February 10, 2016
Pat Sullivan/AP
Los Angeles Angels second baseman Taylor Featherston, acquired by the Phillies on Wednesday, goes high to throw to first base on a Houston Astros' Matt Duffy single in the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
The ever-changing Phillies 40-man roster underwent another alteration on Wednesday, a week before pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater, Fla.
The Phillies acquired infielder Taylor Featherston from the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named later or cash, the team announced. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Phillies designated reliever Bobby LaFromboise for assignment.
LaFromboise had been claimed off waivers from the Angels less than two weeks ago – on Jan. 29 – in the roster move that ended former first-round pick Jesse Biddle’s time on the 40-man roster. Biddle was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for reliever Yoervis Medina last week.
If you’re having trouble keeping up: Medina and Featherston will be in big league camp with the Phillies this month. LaFromboise, like Dan Otero and A.J. Achier before him, was claimed and designated off the roster before even getting outfitted in a Phillies uniform.
Featherston, 26, is a former Rule 5 pick who played in 101 games (42 starts) with the Angels in 2015. The Houston native and Texas Christian University product hit .162 with a .459 OPS in 169 plate appearances with Los Angeles last season.
Featherston played second base (28 games), shortstop (19) and third base (18) for the Angels. A .247 hitter in parts of five minor league seasons in the Colorado Rockies and Angels farm systems, Featherston is likely headed for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in April, where he’ll give the Phillies organizational depth in the infield.
