The Diamondbacks have agreed to a minors pact with righty Jake Buchanan, per a club announcement. (H/t Chris Cotillo of SB Nation for the heads up.)
Buchanan, 28, has seen time in each of the past four MLB campaigns, though he has made just 29 appearances in that span. In 64 2/3 total frames, Buchanan owns a 4.73 ERA with 4.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.
In 2017, Buchanan opened at Triple-A with the Cubs, was claimed by the Reds, and ultimately took the ball a few times in the majors with Cincinnati. After being designated for assignment, he rejected an outright assignment and ultimately landed in the Arizona organization.
Over 105 2/3 innings at the highest level of the minors in 2017, Buchanan carried a 4.51 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9. That’s a close match for his overall numbers at Triple-A, where he has thrown over five hundred frames in six seasons, with a cumulative 4.39 ERA and 5.9 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9.
Is it just me or are teams signing pitchers with ERA’s north or 4, left and right? And yes, I know there are better ways to judge pitchers than ERA’s, but ERA is what is listed in most of these updates.
Considering he pitched the majority of the year in the PCL that lists 1 qualified pitcher with an ERA under 4 in their leaders section, I’m not surprised. Add in that the MLB average ERA was 4.36 and it’s even less of a surprise.
Seems as if the trend is to sign pitchers if they’ve somehow made it to the majors, figuring if some team saw the pitcher to be good enough to be called up, maybe he will figure it out eventually. Buchanon was a non-top 30 prospect in the stros system, but because of guile and guts, not pure stuff, made it to the major leagues in 2016. Did well striking out guys with his off speed stuff but also got pounded when he didn’t, and the stros DFA’d him during the offseason and Cubs picked him up for 2017. If I’m not mistaken, Buchanon was credited with teaching Brad Peacock his off speed stuff so sometimes a pitcher’s value may also be in the knowledge he has not necessarily his on field performance.
I think it was Jordan Jankowski
Past few days only Hughes and Duke have signed and i dont think either had ERA’s north of four.
In terms of minors pacts, these updates will only become more common.
I’m still waiting for Pat Venditte to be signed to a minors pacts this winter only to be released days later and signed by another team who does the same. I’ve given up on the possibility of major free agent signings and have found joy in the fringe player market which is alive and well.
Vinditte signed with the Dodgers back in November.
It’s not unusual for teams to sign “organizational” guys or AAAA guys to round out their AAA roster in the event of an injury or future roster shuffling. Obviously, not in Duke’s case, but it depends on the guaranteed language of the contract. Buchanan’s ERA, age and experience are about right for this signing.