Orioles sign Ishikawa, Schlereth, Braddock to minor-league deals

The Baltimore Orioles have signed first baseman Travis Ishikawa and left-handers Daniel Schlereth and Zach Braddock to minor-league deals with invitations to spring training in March, the team has announced.

Ishikawa, 29, spent the 2012 season splitting time at first base and right field for the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .257/.329/.428 with four home runs in 94 games. The lefty hitter has never boasted much power, and has been right around replacement level in his five big-league seasons, but he does give the Orioles depth at first base if they need it to make up for the loss of Mark Reynolds.

Schlereth, 26, appeared in just six games for the Tigers in 2012, posting a 10.29 ERA in seven innings. The southpaw spent a majority of the season on the disabled list with a rotator cuff strain and was eventually released by Detroit at the end of last month. Schlereth has put up pretty decent numbers when healthy -- he owns a career 4.35 ERA in 93 innings over four years -- but he has always struggled with walks (5.9 BB/9).

Braddock, 25, was released by the Brewers in early May and did not end up pitching in the majors this past season. The once-promising left-hander has had a strange assortment of maladies over his career -- including a sleep disorder and ulnar nerve transposition surgery -- that have limited his time on the mound the last few seasons. Braddock posted a solid 2.94 ERA in 46 appearances with the Brew Crew in his rookie 2010 season, but then put up a 7.27 ERA in 25 appearances the following year.