Six years after he was traded away, one year after he feared his career was over, shortstop Jason Bartlett is back with the Twins.
Bartlett, who batted .272 in three seasons with the Twins before being shipped to Tampa Bay as part of the deal that brought Delmon Young to Minnesota, has signed a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, espn.com reported Monday.
Bartlett played three seasons with the Rays and was named to the All-Star team in 2009, before being traded to San Diego, where he played two seasons. After the Padres released him in August 2011, Bartlett remained out of baseball in 2012.
Bartlett, now 34, figures to compete for a utility infield spot on the Twins' roster next season. The Oklahoma alum was batting only .133 when released by San Diego, but he's a .271 career hitter and has played his entire career at shortstop. Pedro Florimon is the Twins' incumbent at shortstop, after a season in which he was named the Twins' top defensive player.
