Braves, Flowers agree to 2-year deal

The Atlanta Braves have found a backup catcher for A.J. Pierzynski next season.

Atlanta and catcher Tyler Flowers have agreed to a two-year, $5.3-million contract.

The deal also includes $1.5 million in annual incentives and a $4-million option in 2018 with a $300,000 buyout.

Flowers was surprisingly non-tendered by the Chicago White Sox last Wednesday after serving as the club's primary backstop for the past two seasons. He was projected to earn $3.5 million through arbitration - a price determined too steep by Chicago, which had already signed veteran catcher Alex Avila to a one-year contract.

The 29-year-old hit .239/.295/.356 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 112 games last season.