The Marlins have signed Ty Wigginton to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite, the club announced. The 12-year MLB veteran is an ACES client.
Wigginton, 36, has spent most of his career at the corner infield, though he has seen some time up the middle and in the corner outfield. He has only played several seasons as a regular — most recently, in his 2010 All-Star year with the Orioles — but has seen at least 400 plate appearances in eight seasons. 2012 was Wigginton's last full season of MLB action. He posted a .235/.314/.375 line and eleven home runs in 360 plate appearances for the Phillies.
Wigginton has been a free agent since the Cardinals released him last July. He had signed a two-year, $5MM deal with St. Louis, but was cut loose after struggling to a .158/.238/.193 line in his first 63 plate appearances for his new club.
The Marlins entered the offseason with a hole at third and plenty of roster opportunities to compete during the spring. It could be an uphill battle for Wigginton to earn a roster spot. Among the organization's non-prospect mix, fellow minor league signee Casey McGehee figures to have the inside track at the hot corner, and Greg Dobbs makes sense as a backup or platoon-mate since he swings from the left side. Also under team control is Ed Lucas, who played 61 games at third last year for the Fish and was the team's only infielder to post a positive fWAR.
