Kansas City Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has agreed to terms on one-year contracts with right-handed pitcher Louis Coleman, catcher Tony Cruz, outfielder Jarrod Dyson, catcher Drew Butera and pitcher Danny Duffy for the 2016 season, avoiding arbitration. Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Coleman, 29, pitched in both Kansas City and Omaha (AAA) last season, making 38 appearances for the Storm Chasers, where he was 8-2 with a 1.69 ERA. He pitched in four games with Kansas City during September, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings.
Cruz, 29, was acquired by the Royals on December 2, after spending the 2015 season with the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit .204 last season with seven doubles, two homers and 11 RBI in 69 games.
Dyson, 31, played in 90 games with the Royals during the 2015 campaign, hitting .250 with eight doubles, six triples, two homers and 26 stolen bases in 29 attempts. He scored the go-ahead run in the 12th inning in Game #5 of the World Series as Kansas City clinched its first championship in 30 years.
Butera, 32, was acquired by the club on May 7 and hit .198 with three doubles, a homer and nine runs scored in 55 games with Kansas City. He played in three postseason games, which included catching the final out in the 2015 World Series.
Duffy, 27, made 30 appearances and 24 starts for the Royals in 2015, posting a 7-8 record with a 4.08 ERA. He earned a win in Game #2 of the American League Championship Series as KC rallied for 6-3 triumph over Toronto.
The signings of five players today leave the Royals with just two unsigned arbitration-eligible players: third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder Lorenzo Cain.