Hazelwood West's McClellan Works Out a One Year Deal to Remain a Cardinal

The Cardinals avoided arbitration with pitcher and alum Kyle McClellan last week, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal.

The next step would have been to exchange arbitration figures. The value of the contract was not disclosed, MLB.com is reporting that it is worth approximately $2.5 million.

This is the 27-year-old's second time being eligible for arbitration. During last season in which he helped the , he pitched as both a starter and a reliever. Fatigue led to McClellan being on the bench during World Series play as manager Tony La Russa excluded him from the rosters. McClellan's stats on ESPN show that he went 12-7 with a 4.19 ERA, had 76 strikeouts and 43 walks in 141.2 innings.

McClellan, a right-hander, made $1.375 million in 2011 as a first-year arbitration-eligible player.

"I'm glad to have it done and out of the way," McClellan said in a STLtoday.com article. "That whole process is kind of grueling and you're glad when it's over."

A  first-round draft pick of the Cardinals strait out of high school in 2002, the product was recently .

McClellan has four years with the Cardinals in Major League play.

The Cardinals have not gone to an arbitration hearing since 1999.