Report: Rangers acquire Jorge Cantu for Evan Reed, Omar Poveda

**Solid D** · 07-29-2010

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/ar...e-jorge-c.html

Posted at 3:56 PM on Thu., Jul. 29, 2010
Evan Grant

According to FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal, the Rangers and Marlins have agreed on a deal that will bring McCallen native Jorge Cantu to Texas in exchange for minor league pitchers Evan Reed and Omar Poveda. Flip the page for more details on those involved:

Reed, 24, was taken in the third round of the 2007 draft and projects as a major league reliever. He was moved to the bullpen at Class A Bakersfield last year and went 2-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 25 saves in 46 games. This season, at Frisco, he's lowered the ERA to 1.62 in 30 appearances.

Poveda, who turns 23 in September, was ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the Rangers system at the start of the season by Baseball America. He has not pitched this year, however, because of a torn ligament in his elbow that required Tommy John surgery during the spring.

In Cantu, the Rangers would get the versatile right-handed bat for which they have been searching. Cantu, 27, has started at least 130 games at three different infield positions (first, second and third) during his career. He is hitting .259 for Florida this season - .261 with eight homers against left-handed pitching. Cantu can be a free agent at the end of the season.

The clubs discussed Cantu over the weekend and it appears they emerged with an agreement on potential players. Money, however, became something of an issue, according to reports, since Cantu had about $2.2 million remaining in his contract. It's likely the teams reached a compromise by adding Poveda to the deal. While a player coming back from Tommy John surgery is risky, Poveda has one of the highest ceilings for a pitcher in the system.