Phillies Sign Free Agent Laynce Nix, Two-Year Deal

According to Jim Salisbury over at CSNPhilly.com, the Phillies have signed free agent outfielder, Laynce Nix.  The deal is a two-year deal, pending his physical, and will likely be one of the final moves GM Ruben Amaro Jr. makes to his bench.

With the Winter meeting set to begin on Monday, most of the attention on the Phillies will be what will they do with Jimmy Rollins.  However, adding Nix to the fold gives them some depth in the outfield and a left-handed bat who did hit 16 home runs last season in 124 games with the Nationals.

Overall, Nix hit .250 with 44 RBI in 324 games in 2011 and in nine big league seasons is a career .244 hitter with 64 home runs.  While he is a decent, yet inconstant bat, he is a pretty good outfielder who primarily plays left, but is also a solid center fielder.

Nix has played all three outfield positions and even played nine games at first-base last season in Washington and gives the Phillies another player who can play multiple positions along with free agent Ty Wiggington, who the Phils inked earlier this off-season.

Nix, 31, adds some depth to the Phillies outfield, which must replace Raul Ibanez, who has not be re-signed this off-season. The Phils have seven outfielders listed on its 40-man roster, with Shane Victorinio and Hunter Pence, the only two sure-starters.

Fighting for time in the outfield this spring will be the favorite John Mayberry Jr., Dom Brown, who is moving from Right-to-left field and Ben Francisco.  Plus, Michael Martinez and Wiggington can play some outfield if needed.

Nix will essentially replace Ross Gload on the roster as the left handed bat off the bench if he makes the team.

Tune-in to 97.3 ESPN, www.973espn.com and 1450-AM for news from the baseball winter meetings this week.