Milwaukee Brewers sign Alfredo Figaro

The Milwaukee Brewers have signed right-hander Alfredo Figaro to a minor league contract, the team has announced.

Figaro's new deal with the Brewers includes an invitation to major league spring training.

Figaro last appeared at the major league level with the Detroit Tigers in 2010. He spent parts of the 2009-10 seasons with the Tigers, maintaining a 6.54 ERA with 6.0 strikeouts and 5.1 walks per nine innings over 13 appearances spanning 31 2/3 innings.

The 28-year-old was signed by the Tigers out of the Dominican Republic. The right-hander spent five seasons in Detroit's minor league system before heading to Japan to pitch in 2011-12. Last year with the Orix Buffaloes of the Japan Pacific League Figaro posted a 3.09 ERA with 5.2 strikeouts and 2.7 walks over 11 starts spanning 64 innings.

Before signing with the Brewers, Figaro's agent, Barry Praver, had to negotiate the right-hander's departure from the Buffaloes, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. In total, his signing with Milwaukee took more than a month to complete.