Stephen Drew and Boston Red Sox Agree to 1-Year Contract

The Boston Red Sox have reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with free agent and former Oakland Athletics' shortstop Stephen Drew according to CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman. 

Heyman also reports via Twitter that the deal is worth around $9.5 million:

"

Drew gets $9.5M salary. #redsox

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 17, 2012"

UPDATE: Monday, December 17 at 12:17 p.m. ET

Stephen Drew to the Red Sox is official, MLB announced on Twitter this afternoon.

"

Source confirms to @ianmbrowne that @redsox, SS Stephen Drew have agreed to 1-year deal.

— MLB (@MLB) December 17, 2012"

---End of Update---

Drew, who will turn 30 in March, is set to begin his seventh season in the major leagues in 2013. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2006 to 2012 before being traded to Oakland this past season.

Most baseball experts though, including Heyman are sure that the Red Sox are just looking to utilize Drew as a stopgap at shortstop for next season. Boston has a pair of talented prospects in the minors that they are still developing. 

This from ESPN analyst Jayson Stark via Twitter:

"

#RedSox have some interest in Stephen Drew, sources say. Appear to see him mostly as a one-year stopgap as Iglesias & Bogaerts develop.

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 16, 2012"

Jose Iglesias and Xander Bogaerts are two of the Red Sox's more notable prospects at the position, and could potentially take over for Drew after his current deal runs up.

Drew showed noticeable improvement after being dealt to Oakland this past year but is still looking to prove he's worth a long-term deal following a devastating ankle injury suffered in July 2011. Last season, Drew went from batting .193 with the Diamondbacks to batting .250 with the A's, helping them win the American League West division in the process.

The former Florida State Seminole is solid defensively, but he has been known to struggle at the plate. He went cold in five postseason games for the A's last October, recording just four hits in 19 at-bats for Oakland in the 2012 ALDS.

Keep it right here for more on the latest free agent signings around Major League Baseball.

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