Rangers pick up Leicester from Cubs

By Jim Callis
November 16, 2005

Shortly before 40-man rosters have to be set for the winter, there's always a small flurry of deals as clubs figure they're better off getting something for players they won't protect. The first such trade of 2005 occurred Wednesday, as the Rangers added Jon Leicester from the Cubs for a player to be named later or cash.

Leicester, a 26-year-old righthander, has an intriguing arm that could help Texas, which seemingly always is in need of more pitching. He has a plus fastball that jumps to the mid-90s when he works out of the bullpen. He also has a slider and a splitter that have their moments, though he undermines the quality of his stuff with inconsistent control. He opened 2005 with the Cubs but spent most of the year at Triple-A Iowa, where he went 3-8, 5.51 in 24 games (16 starts). He had a 73-42 K-BB ratio in 98 innings, and opponents hit .294 with 17 homers against him. Leicester has appeared in 38 big league games over the last two seasons, going 5-3, 4.80.

March 13 update: The Rangers completed the trade by sending righthander Clint Brannon to the Cubs. Brannon, 23, set a short-season Northwest League record with a 0.59 ERA after signing as a 34th-round pick out of the University of Arkansas. Jumped to high Class A Bakersfield in 2005, he went 9-7, 4.45 in 29 games (14 starts). He had an 81-40 K-BB ratio in 111 innings as opponents batted .250 with 13 homers against him. Projected as a middle reliever, Brannon relies mainly on his mid-80s sinker and his slider.