Rangers Officially Re-Sign Geovany Soto

One less catcher off the market with the Rangers signing Soto

The Texas Rangers officially non-tendered Geovany Soto on Friday, but officially welcomed him back to the team agreeing to a $2.75 million one-year deal.

The agreement has incentives and performance bonuses that could total $250,000. The deal was announced on the first day of baseball’s winter meetings.

Soto served as a backup for Mike Napoli who agreed to a three-year $39 million deal with the Boston Red Sox earlier today.

Soto made $4.3 million last year, when he hit 1.96 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 47 games with the Rangers.

Soto came to the Rangers in a trade last June with Chicago Cubs for minor league pitcher Jacob Brigham.  He was the NL Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 2008.

He hit .285/.364/.504 with 23 homers, 86 RBI and 35 doubles that season, and hasn’t really come close to those numbers sense.

One less catcher in the  free agent catching pool could clarify the market for A.J. Pierzynski.