Seattle Mariners sign catcher Chris Iannetta to one-year contract

The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent catcher Chris Iannetta to a one-year contract reportedly worth $4.25 million.

The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent catcher Chris Iannetta to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday. The contract is reportedly worth $4.25 million with an option for 2017, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports.

Iannetta is expected to be the Mariners’ starting catcher heading into next season. The team designated catcher John Hicks for assignment to make room for Iannetta on the roster.

Iannetta, 32, is a former fourth-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies and spent six seasons with the team before joining the Los Angeles Angels in 2012. He has caught 852 games over the course of his career and has a .232 career batting average. Last season, he hit .188/.293/.335 in 317 plate appearances over 92 games for the Angels with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs.

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Seattle’s new general manger Jerry Dipoto said Iannetta “is a good candidate for a bounce-back season offensively.”

- Xandria James