Rockies sign Jonathan Herrera, avoid arbitration

The Colorado Rockies have come to an agreement on a one-year, $900k deal with infielder Jonathan Herrera, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post:

The #Rockies have avoided arbitration with infielder Jonathan Herrera, agreeing to a $900,000 deal, the midpoint on exchanged figures.

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) January 23, 2013

The $900k deal splits the difference between the $1 million requested by Herrera, and $800k proposed by the Rockies at the filing deadline last Friday.

Pereira, 28, has been a fixture at backup infielder role with the Rockies for the last three seasons, averaging about 90 games a year in that span. The switch-hitting infielder batted .262/.317/.351 with three home runs in his part-time role last season, splitting time between shortstop, second base, and third base.

the divide between Herrera's ability and that of starting shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is vast, so the Rockies are likely hoping to use Herrera more sparingly in the 2013 season.

Signed out of Venezuela as an amateur free agent in 2002, the 28-year-old Herrera has two more years of arbitration eligibility before he will hit the open market (following the 2015 season).