For the second straight winter, the Phillies have added a center fielder from the Twins.
This time, it's Clete Thomas, the journeyman outfielder who didn't make the team out of spring training, yet finished the season playing more games in the outfield than any other Twin. Cut from Minnesota's roster last month after batting .214 with four home runs in 92 games last season, Thomas signed a minor-league contract with Philadelphia, the Phillies announced Friday. He will be invited to spring training camp with an opportunity to make the Phillies' roster.
Last December, Philadelphia added another Twins outfielder, Ben Revere, in a trade for two pitchers, Vance Worley and Trevor May. The Phillies also signed another ex-Twins outfielder, Delmon Young, last winter, but later released him.
Thomas, originally a sixth-round draft pick by the Tigers, hit a home run in his Twins debut on April 15, 2012. He spent parts of two seasons with the Twins, batting .208 in 104 games, with 17 RBIs and 108 strikeouts. He didn't join the Twins until June 6 last season, and largely lost his job in September when the Twins traded for Alex Presley, but his 92 games in the outfield led the team, ahead of Oswaldo Arcia's 83 and Aaron Hicks' 81.
