Rockies re-sign catcher Chris Iannetta

DENVER, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Catcher Chris Iannetta signed a 3-year contract Friday and will stay with the Colorado Rockies, avoiding salary arbitration for the first time in his career.

No monetary figure was disclosed, but The Denver Post reported Iannetta will be paid $8.3 million with a $5 million club option for a fourth season.

Iannetta, 26, experienced a poor 2009 with a .228 batting average, 16 home runs and 52 RBI. He lost his starting job late in the season to free agent Yorvit Torrealba.

"The season didn't really go the way I wanted it to, but in the little bit of time I got in September, I could see a lot of the work was beginning to pay off," the 2004 fourth-round pick said Friday on the Rockies' Web site. "Hitting for power is something I know I can do and have done."

Colorado added it is still trying to re-sign Torrealba this off-season.