Red Sox Reportedly Sign Ex-Twins Slugger To Bolster Organizational Outfield Depth

Boston reportedly made a free agent signing Friday to bolster organizational depth

The Boston Red Sox are getting started on their offseason additions but are starting by adding additional depth. 

Boston reportedly signed former Minnesota Twins outfielder Mark Contreras to a minor league deal Friday, according to SoxProspects.com.

"Per the Baseball America transactions, the Red Sox signed OF Mark Contreras to a minor league deal. (Minnesota) 9th-rd pick from UC Riverside in 2017. Most of the last 3 years in AAA. Limited MLB experience in 2022. .274/.352/.418 in 2023. Plays all 3 OF positions."

Contreras was selected by the Twins in the ninth round of the 2017 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft and has been with the organization ever since. The 28-year-old worked his way up through the Minnesota organization and made his big league debut in 2022 and appeared in 28 games. Contreras clubbed three home runs and drove in six runs during that stretch to go along with a .121/.148/.293 slash line. 

He has shown a bit of pop in the minor leagues and crushed 20 home runs across 114 games in 2021, 15 in 2022 in 102 games, and 10 in 2023 in 90 games. Contreras spent the entire 2023 season in the minors and likely pencils into the same role in Boston. The Red Sox have a logjam in the outfield right now with Masataka Yoshida, Alex Verdugo, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Rob Refsnyder all vying for time. That could change as there have been rumblings that the Red Sox could make a trade or two, but at this point, Contreras likely will see most of his time with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. 

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