Rangers’ Fielder nabs comeback honor

Prince Fielder was selected as the American League Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News after leading the Texas Rangers in batting average and RBIs in his first season following major neck surgery.

Fielder also popped 23 home runs, which tied with Mitch Moreland for the team lead, and his peers took note. Of the 156 players polled by The Sporting News, 112 cast their vote for Fielder.

New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez finished a distant second in the voting.

Fielder missed most of 2014 after having surgery to fix a herniated disk in his neck, an injury that caused numbness in his left arm and robbed him of his noted power. He hit only three homers and batted .247 in 42 games.

Corporan a free agent

Carlos Corporan refused outright assignment to Triple A and will become a free agent in a move that helps ease the glut of catchers on the Rangers’ roster.

Corporan, who along with Robinson Chirinos was on the Opening Day roster, was one of four catchers on the 40-man roster at the end of the season. His exit leaves Chirinos, Chris Gimenez and Bobby Wilson on the big-league roster.

The Rangers could make a move from outside with organization this off-season, but Chirinos and Gimenez rate as the favorites for the April 4 season opener. They were the two catchers on the postseason roster, and Gimenez has established himself as a personal favorite of Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish.

Outfielder Antoan Richardson, who spent the entire season on the 60-day disabled list with back and foot injuries, also refused assignment and will become a free agent.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Rangers’ Fielder nabs comeback honor."