Nationals sign Uggla to Minor League deal
Three-time All-Star second baseman has played for Marlins, Braves and Giants
WASHINGTON -- The Nationals signed second baseman Dan Uggla to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training on Friday.
Uggla has struggled the past three years, hitting a combined .194 with 43 home runs for the Braves and Giants. He was selected by the D-backs in the 11th round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, when Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was Arizona's scouting director.
Before 2012, Uggla was considered one of the best hitting second basemen in the league. He's a three-time All-Star and has hit 30 or more home runs in a season five times. His best year was 2010, when he hit .287 with 33 home runs and 105 RBIs for the Marlins.
The Nationals have been searching for a second baseman since Asdrubal Cabrera became a free agent this offseason.