The Royals have signed 27-year old righty swinging catcher Max Ramirez to a minor league deal. Ramirez played in 83 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 74 for 266 (.278 avg, .823 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 13 homers and 48 RBIs. He last played in the majors back in 2010 with the Rangers. Ramirez has played in 45 games in his first two years in the majors and he is 25 for 115 (.217 avg, .699 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 2 homers and 8 RBIs. Ramirez will likely start the 2012 season in AAA for the Royals and get a call to the show if he’s needed.

The Royals have signed 28-year old righty reliever Juan Gutierrez to a minor league deal. He had Tommy John Surgery last September, so he won’t likely be able to pitch for the Royals until very late in the 2012 season. He pitched in 20 games (0 starts) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. Gutierrez has now pitched in 150 games (3 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 5-10 with 24 saves, a 4.79 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Gutierrez has a good arm, so if he responds to surgery..the Royals could get some help late in the year in the bullpen.

The Royals have dealt 24-year old righty swinging infielder Yamaico Navarro from the Pirates for 22-year old righty reliever/starter Brooks Pounders and 22-year old righty swinging infielder Diego Goris. Navarro played in 6 games for the Royals last year and he was 7 for 23 (.304 avg, .694 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 6 RBIs. He played in 22 games overall for the Royals & Red Sox last year and he was 15 for 60 (.250 avg, .653 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer and 9 RBIs. At best, Navarro would have been a utility infielder for the Royals in 2012 if he made the team. Brooks Pounders pitched in 36 games (1 start) in A-ball last year and he was 5-5 with 3 saves, a 3.68 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has now pitched in 61 games (9 starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 10-10 with 4 saves, a 3.82 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Diego Goris played in 68 games in rookie ball last year and he was 93 for 266 (.350 avg, .898 OPS) with 53 runs scored, 5 homers, 46 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He has now played in 219 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 245 of 811 (.302 avg, .756 OPS) with 137 runs scored, 11 homers, 117 RBIs and 34 stolen bases. The Royals did pretty well in this deal as they got two decent prospects for a utility infielder type in Navarro.

The Royals have re-signed 29-year old righty reliever/starter Zach Miner to a minor league deal. Miner pitched in 23 games (11 starts) in AA+AAA-ball for the Royals last year and he was 3-7 with 1 save, a 5.26 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2009. Miner has pitched in 157 games (35 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 25-20 with 1 save, a 4.24 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. If Miner is all the way back from his Tommy John Surgery of 2010, he might win a spot as a long man in the Royals’ pen this spring.

The Royals have re-signed 26-year old righty swinging 1B Jamie Romak to a minor league deal. Romak played in 123 games in AA-ball for the Royals last year and he is 110 for 439 (.251 avg, .803 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 23 homers, 71 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. He has now played in 780 games in his first 9 years in the minors and he is 667 of 2,696 (.247 avg, .792 OPS) with 405 runs scored, 117 homers, 434 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. The Royals re-signed him to give the organization depth at 1B.