Rangers acquire OF Granite from Twins

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has acquired outfielder Zack Granite from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Xavier Moore and cash considerations.

To make room on the major league roster for Granite, the team has placed outfielder Scott Heineman on the 60-day injured list for left shoulder surgery rehabilitation.

Granite, 26, was designated for assignment by Minnesota on Tuesday when the club officially signed infielder Marwin Gonzalez. The left-handed batter and thrower saw his only major league action with the Twins in 2017, when he batted .237 over 40 games. He spent last year at Triple-A Rochester, batting .211 in 68 games before a season-long right (non-throwing) shoulder issue was diagnosed as a torn rotator cuff. Granite went 0-for-5 in 2 Grapefruit League games with the Twins this spring.

Primarily a centerfielder in his pro career, Granite has also seen significant action in left field. He owns a career minor league slash line of .282/.348/.360/.708 over 481 games since being selected in the 14th round of the 2013 June draft out of Seton Hall University.

Moore, 20, combined for a 5.30 ERA in 13 relief outings with the Arizona League Rangers and Spokane Indians in 2018. He was the Rangers' 16th round selection in the 2017 June draft. He was signed by the late Roger Coryell, the club’s amateur scout covering Michigan and Ohio who passed away in April 2018.

Heineman had surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder on December 10, 2018, and has continued the rehabilitation process during spring training camp.

With today’s transactions, the Rangers have 69 players on the club’s spring training roster: a full 40-man major league roster along with one player (Heineman) on the 60-day injured list, and 28 non-roster invitees.