Red Sox acquire C Sandy Leon from Nationals

The Boston Red Sox acquired catcher Sandy Leon in a trade with the Washington Nationals. Boston exchanged cash considerations and also placed prospect Christian Vazquez on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow sprain.

The Boston Red Sox acquired catcher Sandy Leon in a trade with the Washington Nationals, the teams announced Monday. Boston exchanged cash considerations and also placed prospect Christian Vazquez on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow sprain.

Leon, 26, is hitting .286 this spring with a double and three RBIs in 22 plate appearances. Last season, he played in 20 games for the Nationals, hitting .156 with a .229 on-base percentage and .219 slugging percentage in 70 plate appearances.

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[daily_cut.mlb]A switch-hitter, Leon has hit .189 with a .280 on-base percentage and .253 slugging percentage in 107 career plate appearances.

The Nationals signed Leon as an international free agent in 2007 from Venezuela and he debuted in the majors with Washington in May 2012.

In Boston, Leon joins Humberto Quintero and prospect Blake Swihart as a candidate to back up veteran Ryan Hanigan.

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Hanigan wound up with the Red Sox last December, moving from the Tampa Bay Rays to the San Diego Padres as part of a three-team deal that also included Washington before he was swapped to the Red Sox the same day in exchange for third baseman Will Middlebrooks.

Hanigan played in 84 games for the Rays last season, hitting .218 with a .318 on-base percentage and .324 slugging percentage, plus five home runs and 34 RBIs.