C.J. Cron, a seasoned first baseman, was invited to spring training by the Boston Red Sox on Sunday and signed a minor league deal.
Cron started working with the squad on Sunday. According to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, the right-hand hitter will probably play his first spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 11.
After playing with the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels the previous season, Cron, 34, was a free agent. Despite having back problems, he played in 71 games and batted a combined.248 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs.
Cron played 10 seasons for the Angels (2014–17, 2023), Tampa Bay Rays (2018), Minnesota Twins (2019), Detroit Tigers (2020), and Rockies (2021–23). The Angels selected Cron with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft.
In 1,049 games, Cron has hit.260 with a.320 on-base percentage, a.471 slugging percentage, 187 home runs, and 604 RBIs. He was chosen for the All-Star Game in 2022 and had a career-high 102 RBIs in addition to 29 home runs, which was his best season as a power hitter.