Dodgers Sign Flores

Photo by Zach Spedden

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed catcher, former Washington National and 2005 Hagerstown Sun, Jesus Flores. The Dodgers will give Flores a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

2012 was an up and down year for Flores, who managed to recapture his health and pick up 296 plate appearances for the Nationals. However, he appeared in only 16 games after the Nationals acquired Kurt Suzuki from the Oakland A's on August 3. Overall, Jesus Flores finished with a .213/.248/.329 line in 296 plate appearances, while throwing out base runners at a low rate of 15%.

The acquisition of Suzuki, combined with the return of Wilson Ramos from injury, made Flores expendable for Washington in 2013.

Prior to 2012, Flores had been mired with injuries in spite of occasional flashes of potential. After batting .252/.301/.387 in 521 plate appearances between '07-2008, he logged only a 197 plate appearances between 2009-2011, a stretch that included a 2010 season lost due to injury.

However, after a healthy 2012, Flores could make Los Angeles' roster with a solid performance in Spring Training. He becomes the third former Sun to sign with the Dodgers this offseason, following Nick Evans (2006) and Matt Palmer (2003).