Matt Duffy has re-signed with the Rangers on a new minor league contract after opting out of his last one a few days ago. He was assigned to Triple-A Round Rock.
Duffy has never been able to meet the high expectations he set for himself in his initial season with the Giants. He hit.295/.334/.428 with 12 home runs and 12 stolen bases that season, ranking second in the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year voting. Still, he had a few productive seasons between 2016 and 2021. The right-handed batter made the most of his above-average contact abilities to compensate for his modest power; during 366 total games, he put about
Unfortunately for Duffy, things have gotten worse over the last two seasons. He played for the Angels in 2022 and the Royals in 2023, both of which produced equally poor offensive figures. The veteran has continued to play all three bases admirably, but his versatility has not been enough to compensate for his lackluster bat. Duffy struggled at the plate in spring, and the defending World Series champions were unable to offer him a spot on the Opening Day roster. The position he might have gotten went to fellow NRI Jared Walsh; Walsh had a hard couple of years in 2022 and ’23, but he outperformed Duffy this spring.
Duffy will now report to Triple-A. With first baseman Nathaniel Lowe already on the injured list, Duffy gives Texas some depth in case another infielder is injured. Given his versatility and previous MLB experience, he might be one of the Rangers’ early callups. Even so, if he wants to return to the majors, he must resume hitting at Round Rock.
