Boston Red Sox: Another Free Agent Signing, but Who Is Jason Repko?

This signing happened on January 10, and it was so low-profile that even the Red Sox Prospects website missed it.

"Repko is your classic replacement-level outfielder, and has been bouncing between Triple-A and the majors since 2006," Chris Hatfield wrote on that site this week. The scouting report on Repko is that he is considered a "solid defender who can handle all three outfield positions adequately." 

Repko has some speed, but not exceptional speed; he also has shown some power, but not consistently.

He has a career batting average of .226, with an OBP of less than .300 in parts of six major league seasons.

Repko provides cheap, experienced outfield insurance for the Red Sox, especially for the first few weeks of the season when Carl Crawford will evidently still be on the DL.

He was drafted by the Dodgers as a shortstop in the first round of the 1999 draft. He had also pitched in high school, with a 94-mph fastball. The Dodgers switched him to centerfield in 2002 in Vero Beach, and he made the Florida State League All-Star team.

Now 31, he has never lived up to his early promise because of one injury after another. Although he played in 128 games for the Dodgers in 2005, has not reached even 70 appearances since.

Repko began the 2006 season with the Dodgers as a fourth outfielder. Then he suffered a bad left ankle sprain in early May, causing him to be out for 67 games.

Two hamstring tears, a broken vertebra and a high ankle sprain all followed. 

He came to bat only 18 times in 2008 and just five times in 2009. The Dodgers finally released him at the end of 2010 spring training.

At that time Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times described his departure after 11 years in the Dodger organization as "another disappointing ending to a once promising young career, another good player who ultimately was not quite good enough to stick in the majors." 

Minnesota picked him up a few days later due to injuries in their outfield, and he played in 125 games the last two seasons for the Twins.

A likable, easy-going guy in the clubhouse, Repko is also known for playing hard. Last July, Jim Thome told George Castle of the Northwest Indiana Times, "He'll run through that bleacher out there," pointing at U. S. Cellular Field's right-field stands.

In other words, another Youkilis, without the attitude.

"Honestly, I'm 30 years old in my 13th professional season," Repko said to Castle. "I don't look that far ahead. I've learned to take it day by day. I'm happy I'm here in the big leagues now. I know things can change at any given point in time."

They did, about a month later.

According to TwinkieTown, a Twins' blog on SBNation, Minnesota needed to drop an outfielder so they could activate Justin Morneau. "They chose Repko. And then made up an injury for him."

This possibly phantom shoulder bursitis DL-trip enabled the Twins to keep Repko until the rosters expanded on September 1, thus saving his one remaining triple-A option.

In what some might view as poetic justice, Repko was hit in the helmet by a Justin Masterson pitch on September 21, causing a concussion that ended his season.

He became a free agent again in mid-October.

Time will only tell if he can provide some depth for the Red Sox outfield (without getting injured himself) while helping to fill in for the injured Crawford for the first few weeks of the upcoming season.