The Washington Nationals have signed Dan Uggla and Heath Bell to similar minor league deals with invitations to major league spring training, the team announced Friday.
Last season, Uggla played for Atlanta for the first half of the season, before being released at the All- Star break. He then signed with the San Francisco Giants, playing only four games before being released. He did not play the rest of the season in the majors.
Uggla, age 34, was drafted in the 11th round of the 2001 MLB draft by the Marlins, making his major league debut on April 3rd, 2006 for Florida. He played for the Marlins for five years before joining the Braves. He batted .162 for the Braves before being released.
Last season, Bell threw 17 innings for Tampa Bay, with an ERA of 7.27, before joining the Yankees farm system, where he did not have success and was released in early June.
The Nationals also announced similar deals Friday with third baseman Ian Stewart, first baseman Clint Robinson and right-handed pitchers Scott McGregor and Mitch Lively.
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