Red Sox Poach Catcher From Yankees In Minor League Rule 5 Draft
The Red Sox and New York Yankees made headline news on Tuesday night in a trade that sent one of Boston's core players -- Alex Verdugo -- to the Bronx.
One day later, a transaction of a much lesser magnitude was made involving the pair of historic rivals.
The Red Sox selected switch-hitting catcher Mickey Gasper from the Yankees in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft.
Gasper hit .246 with 15 extra-base hits including seven home runs, 28 RBIs and a .736 OPS in 74 games between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The 28-year-old's greatest strength could be his versatility. Gasper logged 26 appearances at first base, 19 at catcher, and one at third base.
Given his age and middling success at the higher levels of the minors, this move is nothing to get too excited about.
The Red Sox addressed a need to bolster the catching depth after Caleb Hamilton elected free agency earlier in the offseason. That's likely the driving force behind Boston taking Gasper in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft.
Gasper is a Merrimack, NH native who attended Bryant College and will return to New England, though it's not like he was thousands of miles away from home before.
More MLB: Red Sox Lose Pair Of Promising Pitching Prospects In Rule 5 Draft
