D-backs make five roster moves, send Socrates Brito to Triple-A
Mar 16, 2018, 2:46 PM | Updated: 2:46 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Socrates Brito celebrates his two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, in Washington. The Nationals won 5-3. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced five roster moves Friday, trimming the spring training roster to 46 players.
The team sent three players to Triple-A Reno: outfielder Socrates Brito, infielder Jack Reinheimer and infielder Ildemaro Vargas.
The 25-year-old Brito excited D-back fans at the end of the 2015 season, hitting .303 in 33 at-bats to make sure his name was included in the potential outfield rotation for 2016. He was less impressive in 95 at-bats, hitting .179, but was still a name Arizona was looking to depend on in 2017 as a depth option.
That made it all the worse when Brito underwent surgery for an open dislocation of his fourth finger in his left hand in March of 2017. Manager Torey Lovullo said at the time it was a big blow, as a major need for the team was another outfielder to give A.J. Pollock time off, and Brito was seen as that guy. He would not play for the D-backs in 2017 and take 292 at-bats in Reno, instead.
Brito fractured his right pinky finger in December while playing in the Dominican Winter League and wouldn’t return to action until early March.
In the past, Brito has had a broken toe and a broken hamate bone as well. He’s currently ranked as the D-backs’ No. 14 prospect by MLB.com.
Reinheimer made two appearances in 2017 for the D-backs. He hit .278 in Reno in 2017 with four home runs and 56 RBI. The 25-year-old has played with the Aces the past two seasons and is slotted as the No. 25 D-backs prospect by MLB.com.
Vargas made the move to Reno in 2016 and in his first full season with the club in 2017, he batted .312, adding on 10 home runs and 65 RBI. Vargas played in 12 games for the D-backs last season, taking 13 at-bats. He was not placed in MLB.com’s top-30 D-backs prospects.
Arizona also reassigned outfielder Ramon Flores and right-handed pitcher Jake Buchanan to minor league camp.
