New York Yankees sign INF/OF Franchy Cordero

The Yankees have signed INFO/OF Franchy Cordero to a Major League contract.|Art or Photo Credit: AP

The New York Yankees announced that they have signed INF/OF Franchy Cordero to a Major League contract and added him to the active roster.

Cordero, 28, batted .219 (53-for-242) with 36R, 17 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 29RBI and 28BB in 84 games with the Boston Red Sox in 2022. He set career highs in games played, hits, runs, doubles, home runs, RBI and walks. Cordero also played in 31 games with Triple-A Worcester last season, hitting .325 (38-for-117) with 23R, 10 doubles, 7HR, 36RBI and 15BB.

The left-handed batter was signed by the Baltimore Orioles on Dec. 5, 2022 to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training and released on March 28, 2023. He batted .413/.426/.674 (19-for-46) with nine runs, four doubles, one triple, two home runs and nine RBI in 18 Grapefruit League games this spring.

Over parts of six Major League seasons with the San Diego Padres (2017-19), Kansas City Royals (2020) and Boston Red Sox (2021-22), Cordero has hit .221 (144-for-653) with 91R, 35 doubles, five triples, 21HR, 74RBI and 64BB in 227 career games. He has appeared defensively at all three outfield positions (69G/59GS in LF, 48G/39GS in CF, 44G/21GS in RF) and first base (64G/55GS).

The Azua, Dominican Republic, native was originally signed by the San Diego Padres as a non-drafted free agent on Nov. 1, 2011. Cordero was then acquired by the Kansas City Royals along with RHP Ronald Bolaños from the Padres in exchange for LHP Tim Hill on July 16, 2020. He was later acquired by the Boston Red Sox along with two players to be named later from the Royals as part of a three-team trade with the New York Mets on Feb. 10, 2021. The Red Sox also received RHP Josh Winckowski and a player to be named later from the Mets, the Royals received OF Andrew Benintendi and cash considerations from the Red Sox, and the Mets received OF Khalil Lee from the Royals.