The Texas Rangers have signed 27-year old righty swinging catcher Chris Robinson to a minor league deal. Robinson played in 66 games in AAA-ball for the Cubs last year and he was 71 for 225 (.316 avg, .740 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 1 homer, 29 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 514 games in his first 7 years in the minors and he is 487 of 1,741 (.280 avg, .689 OPS) with 170 runs scored, 12 homers, 227 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. Robinson will likely be stashed in AAA ball for the Rangers when the 2012 season starts.

The Rangers have decided not to tender a contract for 2012 to 22-year old righty reliever Fabio Castillo. Castillo pitched in 42 games (0 starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 3-6 with 9 saves, a 6.36 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. He has pitched in 179 games (30 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 13-29 with 21 saves, a 4.63 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Castillo is not a free agent and the Rangers won’t miss him too much, if at all, going forward.

UPDATE: (12/15/2011) - The Rangers have re-signed Fabio Castillo to a minor league deal.

The Rangers have signed 24-year old switch-hitting IF/OF Yangervis Solarte to a minor league deal. Solarte played in 121 games in AA-ball last year for the Twins and he was 151 of 459 (.329 avg, .834 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 7 homers, 49 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. He has now played in 409 games in is first six years in the minors and he is 431 of 1,495 (.288 avg, .732 OPS) with 197 runs scored, 18 homers, 183 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. Solarte will get a shot to win a bench job with the Rangers next spring.

The Rangers have signed 27-year old switch-hitting 2B/SS Luis Hernandez to a minor league deal. Hernandez played in 121 games in AAA-ball for the Mets last year and he was 97 of 404 (.240 avg, .612 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 6 homers, 54 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. He last played in the majors back in 2010 with the Mets. Hernandez has played in 120 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 65 for 265 (.245 avg, .584 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 3 homers, 20 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Hernandez will have a decent shot of making the Rangers as a utility infielder next spring.

The Rangers have signed 29-year old righty swinging catcher Dusty Brown to a minor league deal. Brown played in 11 games for the Pirates last year and he was 3 for 28 (.107 avg, .245 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers, 0 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He also played in 54 games in AAA-ball for the Pirates last year and he was 49 for 172 (.285 avg, .873 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 7 homers and 28 RBIs. Brown has now played in 25 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 7 for 43 (.163 avg, .456 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer, 3 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Brown will replace Taylor Teagarden in AAA this year, and he will be insurance at catcher in case Yorvit Torrealba or Mike Napoli get injured in 2012.