Pirates agree to terms with pitchers Burres, Cotts, and Yates on minor league contracts

The Pittsburgh Pirates today agreed to terms with pitchers Brian Burres, Neal Cotts and Tyler Yates on minor league contracts. All three players have been invited to spring training.

*Brian Burres (LHP) - Spent the 2009 season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Burres went 6-7 with a 4.76 ERA(107.2ip/57er) in 19 games (17 starts) with Triple-A Las Vegas and 0-2 in two starts with the Blue Jays.

Burres has gone 13-20 with a 6.08 ERA (265.0ip/179er) in 81 games (41 starts) in the big leagues with Baltimore (2006-08) and Toronto (2009).

Was originally selected by San Francisco in the 31st round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft.

*Neal Cotts (LHP) - Began the 2009 season with the Chicago Cubs before being optioned to Triple-A Iowa on May 27. Cotts went 0-2 in 19 appearances with the Cubs while posting a 2.84 ERA (12.2ip/4er) in 12 relief appearances with Iowa before undergoing season-ending “Tommy John” elblow ligament replacement surgery on July 2.

Has a 10-12 record and 4.63 ERA (256.1ip/132er) in 284 big league appearances (five starts) with the White Sox (2003-06) and Cubs (2007-09).

*Tyler Yates (RHP) Went 0-2 in 15 relief appearances with the Pirates in 2009 before under-going season-ending “Tommy John” surgery on his right elbow on July 14. Yates was outrighted off Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster on October 26 and elected free agency.