The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Steven Duggar to a Minor League contract as part of their efforts to collect organizational depth.
Duggar joins the Dodgers after spending the 2022 season with the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels. Duggar had been a free agent since September, when he rejected an outright assignment to the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate.
Duggar began this past season with the Giants before being traded to the Rangers in June for Willie Calhoun. The Angels claimed him off waivers in August when the Rangers designated Duggar for assignment.
Signing with the Dodgers represents a return to the National League West for the 29-year-old. Duggar was selected by the Giants in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB Draft, and made his debut with the team in 2018.
He played a career-high 107 games for the Giants during the 2021 season, batting .257/.330/.437 with 14 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 35 RBI and seven stolen bases.
Over parts of five seasons in the Majors, the majority of which came with the Giants, Duggar has hit 236/.293/.367 and appeared in 271 games.
Duggar has been limited at times by shoulder injuries and an oblique strain.
Will Steven Duggar make Dodgers’ Opening Day roster?
In what’s been a relatively quiet offseason, the Dodgers have now taken fliers on Jason Heyward, Bradley Zimmer and Duggar, each of whom theoretically is capable of helping fill the void in center field.
Duggar has played all three outfield positions throughout his career, but the majority of the experience he has is in center field.
Manager Dave Roberts recently acknowledged the Dodgers were in search of a center fielder to replace Cody Bellinger, and ideally would find a player who bats left handed.
When compared to Heyward and Zimmer, Duggar appears to be the most complete option and a potential platoon candidate with Chris Taylor or Trayce Thompson.
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