Angels sign veteran infielder Chad Tracy to minor league deal

There will be no shortage of competition among veterans for bench spots after the Angels agreed to terms Wednesday with first baseman/third baseman Chad Tracy on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The agreement was confirmed by Alan Nero, Tracy’s agent.

Tracy, who bats left-handed, was relegated to a pinch-hitting role with the Washington Nationals in 2012 and 2013 and had only 136 plate appearances in 92 games last season, when he hit .202 with four home runs and 11 runs batted in.

But Tracy, 33, started for the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first three big-league seasons (2004-2006) and had his best year in 2005, hitting .308 with a .359 on-base percentage, .553 slugging percentage, 27 homers and 72 RBIs in 145 games.

Tracy will compete in camp with recently signed veterans Carlos Pena, a smooth-fielding and power-hitting first baseman, and Ian Stewart, who plays second base and third base, for a utility infield spot.

The Angels also signed John McDonald, one of baseball’s best-fielding middle infielders, and power-hitting outfielder Brennan Boesch to minor league deals, additions that should make for a spirited competition with returning players J.B. Shuck, Collin Cowgill and Andrew Romine for bench spots this spring.

Among them, Pena (1,475), McDonald (1,005), Tracy (938), Stewart (487) and Boesch (403) have combined for 4,308 games of major league experience.