MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins avoided arbitration with infielder Alexi Casilla, signing him Wednesday to a one-year contract.
Casilla, 27, will earn $1,382,500 in 2012. He made $865,000 during the 2011 season. The Twins have now signed all three of their arbitration-eligible players, as they reached deals with pitchers Francisco Liriano and Glen Perkins in mid-January.
This past year, Casilla missed time with a hamstring injury and played just 97 games. He batted .260 with a .322 on-base percentage and stole 15 bases. Casilla began the season as Minnesota's shortstop but moved to second base when Tsuyoshi Nishioka broke his leg early in the year.
Casilla was placed on the disabled list in late July and tried to come back in early August. But he played just one game before going back on the DL for the rest of the season.
"It was frustrating because I was feeling great and that if I were to be playing, I knew I was going to help the team a lot," Casilla said last month at TwinsFest. "It was a tough moment for me. I knew I could do something to help but I couldn't help. I came back from the DL and started playing Cleveland again and got hurt so it was frustrating."
The Twins acquired veteran infielder Jamey Carroll this offseason, and they see Carroll as a potential every-day shortstop. That means Casilla will likely be slotted as Minnesota's starting second baseman. Casilla has spent most of his career at second, playing 284 games there compared to just 66 at shortstop. He committed 11 total errors in 2011 — five in 36 games at shortstop and six in 56 games at second base.
Casilla said he's open to playing either position in 2012.
"You know, when you play one position and then you start playing another one, you need time, like 2-3 games to get used to it," he said. "You feel a little weird but that's part of the job. You gotta do what you gotta do."
Minnesota's pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., this Saturday. Full-team workouts begin Feb. 24.
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