The Red Sox have optioned newly acquired infielder Kevin Frandsen and catcher Dusty Brown to Triple-A Pawtucket, the team announced Monday.
Frandsen had appeared in just one Grapefruit League game after getting traded Friday from San Francisco for a player to be named later or cash. He was picked up to provide depth in the infield, especially with no timetable for the return of Jed Lowrie, who is out with mononucleosis.
Manager Terry Francona said that all the position players in camp have been talked to and are aware of their standing. The Frandsen move may open the door for Tug Hulett to break camp with the club.
Hulett leads the Sox with 13 RBIs this spring.
Brown, 27, has spent the majority of the last two seasons at Pawtucket. He also appeared in six games for the Sox last season, getting into the club record books as the only catcher to ever pitch in a game. He threw an inning against Toronto in late September.
Brown was 7-for-22 (.318) this spring.
The Sox also reassigned third baseman Jorge Jimenez and catcher Gustavo Molina to the minor league camp Monday. Molina was 5-for-5 in Grapefruit League play.
Boston now has 35 players in its major league camp, including five non-roster invitees.
