The St. Louis Cardinals have signed infielder Lance Zawadzki to a minor league contract, according to the Pacific Coast League's official transactions page. Zawadzki has been assigned to Triple-A Memphis, where he's already made his debut with the team.
After spending the first four years of his minor league career in the San Diego Padres system, Zawadzki has bounced around a bunch of organizations. In 2011, he played for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate, and he's spent time with the Braves' and Dodgers' Triple-A affiliates this year, as well.
The 27-year-old had flashed potential during his initial climb up the minor league ladder, but things have stalled badly in Triple-A. Over 776 plate appearances at that level, Zawadzki has hit just .231/.286/.343, struggling to get on base or hit for power. At this point, his defensive versatility is presumably the primary appeal that he has to big league organizations.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more in-depth coverage of this series, head over to St. Louis Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos and Phillies blog The Good Phight . For more news and notes from around the world of professional baseball, visit Baseball Nation.
