Yanks, Ryan make it official on two-year deal

The Yankees officially announced on Monday afternoon the signing of shortstop Brendan Ryan to a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2016.

The agreement is reportedly worth $5 million.

Ryan hit .220 with one home run in 17 games for the Yankees last season. He started each of the club's final 17 games at shortstop after being acquired from the Mariners on Sept. 10.

Ryan, who will turn 32 in March, is considered to be one of the Majors' best defensive shortstops, making him a potentially valuable utility man and a likely replacement for versatile infielder Jayson Nix. According to FanGraphs, Ryan recorded 22 Defensive Runs Saved in 2009 and '10, 18 in '11 and 27 in '12.

Ryan hit just .192 with three homers, 21 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 87 games for Seattle in 2013. Overall, in parts of seven Major League seasons, Ryan has a .237/.299/.320 batting line with 19 homers, 187 RBIs and 288 runs in 783 games.

Ryan was the Cardinals' seventh-round pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and played with St. Louis from 2007-10 before joining Seattle in '11.