Royals sign Donald, Mesa to Minor League deals

The Royals on Saturday signed former Indians utility man Jason Donald and former Yankees outfielder Melky Mesa to Minor League contracts. The club also said it would announce at a later date whether either player would get an invitation to big league Spring Training camp.

Donald, 29, spent the 2013 season with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate, but he appeared in the Majors for Cleveland in three straight seasons from 2010-12, playing a career-high 88 games in 2010. He is a right-handed hitter with a .257 average, 39 extra-base hits and 43 RBIs in 170 big league games.

Mesa is 26 and played in five games for the Yankees last season, going 5-for-13 with two doubles and two runs scored. He also hit .261 in 84 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with 15 doubles, 13 homers and 39 RBIs.

Mesa's best season was 2012, when he hit a combined .264 with 23 homers and 67 RBIs between Double-A Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.