PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired catcher Chris Stewart from the New York Yankees on Monday for a player to be named.

Stewart and the Pirates then agreed to a $1 million, one-year deal.

The 31-year-old Stewart hit .211 with four home runs and 25 RBIs in a career-high 109 games for New York in 2013. He threw out 17 runners, the fifth-highest total in the American League.

To make room for Stewart on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated catcher Michael McKenry for assignment — they then non-tendered McKenry before the midnight deadline. McKenry hit .217 in 41 games last season for Pittsburgh before tearing cartilage in his left knee in July.

Stewart will contend with former first-round pick Tony Sanchez as the primary backup to ex-Yankee Russell Martin when spring training opens in February.

Teams faced a midnight deadline to offer 2014 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. Pittsburgh chose to let go first baseman Garrett Jones and right-hander Kyle McPherson. Both had been designated for assignment last week.

Jones hit .233 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs in 144 games this year. The 32-year-old played at least 144 games each of the last four seasons for Pittsburgh.

McPherson was 0-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 10 games in 2012.