The Boston Red Sox have acquired Texas Rangers’ catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia in a deal consummated even as the bell tolled on the 2010 non-waiver trade deadline. In addition to cash considerations, Texas will receive three players, including Roman Mendez, Chris McGuinness, and a player to be named later, according to WEEI’s Alex Speier.
For a number of years now, the Red Sox have been linked in trade rumors to the 25-year-old Saltalamacchia, who himself expressed great excitement at the prospect of being traded to Boston last year. Of course, most of those rumors involved the Red Sox giving up significant prospects or pieces to acquire the once-top-billed backstop.
A former top catching prospect, Saltalamacchia has slumped or declined, depending on one’s perspective, over the last two years. Spending the start of the 2010 season on the disabled list before moving to the Oklahoma City RedHawks, Saltalamacchia owns a career .251 batting average and .701 OPS and has thrown out approximately 21 percent of potential base stealers.
Presently with the Single-A Lowell Spinners, 20-year-old Dominican right-hander Roman Mendez has high upside and the potential to be a “front-of-the-rotation starter or high-leverage reliever,” according to SoxProspects.com.
Selected during the 13th round of the 2009 Amateur Draft, McGuinness is an infielder who possesses a career .275 average and an 860 OPS in one year with Red Sox Single-A affiliates.
For breaking-news Red Sox updates, follow Peter on Twitter at BoSoxUpdate.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com