Report: Braves agree to minor-league deal with Pillar
The Atlanta Braves have added some more outfield depth, agreeing to a minor-league contract with veteran outfielder Kevin Pillar, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Pillar will earn a base salary of $3 million if he makes the team, according to O'Brien.
Pillar played just four games in the majors last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a fractured shoulder suffered in early June. He was able to take part in a rehab stint at Triple-A late in the year but never made it back to the active roster.
The 34-year-old will try to win a spot on manager Brian Snitker's bench as a late-inning defensive replacement. His competition includes fellow newcomers Sam Hilliard, Jordan Luplow, and Eli White, all of whom are on the 40-man roster. Luplow and White each have minor-league options remaining.
A former 32nd-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays, Pillar is a lifetime .259/.296/.408 hitter across parts of 10 major-league seasons with six teams. He's best known for his defensive prowess in center field, where he's accumulated 35 defensive runs saved over his career.
In Atlanta, Pillar will reunite with general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who drafted him to Toronto in 2011.