Red Sox sign Alex Rodriguez’s nephew to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent infielder Joe Dunand to a minor-league contract, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log. It is unclear if the deal comes with an invite to major-league spring training, but Dunand has been assigned to Triple-A Worcester.

Dunand, 28, is the nephew of former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. The Miami native was originally selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2017 amateur draft out of North Carolina State and broke in at the major-league level in May 2022.

Appearing in just three games for the Fish, Dunand went 3-for-10 with one double, one home run, one RBI, two runs scored, and three strikeouts while seeing playing time at second and third base. The right-handed hitter was designated for assignment shorty after making his debut and was quickly claimed off waivers by the Braves, but he has not seen any big-league action since.

Instead, after subsequently being outrighted off the Braves’ 40-man roster, Dunand spent the entirety of the 2023 campaign with Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. He batted .268/.362/.481 with 19 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 52 RBIs, 49 runs scored, three stolen bases, 45 walks, and 107 strikeouts in 95 games (403 plate appearances) for the Stripers before being granted free agency this past November.

Altogether, Dunand is a lifetime .238/.318/.383 hitter with 97 doubles, 51 homers, 224 runs driven in, 225 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 178 walks, and 541 strikeouts in 519 career minor-league games (2,057 plate appearances). That includes a .233/.325/.407 slash line in 249 games at the Triple-A level.

Defensively, Dunand has started games at first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field over the course of his professional career. With Gwinnett last year, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder logged 299 1/3 innings at first base, 263 2/3 innings at third base, and 47 1/3 innings in left field. He also made 23 starts at DH.

Dunand, who does not turn 29 until September, figures to provide the Red Sox with experienced infield/outfield depth at Worcester this coming season. He has two minor-league options remaining, so that could help his case if he is needed in Boston at any point in 2024.