Minor moves recap: Jayson Nix, Trevor Crowe, Eric Patterson, Brad Mills, Mike Fontenot

Jamey Carroll headed to the Nationals on a minor league deal today, but he wasn't the only notable name to decide which team he's headed to spring training with. Here's a roundup of what else happened on Thursday:

Rays sign Jayson Nix

A baseball source has confirmed that the Rays have signed infielder Jayson Nix to a minor league deal, as Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com first reported. Nix will receive a major league spring training invite, and his contract also includes an opt-out clause if a major league job is available at the end of spring training as well as a full opt-out clause at a later date, according to the source.

Nix, 31, hit .236 with 3 HR and 24 RBI in 87 games for the Yankees last season before being non-tendered in December. He is a veteran of six major league seasons, and will likely compete for a backup infield job with the Rays in spring training. He is capable of playing shortstop, second base, third base and both corner outfield positions, making him a valuable asset due to his versatility.

Tigers sign Trevor Crowe, Ezequiel Carrera

The Tigers announced that they have signed ex-Indians Trevor Crowe and Ezequiel Carrera to minor league contracts. Both deals include invitations to major league spring training.

Crowe, 30, split time between the Astros and Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2013, hitting .218 with 1 HR and 13 RBI in 60 games at the major league level. He spent three years with the Indians before heading to Houston, and has hit .240 in 265 games at the major league level.

Carrera, 26, spent most of last season with Triple-A Columbus, but appeared in 15 games with the Phillies and Indians in the big leagues. In 131 major league games over three seasons, he has hit .251 with 2 HR and 26 RBI.

Nationals sign Mike Fontenot

The Nationals added infielder Mike Fontenot on a minor league deal that includes a spring training invite, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

Fontenot, 33, joins Jamey Carroll, Will Rhymes and Emmanuel Burriss as infielders who the Nationals have added on minor league deals so far this offseason. He will likely compete for a job as a backup infielder in spring training, hoping to return to the majors for the first time since 2012. Fontenot is a veteran of seven major league seasons with three different teams, but spent 2013 with Triple-A Durham in the Rays' organization, hitting .264 with 4 HR and 42 RBI in 120 games.

White Sox sign Eric Patterson

The White Sox signed outfielder Eric Patterson to a minor league contract, according to a report from Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. It is not yet known if the deal will include an invitation to major league spring training.

Patterson, 30, was an Atlantic League All-Star with the York Revolution last season before being signed to a minor league contract by the Brewers. He is a veteran of parts of five major league seasons, posting a .217 average with 10 HR and 50 RBI in 226 career games.

Brewers sign Brad Mills, R.J. Seidel

The Brewers have signed pitchers Brad Mills and R.J. Seidel to minor league contracts, according to industry sources. It is unclear if Mills received a spring training invite, and Seidel did not.

Mills, who turns 29 in March, was a Triple-A All-Star with the Rangers' affiliate in Round Rock last season before signing with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. He returns to the U.S. after pitching only 2.2 innings for Orix, and will look to return to the majors in 2014. Mills has 53.1 innings of major league experience for his career, posting a 3-3 record and 7.76 ERA in fifteen appearances with the Blue Jays (2009-2011) and Angels (2012).

Seidel, 26, is a Wisconsin native who split his 2013 system between Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville in the Brewers' system, posting a combined 3-4 record and 4.67 ERA in 26 appearances (14 starts). He will likely head to Nashville again.