Royals re-sign Juan Gutierrez, 4 other minor league free agents

The Kansas City Royals announced on Friday that they re-signed five minor league free agents, including 29-year old closer Juan Gutierrez. Gutierrez, a right handed pitcher, played sparingly for the Arizona Diamondbacks for the past few seasons before being signed up by the Royals in 2012. He did not make an appearance on the Royals big-league roster at any point this season.

Two of the players that were re-signed, Nick Van Stratten and Matt Fields, are expected to field for the Royals' Double-A affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Van Stratten, a 27-year old outfielder and 2006 draft pick, hit .284 batting average in 44 games with the Naturals in 2012. Fields, who was signed by the Royals in June 2012 following several years in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, hit .281 in 67 games with the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

The Royals also inked right-handed pitcher Devon Lowery and catcher Max Ramirez.