Padres sign veteran Cedeno to Minor League deal

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have signed veteran shortstop Ronny Cedeno to a Minor League contract and assigned him to Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore on Saturday.

San Diego general manager Josh Byrnes confirmed that the signing of Cedeno is insurance in case All-Star shortstop Everth Cabrera is levied a suspension for violating baseball's Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Cabrera was linked to Biogenesis, the South Florida clinic that's under investigation for allegedly supplying certain players with banned substances. He could be among a handful of players who may get suspended.

Cabrera entered Saturday's game with the Yankees hitting .285 with a National League-leading 37 steals. He was in the starting lineup, hitting leadoff, for the second game of a three-game series.

Cedeno, 30, was released by the Astros on July 27.

Cedeno, who has played parts of nine seasons in the big leagues with five different teams, was to be in the starting lineup for the Padres' California League affiliate on Saturday.

Cedeno spent the last two days working out at the team's temporary Minor League facility in Surprise, Ariz., before heading to Lake Elsinore -- one hour or so north of San Diego -- earlier on Saturday.

The Padres intend to use infielder Logan Forsythe at shortstop if Cabrera misses any substantial period of time and could use Alexi Amarista there as well. Forsythe, who can play anywhere in the infield, has been fielding ground balls at shortstop before games for no fewer than 10 days.

Cedeno, a career .245 hitter, has played 616 career games at shortstop in the big leagues. He was hitting .220 in 51 games at the time he was released by the Astros.