The Angels introduced that they’ve chosen the contract of righty reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. In a corresponding roster transfer, fellow reliever Mike Baumann has been designated for project.
Baumann has ridden the DFA carousel all through the season. The righty is out of choices, so groups must proceed taking him off the 40-man roster in the event that they nudge him out of the bullpen. No membership has efficiently gotten Baumann by way of waivers. He has gone from the Orioles to the Mariners, Giants and Halos by way of DFA resolutions all year long.
The 28-year-old hasn’t pitched particularly properly at any of these stops. He owns a cumulative 5.24 ERA by way of 44 2/3 innings. The Jacksonville product’s 19.5% strikeout share, 10.2% stroll fee and 1.61 house runs per 9 are all subpar. A number of groups have however been intrigued by his nonetheless above-average velocity (96.4 MPH on the fastball) and final yr’s first rate outcomes. He’s a season faraway from a 3.76 ERA throughout 64 2/3 innings with Baltimore.
Baumann will land again on waivers within the subsequent couple days. Any claiming staff would want to maintain him within the MLB bullpen. He surpassed the two-year service threshold this season and can play on a pre-arbitration wage for an additional yr.
Zeferjahn, a College of Kansas product, steps into the vacated bullpen spot. The 6’5″ righty is a former third-round decide of the Crimson Sox. Command points rapidly pushed him to the bullpen, the place Zeferjahn has proven strikeout stuff. He has fanned greater than 28% of opponents in his five-year minor league profession. That’s as much as almost 31% this season between the highest two minor league ranges. Zeferjahn carries a 3.33 earned run common throughout 46 innings on the season.
The Angels acquired him as a part of a four-player return for reliever Luis García on the deadline. Three of them — Zeferjahn, outfielder Matthew Lugo and first baseman Niko Kavadas — had been within the excessive minors on the time. Kavadas debuted final week. Los Angeles would have wanted so as to add Zeferjahn to the 40-man this offseason to maintain him out of the Rule 5 draft. They’ll give him his first large league alternative just a few weeks sooner than that as he tries to carve out a center reduction function going into subsequent season.
