The 37-year-old Canseco, who spent last season with the Chicago White Sox, on Tuesday signed a minor league contract with the Montreal Expos.

Canseco batted .258 with 16 homers and 49 RBI in 76 games last season. But Canseco has been relgated to designated hitter for most of the last decade and will have to play the field in the National League.

Canseco, who may fit into Montreal's left field plans, is a 17-year veteran who will be playing full-time in the NL for the first time. He broke in with Oakland in 1985 and has spent time with Texas, Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees.

The AL Rookie of the Year in 1985, Canseco was the Most Valuable Player in 1986 when he became the first player ever to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in the same season.

A six-time All-Star, Canseco is 22nd all-time on the home run list with 462. Among active players, only Barry Bonds (567) has more.

Canseco has set 500 homers as a goal with the hopes that all eligible members of the 500-homer club have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He already is one of just nine players with 400 homers and 200 stolen bases and has hit more home runs than any other player born outside the United States.

The move was the first player move for new Expos general manager Omar Minaya.