HOUSTON — Given their injury concerns and the specter of managing a roster short on position players, the Arizona Diamondbacks welcomed the addition of veteran infielder/catcher Jordan Pacheco, who they claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies.
Colorado designated Pacheco for assignment on June 4 after he hit .236 with six doubles, one triple with eight RBIs this season. He appeared in 19 games at catcher, four at first base and one at second. That positional versatility is just what the Diamondbacks are presently seeking.
“He’s a really good hitter. He’s played well against us,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “He’s versatile. He can catch, he’s played third base, he’s played second base, he’s played first base, he’s played the outfield. He’s a good fit for us right now. ”
Over parts of four seasons with the Rockies, Pacheco hit .281 with 54 doubles, four triples and eight home runs plus 98 RBIs in 270 games. He played every infield position excluding shortstop, served as the backstop and played one game in left field. In 2012 he played 132
games for the Rockies and posted a .309/.341/421 slash line. His hitting is on record.
“We like it, we believe in it,” Gibson said of positional versatility. “He’s a third catcher and that’s very appealing but he’s a very good player.
“You get into situations where you have to double switch or you get into extra innings it’s very important. We believe in versatility.”