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While it bordered more on the lackluster than blockbuster side, there was a Sunday trade between the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins. The Twins sent Zack Granite to the Rangers for prospect Xavier Moore and money.
Twins have traded OF Zack Granite to the Rangers for minor-league pitcher Xavier Moore and cash.
— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) March 3, 2019
Neither are particularly big name stars, so Rangers fans may be wondering who they just got. Let’s take a look at Granite’s brief career.
Granite was selected in the 2013 MLB Draft
Granite went to Seton Hall, where he played three seasons without hitting one home run. He made solid contact, betting .304 in his final season, and was speedy and smart on the base paths, his 35 stolen base paths in 42 tries perhaps his biggest asset. The Twins took a chance on the junior and took him in the 14th round of the 2013 MLB Draft. The 20-year-old Granite spent the half season in the Appy league, where he continued to get the bat on the ball with little power, slashing .285/.362/.343 with 14 stolen bases.
Granite begins his climb up the minor league ladder
Granite quickly worked his way up the ladder, spending an injury-riddled 2014 in Low-A and finishing 2015 in Fort Myers of Advanced-A. By 2016 he was amongst the Twins top 30 prospects depending on your source of preference and was ready to breakout. He slashed .295/.347/.382 in Double-A Chattanooga with a career high 4 home runs and 56 stolen bases, earning him the Twins Minor League Player of the Year honors.
Granite got a late start due to injury in 2017, but was hitting very well in Rochester and earned his first MLB call-up. It wasn’t overly exciting, posting a .611 OPS, but he did walk more than he struck out and actually slugged a big league homer. He wound up going 1-for-2 in the one-game Wild Card that season. All for naught, Granite spent all of 2018 in Rochester of Triple-A battling injury and only playing 68 games. Granite was designated for assignment with the signing of Marwin Gonzalez.
Who’s Xavier Moore?
So, what did Granite net in return? Moore was drafted in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. The now-20-year-old righty has yet to pitch above short season ball and has done so primarily out of the bullpen. The 6-foot-2 righty has been clocked in the low to mid-90s with a slider and cutter. Per The Chronicle Telegram, Moore was the first Amherst high school player ever drafted out of high school.