WASHINGTON -- The Nationals added bench depth to the organization by signing infielder Steve Lombardozzi to a Minor League deal on Monday, a team source confirmed to MLB.com. Lombardozzi is expected to report to Triple-A Syracuse this week.
This will be Lombardozzi's second stint with the Nats. He was with the big league club from 2011-13 and was a successful utility player before he was traded to the Tigers as part of a four-player deal that brought right-hander Doug Fister to Washington on Dec. 2, 2013.
During his time with the Nationals, Lombardozzi, who was drafted by the organization in the 19th round of the 2008 Draft, played every infield position except for first base. He also played quite a bit of left field, and he was the team's best pinch-hitter, batting a team-leading .295 (13-for-44) off the bench in 2013.
Lombardozzi was playing for the Maryland Blue Crabs, an independent league team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and he was hitting .367 before signing with Washington. He also spent time in the Orioles and White Sox organizations.