Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees signed outfielders Matt Diaz, Thomas Neal and Juan Rivera, infielder Dan Johnson and catcher Bobby Wilson to minor league contracts with an invite to spring training.
Diaz hit .222 with two homers and 13 RBI in 51 games for the Braves last season. The 34-year-old is a career .291 batter with 211 runs, 97 doubles, 14 triples, 45 home runs and 225 RBI in 726 games over 10 seasons with Tampa Bay (2003-04), Kansas City (2005), Atlanta (2006-12) and Pittsburgh (2011).
Neal made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Cleveland Indians, going 5-for-23 in nine games. He hit .314 with 77 runs, 24 doubles, 12 home runs and 51 RBI in 117 games for Double-A Akron.
Rivera batted .244 with 14 doubles, nine home runs and 47 RBI in 109 games with the Dodgers in 2012. The 34-year-old is a career .274 hitter with 132 homers and 539 RBI in 1,058 games with the Yankees, Expos, Angels, Blue Jays and Dodgers.
Johnson went 8-for-22 at the plate in 14 games for the White Sox in 2012. The 33-year-old has appeared in 413 games over parts of seven seasons with Oakland (2005-08), Tampa Bay (2008, '10-11) and the White Sox (2012), batting .237 with 59 doubles, 56 home runs and 194 RBI.
Wilson hit .211 with five doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI in 75 games for the Angels last season. The 29-year-old is a career .208 batter with eight homers and 37 RBI in 191 games, all with the Angels.
