The Cubs announced Tuesday the team re-signed INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio to a minor league contract. Bonifacio was assigned to Triple-A Iowa and he was added to Iowa’s active roster.
Emilio Bonifacio inked a minor league contract with the Cubs in February 2014 after he was released by the Royals. Bonifacio was added to the 40-man before the season and spent the first four months of the year with the Cubs.
Bonifacio batted .279/.318/.373 with 14 doubles, three triples and two home runs for a .692 OPS in 69 games for the Cubs a year ago. The switch-hitting utility man stole 14 bases and was caught six times.
Emilio Bonifacio, along with James Russell, was dealt to the Braves at the deadline for catching prospect Victor Caratini.
Bonifacio did not hit in the 41 games he played for the Braves, just a .212/.273/.280 line with three doubles, a triple and a home run. Bonifacio did steal 12 bases with the Braves and was caught twice.
In 110 games between the Cubs and Braves in 2014, Bonifacio hit .259/.305/.345 with 17 doubles, four triples and three home runs for a .650 OPS. Bonifacio was 26-for-34 in stolen base attempts.
Bonifacio signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the White Sox in January that included a club option for 2016. And he really struggled on the South Side.
In 47 games, Bonifacio batted only .167/.198/.192 with two doubles and one stolen base (1-for-5 in stolen base attempts).
The White Sox designated Emilio Bonifacio for assignment on Aug. 16 and he was released Aug. 18. Bonifacio became a free agent and could sign with any team.
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are obviously familiar with Bonifacio from the five months he spent with the Cubs last year. Bonifacio has a good reputation as a solid clubhouse guy and good teammate.
The additions of Emilio Bonifacio and Quintin Berry give the Cubs options to choose from in the system before the roster is expanded next Tuesday. Both Berry and Bonifacio could help fill a role on the Cubs bench in September as a pinch-runner for late game situations.
With the 40-man roster currently at 40 players, there could be a fair amount of player movement in the next six days for the Chicago Cubs.
• Emilio Bonifacio’s Page on Baseball-Reference