ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have signed free-agent second baseman Mark Ellis. The Cardinals announced the one-year deal with the 36-year-old veteran on Monday. Terms were not disclosed. Ellis is a lifetime .265 hitter for three teams. He hit .270 with six home runs and 48 RBIs for the Dodgers last season, and is considered a strong defensive second baseman.

Rookie Kolten Wong is expected to get playing time at second base in 2014, but Ellis will provide a right-handed hitting option. Matt Carpenter, who played second base last season, is moving to third base following the trade of David Freese to the Angels.