PRESS RELEASE - Mets Sign Infielder Omar Quintanilla

January 3, 2012 – The New York Mets today announced the club has signed INFOMAR QUINTANILLA to a minor league contract and invited him to major league Spring Training.

Quintanilla, 30, appeared in 11 games last season with the Texas Rangers, going 1-22 (.045) with a triple. He also hit .298 (62-208) with 46 runs scored, nine doubles, four triples, five home runs and 25 RBI in 51 games with Triple-A Round Rock of the Pacific Coast League.

The 5-9, 185-pounder played in the majors with the Colorado Rockies from 2005-2009, hitting .213 (111-522) with 63 runs scored, 25 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 34 RBI in 227 games.

Quintanilla missed the first portion of the 2011 campaign while completing a 50-game suspension after violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program in 2010.