clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Dodgers claim Cole Figueroa off waivers from Pirates

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers left Pittsburgh with a souvenir of sorts, claiming infielder Cole Figueroa off waivers from the Pirates on Tuesday, and optioning him to Triple-A.

That move fills the 40-man roster, which means the Dodgers will need to make a corresponding move to add Brock Stewart on Wednesday.

Figueroa, who turns 29 on Thursday, was 4-for-26 with a walk in 23 games with the Pirates this season, playing five games at second base, including two starts, plus two more games at both shortstop and third base. He hit .307/.333/.453 in 20 games for Triple-A Indianapolis this season.

Pittsburgh designated Figueroa for assignment on Friday.

The Padres drafted Figueroa in the sixth round in 2009 out of the University of Florida. He was in the Padres organization in 2010 when current Dodgers executive Josh Byrnes was in the San Diego front office, then Figueroa was with the Rays from 2011-2014 when Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was general manager in Tampa Bay.

Figueroa spent 2015 with the Yankees.

In 429 games in parts of five seasons in Triple-A, the left-handed-batting Figueroa has hit .288/.356/.376 with a 9.3-percent walk rate and a minuscule 6.3-percent strikeout rate. In his minor league career he has played 328 games at third base, 291 games at second base, and 172 games at shortstop.

Figueroa has seen time in each of the last three seasons in the majors, including 2014 with the Rays and 2015 with the Yankees. In 48 career games, including 12 starts, Figueroa has hit .208/.250/.286 with four doubles, a triple and five walks in 86 plate appearances.

He began this season with 67 days of major league service time, and has used options in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Figueroa will be out of options after 2016.