Phillies add depth by signing Danny Espinosa to a minor league deal
Another veteran infielder is joining the Phillies organization
Former Washington National Danny Espinosa has signed a minor league contract with the Phillies, and will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Philadelphia is in desperate need of depth at the top of the organization after losing multiple bench players and prospects to injury. J.P. Crawford suffering a broken hand was the final nail in the coffin for Philadelphia’s 40-man roster with every hitter now in the big leagues or on the disabled list, making Espinosa’s signing a major relief for the organization’s depth.
Espinosa joins former Minnesota Twins slugger Trevor Plouffe as a mid-season veteran addition to the IronPigs.
More from Phillies News
- What can Philadelphia Phillies expect from Bryson Stott in 2023?
- 3 Reasons to get excited for Phillies’ Craig Kimbrel signing
- Phillies-Mets owners’ rivalry grows after shocking Carlos Correa deal
- Could Rich Hill become ‘Jamie Moyer 2.0’ in Phillies rotation?
- Does Bailey Falter have a future in Phillies’ rotation?
Now with his seventh major league organization since opening day of 2017, the 31-year-old Espinosa is a career .221 hitter with 98 home runs in eight major league seasons.
A third-round pick in 2008 by the Washington Nationals Espinosa finish sixth in the 2011 National League Rookie of the Year voting despite hitting just .236 in 158 games.
Espinosa started last season with the Los Angeles Angels after an offseason trade with Washington. He played for both the Mariners and Rays after Los Angeles released him midseason, and has been in the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Dodgers organizations this calendar year.
If Espinosa plays well in Lehigh Valley he could see a major league promotion as a defender off the bench. Philadelphia would need to add him to the 40-man roster, which could be done by moving Pedro Florimon, who is out with a broken foot, to the 60-day disabled list.
Philadelphia’s current bench is comprised of Andrew Knapp, Aaron Altherr, Mitch Walding, and Jesmuel Valentin, who are hitting a combined .151 this season.
Next: 3 Nationals Players to Watch For
Philadelphia is set to play Espinosa’s former team the Washington Nationals in a weekend series.