According to a report from Jon Heyman, the Cubs signed George Kottaras to a one-year, $1.075 million contract for the 2014 season. The Cubs avoided arbitration by agreeing to the one-year deal with Kottaras.
The one-year contract reportedly includes an incentives package.
With Kottaras signed for next season, the Cubs have 10 players on the 40-man roster arbitration eligible for next season. The deadline to tender contracts to those 10 players is 10:59pm CST on Monday night (Dec. 2).
According to multiple reports on Monday, the Cubs will not tender RHP Daniel Bard a contract for next season. The Cubs have not made an official announcement on Bard.
George Kottaras will report to Spring Training as the Cubs’ backup catcher to Welington Castillo. Kottaras will still have to make the team and his contract does not become guaranteed until he breaks camp on the active roster.
Kottaras hit .180/.349/.370/.719 with four doubles and five home runs in 46 games with the Royals last season. Kottaras owns a .218/.331/.406 slash line in 174 games over three seasons with the Brewers. The left-handed catcher hit 22 doubles, two triples and 17 home runs during his time in Milwaukee.
George Kottaras’ Page on Baseball-Reference
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