Rangers claim Eli Whiteside off waivers from Blue Jays

The Texas Rangers have claimed catcher Eli Whiteside on waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, the team announced on Wednesday.

The 33-year old veteran had spent the past four seasons with the San Francisco Giants and has a career .215/.273/.335 line while hitting 10 home runs and tallying 43 RBI. Whiteside has appeared in just 208 games in his career, and played just 12 for the Giants in 2012. Whiteside was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2001 and spent six years with the organization before signing with the Twins in 2008. The catcher did not appear in a major league game from 2006 to 2008.

The Rangers are in need of catching depth in the system after the offseason departure of Mike Napoli, and it's likely Whiteside will once again see extensive time in the minors. From the team's press release, Whiteside has been on a bit of a journey this offseason:

Whiteside, 33, has now been claimed on waivers by three different clubs this offseason. He had been acquired by Toronto in a waiver claim from New York-AL on December 3 after the Yankees had designated him for assignment on November 28. The Yankees acquired him in a waiver claim from San Francisco on November 5. Whiteside had been arbitration-eligible for 2013, but signed a contract with the Yankees on November 24, which makes him a signed player for next season.

The Rangers also announced the team has signed utility player Brandon Snyder to a minor league contract.