The Rays are reported to be nearing a big league deal with veteran righty Collin McHugh, but they’ve also been active in minor league free agency this week. Tampa Bay has agreed to non-roster invitations with lefty Brian Moran and right-handers Joey Krehbiel and Louis Head, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. They’ve also signed righty Stetson Allie to a minor league deal and Spring Training invite, as announced by agent Gavin Kahn on Twitter.
Each of Moran and Krehbiel have some big league experience under their belts. Moran, the older brother of Pirates first baseman Colin Moran, has pitched 11 innings between the Marlins and Blue Jays over the past two seasons. He’s surrendered eight runs in that time and displayed some problematic control (14.5 percent walk rate, three hit batters, three wild pitches), but Moran has also whiffed 31 percent of opponents. The 32-year-old has pitched in parts of five Triple-A seasons with a 3.67 ERA and 30.2 percent strikeout rate.
The 28-year-old Krehbiel tossed three scoreless frames for the 2018 D-backs but hasn’t made it back to the Majors since that time. Like Moran, Krehbiel has some bat-missing ability (25 percent strikeout rate in Triple-A) but problematic control that has held him back (12.5 percent walk rate in Triple-A).
Allie may be a familiar name to some due to his status as a once-touted pitching prospect. The 2010 second-rounder was considered one of the top high school arms in the draft and landed on a few Top 100 lists before injuries stalled his career. Allie pivoted and tried to make it as a first baseman/outfielder for several years before returning to the mound on a full-time basis in 2018. He’s spent time with the Pirates, who drafted him, and the Dodgers. He’s yet to make it to the big leagues, but the Rays will hope to coax another level out of the now-29-year-old righty, whose fastball has in the past reached triple digits.
Head, a longtime Indians farmhand who spent 2019 with the Dodgers organization as well, is a career reliever who posted strong numbers through Double-A but hasn’t yet matched that success in Triple-A. He has a 5.46 ERA in 90 2/3 frames of Triple-A ball while striking out just shy of a quarter of opponents against an 11.5 percent walk rate he’ll need to reduce.
Glad to see the Rays getting Head.
Hopefully we’ll have a Head to Head duel between Louis and Hudson (Pirate OF prospect). That would ‘blow’ my, uh mind.
Will all become Blake Snells.
People forget Snell was a top-15 prospect in baseball. The Rays have no shortage of breakout and reclamation stories but Snell doesn’t belong in that category. He would’ve been a stud with any team
If you call 5 innings an outing “stud.” He’s talented but Snell is erratic and I kinda don’t blame Cash for pulling him.
@Dom- think all these pitchers will help the Rays to a 3rd place finish in the AL East in 2021. Could be wrong. Maybe 2nd place.
@Yank4Life Who do you have second? Jays I take it?
What’s your excuse going to be this year when the Rays make the nyy, yet again, watch the ALCS from home?
Yeah, I don’t know how they held out so long.
Probably because the Rays have always been master of their own domain……as far as a tight budget.
Stetson Allie was a guy I got to see a lot a few years ago as he was making his transition to pitching again. Upper 90s fastball. High spin rates. Slider is good too. Command is the only thing keeping him in the minors. If he figures that out and he could be another great arm for the Rays’ bullpen.
Also, the dude hits tanks.
Allie is the next two way star. He’s what the Rays wanted out of Cronenworth before he was dealt.
Moran’s numbers call to mind Nuke from Bull Durham…
LOL! I was thinking the same thing about Allie. When I think of Allie, All I can hear is is Crash Davis: “I wouldn’t dig in if I was you. Next one might be at your head. I don’t know where it’s gonna go. Swear to God.”
Let’s be clear with Rays that ownership has a primary goal that will continue to impede management in its goal to win a world series. That goal is to pull enough cash out to build a new stadium and as of last attempt with city of Tampa ownership had to come up with nearly 500mm for their half of the cost. Not the 15% ownership wants to anti up! This battle will continue to rage on between city and mlb brass
Brian Moran could be this year’s Aaron Loup.
Front office is going be very upset when they realize Louis Head is not Brad Hand.
I think this is the rare occasion that it is better to get Hand than Head.
@mrperkins- you got to ask Louis what his preference is? ^ in the air at this point.
So confused. Collin McHugh, Brian Moran, Colin Moran.