Braves and catcher A.J. Pierzynski agree to terms on one-year deal
Catcher returns for his 19th Major League campaign
The Atlanta Braves today agreed to terms with catcher A.J. Pierzynski on a one-year contract for the 2016 season. Financial terms of the deal were not announced.
Pierzynski, who turns 39 on December 30, signed with the Braves as a free agent for the 2015 season and had a fine campaign, batting .300 with 24 doubles, nine home runs and 49 RBI in 113 games. He hit .327 after July 1, which ranked second among all Major League catchers. Pierzynski's 392 career doubles rank sixth all-time among catchers, while his 1,989 base hits ranks 10th among all backstops.
The 2016 season will mark the 19th at the Major League level for Pierzynski, who spent his first six seasons (1998-2003) with Minnesota after being drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 1994 draft. He spent one year (2004) with the San Francisco Giants before moving to the Chicago White Sox for eight seasons (2005-12), the Texas Rangers for one (2013) and splitting the 2014 season between Boston and St. Louis.
A two-time All-Star selection (2002 and '06), Pierzynski claimed the American League Silver Slugger Award in 2012, when he posted a .278 average with 27 homers and 77 RBI for the White Sox.
He has played at least 100 games in each of the last 15 seasons and has compiled a .282 career batting average with 792 runs scored, 186 home runs, 392 doubles and 886 RBI in 1,978 games. He has averaged 65 runs, 32 doubles, 15 home runs and 73 RBI per 162 games played over his career.
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