TEXAS RANGERS AGREE TO TERMS
WITH FREE AGENT OUTFIELDER ALEXEI BELL ON MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACT
Former Cuban star spent 14 seasons in Serie Nacional
Arlington, Texas—The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has signed free agent outfielder Alexei Bell to a minor league contract. Bell will be assigned to the Arizona League Rangers to get some at bats before being promoted to a higher classification in the Texas farm system.
Bell, 32, is a native of Santiago, Cuba and spent 14 seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional from 2002-14, batting .319 with 138 homers and 632 RBI in 659 games. The right-handed batter recorded 431 walks with just 439 strikeouts in that span while batting .300 or better in nine different seasons. Bell posted career highs of 31 homers and 111 RBI in 90 games with Santiago in 2007. He was also a member of Cuba’s National Teams in the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Bell played for Quebec in the Independent Can-Am League in 2015, hitting .317 in 59 games. He played briefly for Quintana Roo in the Triple-A Mexican League earlier this year, going 6-for-35 with one homer and four RBI in nine games. On May 25, Bell was declared a free agent with the right to sign with any Major League Baseball organization.
RANGERS SIGN 27TH ROUND DRAFT PICK LUCAS JACOBSEN: The Rangers also announced today that the club has signed their 27th round selection in the 2016 MLB Draft, LHP Lucas Jacobsen from Long Beach State University in Long Beach, CA. Jacobsen, who posted a 3.30 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 30.0 IP over 24 appearances for LBSU in 2016, has been assigned to the Arizona League Rangers. Texas has 34 of the 40 players it selected in the 2016 Draft under contract with the deadline for signing drafted players today at 4:00 p.m. CT.
