SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Texas Rangers signed utility player Tyler Wade to a minor league contract in the midst of the winter meetings.
A phone call with first-year manager Skip Schumaker was enough to convince the veteran that the Rangers were a worthy employer.
“Honestly, Skip called me, and we just talked for a little bit,” Wade said Monday morning. “I’ve always admired Skip and the way guys talk about him that played for him. His career was kind of like how my career is. He understands it, and understands how vital this role is on a winning team. He kind of just conveyed to me, ‘Hey, man, come in, do your thing and compete.’”
Wade, 31, is in the thick of competition for a spot on the Texas bench. He’s slashed .600/.647/.933 in seven Cactus League games, has played shortstop, center field, right field, designated hitter and will soon see some time at first base.
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“He is a perfect role player, in my opinion, because he can do so many things,” Schumaker said. “He brings a different element. There’s a different vibe in there with him around inside the clubhouse and inside the dugout. He’s high energy, sort of an all-or-nothing kind of guy, which is great. He gives you everything he has every day which, as a bench player, that’s part of the role, to bring some sort of value to the clubhouse and the vibes and positivity to get the guys going.”
Wade played six different positions for the San Diego Padres last season and has started at every position except first base and catcher in his nine-year big league career. The Rangers will need defensive versatility on their bench if super utility man Josh Smith wins the second base job. Wade has more experience in a flex role than any other candidate on the roster and is in competition alongside infielder Ezequiel Duran, infielder Cody Freeman, outfielder Michael Helman and outfielder Alejandro Osuna for one of the final roster spots.
Schumaker said Wade’s short, compact swing fits as a pinch hitter. Wade said he’s made adjustments to his swing in order to shift away from pull-hitter tendencies and revert back to the all-fields approach he prioritized early in his career. Two years ago with the Padres, he pulled 44% of all balls; last season it dropped to 33%.
It’s helped him to a fast start in camp.
“That’s all you can ask for,” Wade said, “being able to compete for a job.”
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