The Philadelphia Phillies signed 27-year-old switch-hitting outfielder Dylan Carlson to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday.
Carlson, a former first-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016, started the season with the Chicago Cubs, appearing in just three games. Prior to the start of the season, Carlson has spent time with the Cardinals, Rays and Orioles, putting up a slash line of .233/.312/.370 with a .682 OPS in 570 games. He has clubbed 43 home runs with 195 RBIs and has played all three outfield positions.
The veteran will provide some organizational depth in the outfield that is super thin in the minors and could find his way onto the big league team if he puts together a good performance in Lehigh Valley and rookie Felix Reyes continues to struggle as a platoon player.
Yesterday was a busy day on the transactions log for both Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
-RHP Max Lazar’s rehab assignment has been transferred to Triple-A.
-RHP Jackson Rutledge, another former first-round pick the Phillies signed last week, has been assigned to Lehigh Valley.
-RHP Levi Stoudt was transferred to Lehigh Valley. Stoudt played college baseball at Lehigh University.
-RHP Jean Cabrera was transferred to Reading.
-OF Oscar Mercado was released (retroactive to 5/10).
The slugging corner infielder, who showed off his power last season between Reading and Lehigh Valley, hitting 31 doubles and six homers with 39 RBI, started his rehab assignment working his way back from a fractured toe he suffered, which has kept him out since spring training.
Gabriel Rincones Jr., the sixth-ranked prospect in the system according to MLB Pipeline, has started his rehab assignment with Clearwater as well, working his way back from a knee injury that forced him to miss all of spring training.
In four games he is 2-for-13 with a home run and four RBIs.
