The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed 1B/OF Chris Colabello off of waivers from the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Jays confirmed that they claimed the 31-year old Colabello via Twitter:
The @BlueJays have claimed 1B/OF Chris Colabello off waivers from the Minnesota Twins
— Blue Jays-Official (@BlueJays) December 8, 2014
Colabello is coming off of a thumb injury he sustained against Grant Balfour, the result of getting jammed by a sinker. According to Twins beat writer Mike Berardino, surgery “has been ruled out after a series of doctor visits”. Berardino also reports that Colabello’s thumb is “almost fully healed” and that he “hopes to start his normal offseason hitting routine in the next week or two”.
Undrafted out of Assumption College, Colabello played a 7-year stint with the Independent Worcester Tornadoes in which he hit over .300 every season. In 2011, Colabello won the Baseball America Independent Leagues Player of Year, which earned him a contract with the Twins after that season. Colabello then went on to dominate the minor leagues, posting a slash of .352/.427/.639 in 2013 with 24 homeruns over 391 plate appearances—which was good enough for Colabello to take home the International League Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.
However, Colabello has struggled mightily in the majors thus far in his career—posting a .214/.284/.364 slash across 401 plate appearances from 2013-14. The right handed power hitter also has a very high K% of 30.9% across his first two major league seasons, as well.
Colabello, a depth move, will now join a crowded Toronto first base with the newly-claimed Justin Smoak and behind Edwin Encarnacion.
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