DEION SANDERS signs with Blue Jays

TORONTO (AP) _ Deion Sanders signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday after being released by the Cincinnati Reds last week. <br><br>He will report to Triple-A Syracuse on

Wednesday, June 27th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TORONTO (AP) _ Deion Sanders signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday after being released by the Cincinnati Reds last week.

He will report to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, the Blue Jays said.

The 32-year-old outfielder didn't play baseball in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. The two-sport star is still on the roster of the Washington Redskins.

Sanders hit .173 in 32 games for the Reds. He was released by the Reds on Friday when they activated Ken Griffey Jr. from the disabled list.

Sanders' NFL contract states that if he's on a major league roster July 29 he does not have to report to the Redskins' training camp until the end of the baseball season.

The Blue Jays already have depth in the outfield, with highly regarded Vernon Wells waiting in Syracuse for a call-up.

Sanders has played in the majors with the Yankees, Atlanta, Cincinnati and San Francisco.

He went 3-for-3 with a home run his first game May 1 against Los Angeles. But he had just 10 hits and one RBI from that point before being designated for assignment.