Philadelphia Phillies release Joe Mather

The Philadelphia Phillies have released outfielder Joe Mather, the team has announced.

Mather signed a minor league contract with the Phillies in January after spending the 2012 season with the Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old hit .209/.256/.324 with 11 doubles, five home runs and five stolen bases in seven attempts over 243 plate appearances, while manning all three outfield positions as well as first and third base for the Cubs.

His stint with the Cubs was the veteran's most extensive single-season appearance in the majors. Prior to last year, the utility player had accumulated 294 plate appearances since making his major league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008.

Selected in the third round of the 2001 MLB Draft by the Cardinals, Mather spent the first nine years of his professional career with St. Louis before being selected off waivers by the Atlanta Braves in 2010. He then bounced around between the Braves and Rockies before landing with the Cubs last season.

With only Ben Revere's spot in center field determined, the Phillies brought multiple outfielders into camp this spring. Delmon Young was expected to break camp as the team's regular right fielder, but he continues to recover from injury. Mather was fighting for a reserve role, but Domonic Brown, John Mayberry Jr. and Laynce Nix were among the players ahead of him on the team's depth chart.