Brad Hawpe was a bust for the Padres last season, earning $3 million while hitting just .231 with a .645 OPS in his first full season away from Coors Field, and Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas reports that he’s agreed to a minor-league deal with the Rangers.
Hawpe’s numbers were always inflated by playing half his games in Colorado, but he hit .288 with a .518 slugging percentage in 585 total games from 2006-2009 and typically posted solid road numbers as well.
Then he declined significantly in 2010 and totally fell apart last season before undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in August. At age 32 he might simply be finished as a valuable player, particularly given the health question mark, but Hawpe is a worthwhile flier to take on a no-risk deal and could give the Rangers a cheap bench bat or first base alternative to Mitch Moreland.