By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — It appears that former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Ben Revere is headed to his fifth big league organization over the last four seasons.
On Sunday, the 29-year-old signed with the Cincinnati Reds to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Revere will earn $1 million to $1.5 million if he earns a spot on the Reds' Opening Day roster, according to FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman.
The Reds' active roster already features a center fielder with similar attributes as Revere, Billy Hamilton. Hamilton, 27, has slightly more power and much more speed on the base paths than Revere. The switch-hitting, five-year veteran has stolen at least 50 bases in each of the last four seasons. Revere, on the other hand, has only stolen 66 bases over the last three seasons combined. Perhaps Revere will serve as a minor league insurance option for the Reds, with outfielders Aristides Aquino, Adam Duvall, Phillip Ervin, Scott Schebler, Jose Siri and Jesse Winker also already on the active roster.
Revere batted .275/.308/.344 with 16 extra-base hits and 20 RBIs in 109 at-bats last season with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Atlanta, Georgia native rebounded nicely from a disappointing 2016 season with the Washington Nationals in which he produced a career-low .217/.260/.300 slash.
Revere hit .303/.331/.363 in two-plus seasons with the Phillies from 2013-2015, before being dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31, 2015 in exchange for minor league right-handers Alberto Tirado and Jimmy Cordero. The Phillies originally acquired Revere in December of 2012 from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handers Trevor May and Vance Worley.