PHOENIX (AP)—Cody Ransom has signed a minor league contract with the
Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 35-year-old infielder, who grew up in the Phoenix area, appeared in 12
games for the Diamondbacks last season. He had five hits in 33 at-bats,
including two doubles and a home run. He also has had stints with four other
major league clubs since 2001.

Ransom spent most of last season with Reno, Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate,
where he hit .317 with 27 home runs and 92 RBIs.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated infielder Cody Ransom for assignment to make room on the 25-man roster for newly acquired infielders Aaron Hill and John McDonald.

Hill and McDonald were acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for infielder Kelly Johnson on Tuesday.

Hill, 29, hit .225 (89-for-396) with 15 doubles, a triple, 6 home runs and 45 RBI in 104 games with the Blue Jays this season.

McDonald, 36, hit .250 (42-for-168) with 8 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs and 20 RBI in 65 games with the Blue Jays. He has seen action at second base, shortstop and third base this season and posted a .986 fielding percentage with 3 errors in 67 games.

Ransom, 35, hit .152 (5-for-33) with 2 doubles, a home run and 4 RBI in 12 games for the D-Backs.

Published: Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 3:33 PM     Updated: Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 3:38 PM

The Arizona Diamondbacks optioned outfielder Cole Gillespie to Triple-A Reno on Sunday.

Gillespie, out of Oregon State and West Linn High School, appeared in 12 spring training games with the Diamondbacks and batted .111 (3 of 18).

Gillespie appeared in 45 games for the Diamondbacks last year batting .231 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

– Aaron Fentress, follow him on Twitter

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced they have avoided arbitration and agreed to terms with catcher Miguel Montero on a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.

Profile: Miguel Montero

Montero, 27, hit .266 (79-for-297) with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 9 home runs and 43 RBI in 85 games last season while missing a total of 57 games after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Montero committed a career-low 2 errors in 522 total chances in 79 games behind the plate to post a .996 fielding percentage, which tied for tops in the Majors among catchers with a minimum of 75 games played.

Over parts of 5 seasons with the D-Backs, Montero has batted .267 (303-for-1136) with 151 runs scored, 74 doubles, 3 triples, 40 home runs and 160 RBI in 373 career games, including 321 games (282 starts) at catcher. Among National League catchers since 2007 with a minimum of 1,100 plate appearances, he ranks fourth with a .443 slugging percentage; seventh with a .267 batting average; eighth with 36 home runs; and 10th with a .329 on-base percentage.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached a preliminary agreement with free agent Xavier Nady and project him as the team’s primary left fielder.

An announcement is expected once medical exam documents are completed. Nady hit .256 with six home runs and 33 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs last season. He underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2009. The 32-year-old outfielder is a career .277 hitter with 93 home runs and 358 RBIs.

Earlier this week, the Diamondbacks reached a deal with 39-year-old catcher Henry Blanco to back up Miguel Montero.

— The Associated Press