The St. Louis Cardinals have signed infielder Alex Cora to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, according to stltoday.com.

The Cardinals are looking to rebuild their championship following the departure franchise keystone Albert Pujols. The team currently has SS Rafael Furcal and 2B Skip Schumaker manning the middle infield, but Cora offers the defensive strength and flexibility of a suitable backup or utility player.

Over the last three seasons, Cora has hit a ghastly .232/.296/.292 while splitting time with the New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals. The 36-year-old infielder can play both shortstop and second base, and also has MLB experience at first and third.

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