JACKSON &045; You can add Josh Hoffpauir to that list of independent leaguers who found their way back to the affiliated ranks.

Hoffpauir’s stint with the Central League Jackson Senators didn’t last until the All-Star break as he was sold to the Texas Rangers organization late Tuesday. It’s the fourth affiliated organization for the former Vidalia and Southern Miss star and his fifth overall after spending a half a season with the Senators.

But now he has another shot after coming up short in spring training with Seattle after entering camp with high hopes.

&uot;They’re looking for a middle infielder, and they needed somebody right now,&uot; Hoffpauir said. &uot;Supposedly the rumor is they’re trying to make some trades. They’re trying to make some deals. That’s all I know. With this business you don’t ever really know. But right now I’ll take it as an opportunity. If I go in and do well, I’ll move up quick.&uot;

Hoffpauir’s first assignment will be at Stockton of the Class A California League, the same league he played in while a member of the Modesto A’s back in the early part of the 2002 season.

It’s connections with the A’s that got the Rangers lined up with him &045; Grady Fuson is now an assistant general with the Rangers after working in the A’s organization as a scouting director.

A starting infielder in the higher classes in the organization went down with a broken leg and is out for the season, Hoffpauir said, and Fuson needed somebody to come in quick. The Rangers’ Class AA affiliate is in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas, and their triple-A affiliate is in Oklahoma City.

&uot;That’s how all of it came about,&uot; Hoffpauir said. &uot;They needed a middle infielder. My manager called me in (Tuesday) and threw it out there &045; ‘What do you think of this?’

&uot;From what I understand, they don’t expect me to be (at Stockton) more than a week. They really need somebody to play second. They don’t think they have any younger guys ready. They needed an older guy who’s been around.&uot;

Hoffpauir enters the organization after putting up modest numbers with the Senators in just a little over half a season. He played every game for the Sens up until the call on Tuesday and became the fourth player from the Central League sold to an affiliated club already this season.

Hoffpauir was hitting .269 with 54 hits, 36 runs scored, 13 doubles and 20 runs batted in for the Senators. His 11 stolen bases was a team high, and his strikeout total is pretty respectable with just 19 whiffs in 201 at-bats.

It’s the first affiliated organization for the brother of another pro baseball player since he last played in 2003 with Baltimore’s Class AA affiliate in Bowie, Md. He was with the Seattle Mariners in spring training but didn’t make the cut for the team’s Class AAA affiliate after he went down with a pulled hamstring.

The hamstring is better, and the only injury to report is a little nagging thumb.

&uot;Just go there, do well and hopefully move up the ladder later in the year,&uot; Hoffpauir said. &uot;They want to evaluate me and see where I fit into their organization. It depends on what they want to do. I’ll be the first guy they move up being the older guy. It may be as a utility guy, but that’s something I’m willing to do.&uot;