The Los Angeles Angels agreed to a one-year contract with shortstop Erick Aybar on Tuesday morning, avoiding salary arbitration. Aybar will make $5.075 million in 2012, per Enrique Rojas of ESPN. Aybar earned $3.3 million last season. The Angels have no arbitration cases this winter, having already come to terms with Howie Kendrick (on a multi-year deal), Kendrys Morales, and Alberto Callaspo in recent days.
Aybar, 28, hit .279/.322/.421 in 143 games for the Angels in 2011, and set career highs in runs (71), doubles (33), home runs (10), RBI (59), and stolen bases (30). Aybar also won a Gold Glove award at shortstop, his first such honor. Aybar will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season. In his career, Aybar has hit .276/.319/.379 in 629 games.
The Angels now have $144.82 million committed to 18 players for 2012.
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