A day after signing Neftali Feliz, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed another bullpen arm in right-handed pitcher Trey Haley. The deal is for one-year according to a team release.
Haley, a second-round pick in 2008, was a minor league free agent but was signed to a Major League contract, meaning he will likely compete for a spot with the Pirates, after spending 2014 in the Cleveland Indians minor league organization.
In Double-A he threw 34 innings and put up a 2.38 ERA and a 10.1 K/9 ratio. He made his first jump to Triple-A after four years in Double-A and had a 2.57 ERA, but walked 21 batters in 21 innings.
The 25-year-old fits the mold of a typical Pirates reclamation project. His fastball can hit 100 MPH, and his curveball is considered a plus pitch. His big struggle in his career has been with control, which is typically what the Pirates’ reclamation projects dealt with prior to playing in Pittsburgh. He also has struggled to stay healthy, spending time on the disabled list every year since 2012.
Overall, he fits the high-upside, low-risk bullpen signing the Pirates have added over the past few seasons, such as pitchers like Arquimedes Caminero, Radhames Liz, Juan Nicasio and Yoervis Medina. Haley will compete for a bullpen spot, or will serve as depth at Triple-A Indianapolis.
The Pirates will need to clear a space on their 40-man roster to make room for Haley. They designated 2009 first round pick Tony Sanchez for assignment on Wednesday.
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