Yankees sign Nick Swisher to minor-league deal

The Yankees will add veteran Nick Swisher on a minor-league contract, as first reported by Chad Jennings of LoHud.com. Swisher's deal will include an opt-out date on May 15, and he will be paid the pro-rated portion of the major-league minimum by New York.

Swisher is set to earn $15 million this season, but the two teams that have cut him (the Indians and Braves) will be on the hook for that bill. Swisher was recently released by Atlanta at the end of spring training before hitting the open market.

Swisher, 35, will provide depth for the Yankees in the outfield, as well as at first base and designated hitter. He spent four full seasons as a Yankee from 2009 to 2012, hitting .268/.367/.483 while being named to the American League All-Star team in 2010.

Swisher is a lifetime .249/.351/.447 hitter with 245 home runs in 12 major-league seasons with the Athletics (2004-07), White Sox (2008), Yankees (2009-12), Indians (2013-15) and Braves (2015). He stumbled to a .196/.312/.320 slash with only six home runs in 76 games split between Cleveland and Atlanta last season.