Braves, Martin Prado avoid arbitration with one-year, $4.75 million deal

Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that the Braves and Martin Prado have avoided arbitration by agreeing on a one-year, $4.75 million contract.

Prado, who is under team control through 2013, earned $3.1 million last season while batting .260/.302/.385 with 13 homers, 57 RBI and a .687 OPS over 590 plate appearances while making 90 starts in left field, 35 at third base and two at first base. The 28-year-old missed more than a month with a staph infection in his right leg and batted just .244 with a .622 OPS upon his return in mid-July, so it’s possible he may have rushed back too soon.

We’ve heard plenty of trade rumors involving Prado this offseason, most notably with the Rockies and Orioles, but barring any last-minute deals, he’ll open 2012 as the Braves’ starting left fielder.