Cole

Garner

Garner became a free agent after being non-tendered by the Rockies in December. The 27-year-old had a brief stint with the big-league club last July, but spent the majority of the 2011 season at Triple-A Colorado Springs, batting .330/.366/.557 with eight home runs, 35 RBI and a .923 OPS over 203 plate appearances. He’ll provide some outfield depth with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Garner wasn’t even arbitration-eligible yet, but the move makes him a free agent. The 26-year-old had a brief stint with the big-league club in July, but spent the majority of the 2011 season at the Triple-A level, batting .330/.366/.557 with eight home runs, 35 RBI and a .923 OPS over 203 plate appearances.

The 28-year-old Garner hit .258/.311/.398 with six homers and 25 RBI in 64 games for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in 2012. He’ll report to the Brewers early minor league camp in Phoenix where he’ll serve as additional depth.

Garner was batting .342/.392/.584 with eight home runs and 26 RBI in 40 games this season for Broncos de Reynosa of the Mexican League. The 30-year-old outfielder hasn’t appeared in a major league game since 2011, when he tallied two hits in nine at-bats with the Rockies.

He has a 20/2 K/BB ratio in 54 at-bats. Garner drew some attention as a fantasy prospect for hitting .302/.353/.519 with 35 steals in low-A ball in 2006, but he slipped to .213/.274/.370 in the California League last season. He even had just seven steals in 96 games. It’s unlikely that he’ll make it to the majors.

Garner was sent down to the minors earlier this week, but he’s back because of the injury to Charlie Blackmon. The 26-year-old will start in right field and bat sixth against Nationals’ left-hander John Lannan. Rockies manager Jim Tracy will likely mix and match him in his lineup, so he’s worth a wait and see in NL-only leagues.

Garner was called up for a 24-hour stay in the big leagues earlier this month. With Charlie Blackmon out several weeks due to a fractured foot, the 26-year-old’s stay should be a bit longer this time around.

Garner, who turns 22 next month, had been overmatched by the pitching in Hawaii. Even after yesterday, he’s batting .159 with a 28/2 K/BB ratio in 69 at-bats. However, he did hit .302/.353/.519 with 35 steals for low Single-A Asheville last season. That he’s primarily a left fielder limits him as a prospect, and his lack of plate discipline will eventually doom him if he fails to improve. However, there’s enough power and speed here that he can’t be completely ignored.

Garner, 25, is something of a late bloomer. He hit .304 with 13 homers and 61 RBI this year at the Triple-A level and could factor into the Rockies’ plans late in the 2011 season. He would have become a minor-league free agent if the Rox failed to add him to their big league roster within five days of the completion of the World Series.

Well, that was fast. Garner was just called up from the minors Monday to give the Rockies some insurance for their outfield after Carlos Gonzalez’s wrist injury. He flew out in his lone at-bat.