MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Brewers and infielder Craig Counsell have agreed to a $1.4 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press.
The person spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the deal won't become final until Counsell passes a physical.
The 40-year-old Counsell has played each of his last four seasons in Milwaukee. Last year, he hit .250 with two homers and 21 RBIs in 102 games.
Counsell's deal includes $450,000 in performance bonuses based on games and games started. He may have an expanded opportunity for playing time after the Brewers sent starting shortstop Alcides Escobar to Kansas City as part of a six-player deal for Zack Greinke.
Milwaukee also claimed right-hander Roque Mercedes off waivers from the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, a little over a year after trading him away to Arizona.
The 24-year-old Mercedes went 3-4 with a 4.36 ERA in 38 relief appearances last season at Arizona's Double-A Mobile farm team after being traded in July 2009 along with outfielder Cole Gillespie for Felipe Lopez.
Mercedes spent his first 4½ years in the Brewers organization, never advancing beyond Double-A.
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AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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