Greg Bird is returning to his roots in his latest attempt to resurrect his baseball career.
The former Yankees first baseman signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, the team announced, and will be invited to major league spring training. Bird, 28, played for Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, outside of Denver.
Once considered the Yankees’ long-term first baseman, injuries have derailed Bird’s career. He appeared in 186 regular-season games over five years for the Yankees, and missed the entire 2016 season due to shoulder surgery.
The Yankees designated Bird for assignment after the 2019 season and he joined the Texas Rangers in a minor league deal. He was designated for assignment in August and joined the Philadelphia Phillies in a minor league deal in September, meeting briefly with Joe Girardi. Bird did not appear in an MLB game during the short 60-game season.