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The Dodgers have signed free agent Buck Britton to a minor league contract, the infielder tweeted on Saturday. That minor league deal includes an invitation to spring training, per Roch Kubatko of MASN, making Britton the first known non-roster invitee to Dodgers big league camp at Camelback Ranch.
Britton hit .289/.345/.453 with 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 37 walks in 120 games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2014, the third consecutive season he has bounced between Double-A and Triple-A.
The Orioles drafted Britton, who will be 29 in May, in the 35th round in 2008 out of Lubbock Christian University in Texas. He is the older brother of Baltimore closer Zach Britton.
Congrats to @BuckInHere on signing with the @Dodgers . Hate to see him leave the O's but excited for his new opportunity.
— Zach Britton (@zbritton) November 22, 2014
Britton the elder played 84 games at third base in 2014, 23 games at second base and eight games at first base. He has bounced around all over the field throughout his minor league career, playing every position but catcher and center field. Though with 211 games at second base and 190 at third base those are his two most common positions.
Britton even pitched in two games for Norfolk in 2014, allowing one run and two hits in two innings.
He hit .250/.301/.447 with four home runs in 23 games with Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League, where he was teammates with Joc Pederson. Britton played second base, third base, first base and left field for Escogido.
The left-handed-batting Britton hit .307/.356/.500 with 14 home runs against right-handed pitching in 2014, and in the last three years has hit .285/.341/.436 against right-handers with 29 home runs in 1,034 plate appearances. He was in the Orioles' system for seven years before becoming a minor league free agent in early November.
Thank you @Orioles organization for everything, but it's time to look forward to my new opportunity with the @Dodgers #blessed
— Buck Britton (@BuckInHere) November 22, 2014
The Dodgers haven't yet announced dates for spring training at Camelback Ranch for 2015, though per the collective bargaining agreement pitchers and catchers can't be required to report earlier than Feb. 19.