NEW YORK – The Yankees agreed Friday to trade much-maligned pitcher A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers, a deal that clears the way New York to add Raul Ibanez.

Pittsburgh will pay $13 million of the $33 million salary due Burnett for 2012 and 2013, a person familiar with the negotiations said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made.

New York will receive 25-year-old right-hander Diego Moreno and 20-year-old outfielder Exicardo Cayones, both low-level prospects.

The agreement is subject to Burnett passing a physical, which is likely to take place Sunday.

Commissioner Bud Selig also must approve it because of the money involved.

“I think he’s looking forward to the opportunity to re-establish himself and mentor some of the young pitchers,” said Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker.

Braunecker said Burnett planned to be at the Pirates’ spring training complex in Bradenton, Fla., on Sunday.

New York intends to use the money saved to sign a designated hitter.

The Yankees already have been negotiating a major league contract with Ibanez, who spent the last three seasons with Philadelphia.

He has been waiting for New York to agree to the deal, a person familiar with those negotiations said, also on condition of anonymity. The contract for the 39-year-old outfielder would have a base salary of about $1 million.

New York also hopes to re-sign backup infielder Eric Chavez.

A 35-year-old right-hander, Burnett has gone 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA during three seasons with New York, including 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA last year.

His average of 3.98 walks per nine innings was second in the AL and fifth in the majors during that span among pitchers with 400 or more innings, according to STATS LLC.

Burnett became superfluous when the Yankees acquired Michael Pineda from Seattle in a trade and agreed to a one-year deal with free agent Hiroki Kuroda.

They joined holdovers CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia.

In Pittsburgh, Burnett joins a rotation that includes newly signed Erik Bedard and returnees James McDonald, Kevin Correia and Jeff Karstens. Charlie Morton is recovering from hip surgery in October.

When Morton is available, Karstens could return to the bullpen and spot starts.

Burnett already has received $2,062,500 of his salary for this year because the Yankees pay him in twice-monthly installments over the entire year rather than from April to September, which is the major league standard.

Of the remaining $14,437,500, Pittsburgh will pay $5 million and the Yankees $9,437,500. Next year the Pirates will pay $8 million and the Yankees $8.5 million.

Both prospects appear to have little chance of making it to the majors any time soon.

Moreno was 2-4 with a 3.21 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 332/3 innings last year during 34 relief appearances for Bradenton of the Florida State League and 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA in seven games with Double-A Altoona.

Cayones was 2 for 32 (.063) for State College of the New York-Penn League, and 24 for 98 (.293) with no home runs and 12 RBI for the Gulf Coast Pirates last year.

• Reliever Hideki Okajima was released from his minor league contract with the New York Yankees after failing his physical. 

ROYALS: Left-hander Tim Collins agreed to terms on a contract, leaving 11 unsigned players on the 40-man roster.

Collins was 4-4 with a 3.63 ERA in 68 relief appearances in his rookie season.

Kansas City begins full-squad workouts on Feb. 25.

METS: Johan Santana threw off a mound for the first time after a 4½-month break as he tries to make it back to the major leagues for the team’s opener in April.

Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, threw 25 pitches to Josh Thole in Santana’s first mound session since pitching four innings in an Instructional League game Sept. 30. Santana had surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder on Sept. 14, 2010, and has not pitched in a major league game since.

“I feel really good,” Santana said. “This is something we always do. The approach that we had from the beginning was to do everything like I always do to get ready for the season and that’s, for me, about the time to get on the mound and start throwing. I was able to throw my pitches and it felt good after that.”

Manager Terry Collins, who stood a few steps from Thole during the session, said Santana will work out with the team the way any healthy player would. Pitchers and catchers start drills Wednesday.