The Yankees reached agreement Tuesday on a minor-league contract with one-time Cubs ace Mark Prior.
The Yankees see it as a low-risk chance if Prior can finally rekindle what once looked like the most promising of careers. Prior has not pitched in the majors since 2006 when he went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA for the Cubs. He has been beset by arm issues.
The Yankees plan to look at him as a reliever and decided to take the chance on the 30-year-old righty because:
1) He is inexpensive. The contract is worth $750,000 if he makes the club with $800,000 in incentives based on innings pitched.
2) New pitching coach Larry Rothschild knows Prior from their Cub days together.
3) Yankees reports on Prior in independent ball last August then with the Rangers’ Triple-A squad were good. He was throwing his fastball at 90 mph again, touching 92 and displaying savvy.