The Yankees continue to boost their bullpen depth. MLB.com’s transactions tracker shows that they have signed pitcher Ian Hamilton to a minor-league deal. The right-hander is likely to be among players who are extended an invitation to take part in the team’s major league spring training.
Ian Hamilton, who is 27 years old, has been in the major leagues for three seasons with the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins. However, he played only partly. In 15 relief appearances, he has gone 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA.
Ian Hamilton was in a contract with the Twins in 2022. However, he was not included in their 40-man MLB roster. He was added to the big league team for a short time as a COVID replacement. He only played for 2 2/3 innings. Ian Hamilton made 23 appearances for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints and had a 1.88 ERA, a 32.1% strikeout rate, a 7.1% walk rate, and a 51.6% ground ball rate.
Before the 2022 MLB trade deadline, the Twins sent Ian Hamilton to the Guardians in exchange for catcher Sandy Leon. However, he never pitched for Cleveland.
In the past few years, Ian Hamilton has also played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Seattle Mariners.
In 2023, the bullpen for the Yankees will look different. Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, and Chad Green are no longer on the team. But the Yankees roped in Tommy Kahnle, who once used to be a relief pitcher for the Yankees, for two years on an $11.5-million deal.
Ian Hamilton adds some extra depth to the team, but he is most likely to be not on the opening-day roster. The pitcher still has an option season left and the club has a lot of control over him because he hasn’t been on the team for a year yet.
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