JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Crawford and St. Louis finalized a $2 million, one-year contract on Tuesday, giving the Cardinals an experienced backup for young shortstop Masyn Winn.
The 37-year-old Crawford spent his first 13 seasons with San Francisco. He won four Gold Gloves and two World Series championships with the Giants.
“We’re excited to be adding a player with the winning credentials and pedigree of a Brandon Crawford,” Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said in a statement. “He is someone that will provide us with valuable depth and experience on the infield, and can also be a great resource for our younger players, such as Masyn Winn.”
Winn, who turns 22 next month, made his big league debut last year. He hit .172 (21 for 122) with two homers and 12 RBIs in 37 games with St. Louis.
Crawford was selected by San Francisco in the fourth round of the 2008 amateur draft out of UCLA. The three-time All-Star played with St. Louis sluggers Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt on the U.S. in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
To make room for Crawford on the 40-man roster, the Cardinals designated infielder Buddy Kennedy for assignment.
Crawford appeared in 94 games in his final year in San Francisco, hitting .194 with seven homers and 38 RBIs. He had his best big league season in 2021, setting career highs with 24 homers, 90 RBIs, 11 steals and a .298 batting average in 138 games.
He is a .250 hitter with 146 homers and 744 RBIs in 1,655 career regular-season games.
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