On Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, the Cleveland Indians announced they have signed free agent infielder/outfielder Ryan Raburn and outfielder Ben Francisco to Minor League contracts with non-roster invitations to Major League spring training.
View the official Cleveland Indians press release here.
Raburn has spent his entire professional career with the Detroit Tigers’ organization where he has posted a career MLB batting average of .256 with 95 doubles, 54 home runs, and 216 RBIs in 566 games from 2004-2012. He is a right-handed hitter that at the very least could provide some pop to the offense at the Triple-A level, provided he does not make the Major League club out of camp. Raburn is a low-risk signing that adds depth to the upper-level of the Indians’ farm system.
Francisco posts a career MLB batting average of .257 with 104 doubles, 49 home runs, and 189 RBIs in 542 games with the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Rays since making his MLB debut with Cleveland in 2007. Francisco is another low-risk acquisition that adds depth to the system.
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