of this move by GM Matt Klentak. It’s certainly an acquisition that should in no way excite fans, or even be of little interest to them.