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Nationals Sign Konnor Pilkington To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | December 13, 2024 at 9:42am CDT

The Nationals have signed lefty Konnor Pilkington and right-hander Clay Helvey to minor league deals, per a team announcement. Both will be in major league camp as non-roster invitees this spring.

Pilkington, 27, has pitched in parts of two seasons with the Guardians (2022-23) and carries a career 3.75 ERA in 60 innings. Fielding-independent metrics are more bearish thanks to worse-than-average rate stats, including a 19.5% strikeout rate, 12.4% walk rate and 39.9% ground-ball rate in that time. He sits just over 92 mph, on average, with his heater and complements the pitch with a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup.

Though he’s worked both as a starter and reliever in his professional career, Pilkington has seen the bulk of his work come out of the rotation. He’s had a very rough go of it in Triple-A, thanks in part to a pair of seasons with the D-backs’ system and their extraordinarily hitter-friendly environment in Reno, though environment alone can’t explain away the southpaw’s 6.80 ERA in 209 frames at that level. He’ll get a chance to compete for a spot on the Nats’ staff, be it in the bullpen or rotation, and will otherwise head to Rochester to serve as depth.

Helvey, 28 in February, was a 22nd-round pick by the Giants in 2018. He’s spent his entire career in San Francisco’s system, most recently pitching 71 1/3 innings of relief with Triple-A Sacramento in 2024. He posted a 5.17 ERA in that span but also punched out a gaudy 30.5% of his opponents — albeit against an unsightly 11.1% walk rate. Missing bats has never been an issue for Helvey, who’s punched out 28% of his opponents in his pro career. Command has been a persistent struggle, however, evidenced by his lifetime 12.9% walk rate.

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Transactions Washington Nationals Clay Helvey Konnor Pilkington

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View Comments (13)
Post a Comment

13 Comments

  1. RussianFemboy

    6 months ago

    wow! huge move for the nats!

    1
    Reply
    • dcftw

      6 months ago

      Wow! What an original comment on minor league signings!

      2
      Reply
      • dcftw

        6 months ago

        Whatever you say Vladimir. Or is it Vladimira?

        Reply
  2. User 2143990195

    6 months ago

    Had high hopes for Pilkington after being drafted by the White Sox. Wish him nothing but the best.

    1
    Reply
    • Armaments216

      6 months ago

      Or maybe high hopes until he was drafted by the White Sox. Sorry couldn’t resist.

      Reply
      • User 2143990195

        6 months ago

        That’s fair. Konnor was traded before LaRussa took over as manager. That was truly when the White Sox fell apart.

        2
        Reply
  3. JRamHOF

    6 months ago

    Pilk is back.

    1
    Reply
  4. dclivejazz

    6 months ago

    The wait continues for Nats fans. The wait for significant moves, that is.

    1
    Reply
  5. nanyuanb

    6 months ago

    The lack of movement for the Nats given that other competing teams have been actively signing and trading, tells us another rebuilding year ahead.

    3
    Reply
  6. Papabueno

    6 months ago

    So far this offseason, it would appear the Lerners still have a padlock on the checkbook.
    Another year of letting the kids play, with a smattering of washed up vets on one-year deals, with the hope that they over perform and can be flipped at the deadline.
    Yawn.

    Reply
  7. novaccine4me

    6 months ago

    The A’s have done more than us. This is getting embarrassing as a fan. These guys will do nothing to make us better.

    1
    Reply
    • nanyuanb

      6 months ago

      Fans always want a better team. But I kinda understand they are not in a hurry. Sign one long-term elite FA this year would be perfect. A splash next year seems likely.

      Reply
  8. NatsFaninMD

    6 months ago

    I guess this is the splash Rizzo promised?

    Reply

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