Reds shortstop Zack Cozart agrees to $2.925M, one-year deal

CINCINNATI (AP) Reds shortstop Zack Cozart reached agreement on a $2,925,000 million, one-year contract to avoid salary arbitration.

The 30-year-old Cozart, who received a raise from his $2.35 million salary last season, batted .258 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs in 53 games and was off to a great start while healthy before a right knee injury in June ended his season and required reconstructive surgery. The three previous seasons he proved his durability by playing 138, 151 and 147 games.

Right-hander J.J. Hoover asked the Reds for $1.4 million and the team offered $1,225,000 million when the sides exchanged figures in salary arbitration Friday. Hoover earned $535,000 last season, when he went 8-2 with a 2.94 ERA in 67 appearances and 64 1-3 innings.