BRADENTON, Fla. - J.R. House, once considered a top prospect for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was given his unconditional release Tuesday.

House, a 25-year-old catcher, was released two weeks after having season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. He will become a free agent if he clears waivers within 48 hours and will be given 30 days of termination pay by the Pirates.

Had House remained on the Pirates' roster, he would have spent the season on the 60-day disabled list and collected the $316,000 major-league minimum.

"The basic issue is we don't see J.R. making the team," Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said.

House already had started his rehabilitation program with the Pirates after having a 70-percent tear of his rotator cuff repaired Feb. 22. He had reported for medical treatment Tuesday and was caught off guard by the news.

"It was out of the blue," he said. "I was making good progress. I was looking forward to working with (the training staff) and getting healthy."

House was the Pirates' fifth-round draft pick in 1999 and was rated the organization's top prospect before the 2001 and 2002 seasons. But the surgery in February was his fourth in as many seasons. In 2002, he had surgeries to repair an abdominal muscle pull and hernia. At the end of that season, he underwent reconstructive surgery on his right elbow and didn't play again until August 2003.

"Like all players, they have lots of hurdles to overcome throughout the minor leagues," Littlefield said. "You have to achieve, regardless of when you are drafted and how much of a bonus you receive. At some point in time, you have to get it done and prove you can be a major-league player."

House finally reached the majors in the final week of the 2003 season and made five appearances with the Pirates last year. He was 2 for 10 with a double in six career games.

With his latest medical setback, House won't be able to play until the winter league season at the earliest.

"Through all the injuries, they didn't see me being a part of this organization any more," House said. "It was tough to take for your ego to be told that. But I can understand where they are coming from. It's up to me to get healthy and put a good product on the field where other people are interested in me."

House hasn't decided whether he will continue his rehab in West Virginia, where he was a record-setting quarterback at Nitro High School, or remain in Florida, where he was a baseball star at Seabreeze High School. House took advantage of liberal transfer rules to play in both states.

House also hasn't discounted a return to football. He had signed a letter of intent to play quarterback at West Virginia University before being drafted by the Pirates. He wavered on his baseball commitment in 2001 and considered leaving the organization to pursue football.

"If I get to the point where I'm just not good enough to play baseball and can't make it, then definitely (it would be an option)," House said. "I felt really good about my chances of playing in the big leagues until my arm blew out again. I want to get to that level and play baseball for a long time for whoever wants me."

Notes:

Left-hander Oliver Perez threw 10 minutes of batting practice Tuesday, paving the way for him to start the Pirates' game Friday against the Indians in Winter Haven. Perez is scheduled to pitch two innings. He has not pitched in a game this spring because of left shoulder stiffness that kept him off the mound for the first 10 days of camp. ... Right-hander Kip Wells, whose start Monday was scratched because of right elbow stiffness, will start Thursday against the Braves in Orlando.