Red Sox sign Chris Owings to a minor-league contract

The Red Sox have added a little more position player depth to the upper levels of the minors on Monday with a minor-league signing of a former solid major-league player. According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, Boston has agreed to a minor-league deal with former Diamondbacks and Royal utility man Chris Owings. According to Speier, he will eventually report to Pawtucket.

This is obviously not the most exciting addition of all time. If it was, Owings wouldn’t be available for a minor-league deal, ya know? Still, he adds some value and he has been a productive major leaguers as recently as a couple of years ago. The 27-year-old (he’ll turned 28 in August) has spent most of his career in Arizona, where he looked like a promising young player in 2013 and 2014. After a rough 2015, he bounced back in 2016 and 2017 when he was slightly below average at the plate while playing all over the field and providing value with his legs. He’s been brutal since the start of last season, though, as he posted a 51 wRC+ in 2018 and put up a 7 wRC+ in 145 plate appearances with the Royals this year before being released.

Owings, as Speier notes, is heading to Fort Myers before eventually getting to Pawtucket. Over his career he has spent time as a second baseman, a shortstop and all over the outfield. Presumably he’ll spend more time as an outfielder in Pawtucket, although he could provide some relief as a shortstop as well. Chances are Owings will be a non-factor for the Red Sox in 2019, but he is still young enough and was good enough recently enough that Boston could find lightning in a bottle here.