Mark Prior hoping to make a comeback

Former Chicago Cubs right-hander Mark Prior is giving baseball one more try, working out in California with the hopes of earning a Spring Training invite from an MLB club, reports David Kaplan of CSN Chicago:

Sources with knowledge of the situation have confirmed to me that Prior is working out in San Diego with the express purpose of going to spring training and giving it one more shot at resurrecting his career.

Prior, now 32, has been trying to make his way back to the pros since 2006, when a series of major shoulder injuries put an early end to his MLB career. Kaplan writes that Prior is in "the best physical shape of his life" and has been working specifically on strengthening the area of his shoulder that has given him so much trouble in seasons past.

The right-hander signed minor-league deals with the Padres, Rangers, Yankees, and Red Sox over the past six years, but has never been able to make his way back onto a big-league roster.

Prior threw 25 innings of relief for Triple-A Pawtucket last season -- posting a 3.96 ERA, 8.3 BB/9 rate, and 13.7 K/9 rate -- but the Sox released him from the squad in August.

Prior's agent said that the right-hander has yet to receive a Spring Training invite and contract offer from any clubs, but he remains hopeful.