Braves Sign Brandyn Sittinger To Minors Deal
The Braves have signed right-handed pitcher Brandyn Sittinger to a minor league deal, according to the club’s transactions log at MLB.com. Sittinger was eligible to sign during the lockout because he was outrighted in October of last year and elected minor league free agency after the season.
Sittinger was originally drafted by the Tigers but was released after topping out at Double-A. The reliever then signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks prior to the 2020 season. He wasn’t able to pitch in organized games that year due to the pandemic wiping out the minor leagues. Last year, between Double-A and Triple-A, he threw 39 1/3 innings with an ERA of 4.12. His walk rate was a bit high at 10.6%, but he offset that with a tremendous 33.1% strikeout rate.
That was intriguing enough for the Diamondbacks to give him a shot at the big leagues, as they selected his contract in September. Sittinger was able to log 4 2/3 innings of MLB action, though that small sample yielded a 7.71 ERA, 9.5% walk rate and miniscule 4.8% strikeout rate.
The 27-year-old will now join the reigning World Series champs as minor league depth. The club’s reliever corps was dented somewhat at the end of the season, as hurlers such as Jesse Chavez, Richard Rodriguez, Chris Martin and Josh Tomlin reached free agency. Sittinger still has options, meaning that he can provide Atlanta with a relief arm that can be shuttled between Triple-A and the big leagues, if he can earn himself a roster spot.
Diamondbacks Outright Three Players
The offseason roster shuffle has begun in the desert. The Diamondbacks announced that they’ve outrighted reliever Brandyn Sittinger, outfielder Henry Ramos and infielder Ildemaro Vargas to Triple-A Reno. The moves leave the club with 37 players on their 40-man roster.
Sending those three down comes as no surprise, given the players’ performances so far. Sittinger joined the D-backs on a minor league deal prior to the 2020 season, and saw his first big league action last month. He tossed 4 2/3 innings over five appearances, posting an unsightly 13.03 FIP.
Arizona signed the 29-year-old Ramos to a minor league deal on May 19 of this year. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, and was called up September 5. In 18 games he accumulated 55 plate appearances but only posted a meager 48 wRC+.
The well-traveled Vargas appeared in the big leagues each of the last five seasons, mostly with the Diamondbacks. He also played briefly for the Twins and Cubs last year. In 381 total plate appearances at the MLB level, he’s put up -1.2 fWAR.
Diamondbacks Select Brandyn Sittinger
SEPTEMBER 7: Arizona officially announced Sittinger’s promotion. Veteran reliever Tyler Clippard was placed on the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.
SEPTEMBER 6: The Diamondbacks are planning to select the contract of reliever Brandyn Sittinger, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). Arizona will need to make corresponding active and 40-man roster moves.
Sittinger originally entered pro ball as a 17th-round pick of the Tigers in 2016 out of Division II Ashland University. The right-hander spent the next couple seasons in the Detroit organization but was released in July 2019, having topped out at Double-A. After being let go, he landed with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League, where he spent a couple months. He impressed D-Backs’ evaluators enough in indie ball to land a minor league deal over the 2019-20 offseason.
Because of last year’s canceled minor league season, Sittinger didn’t pitch professionally. He was assigned to Double-A Amarillo to open the 2021 campaign and earned a bump to Triple-A Reno in mid-June. Across the two levels, Sittinger has worked to a solid 4.03 ERA over 38 innings. He has punched out a very impressive 32.9% of opponents across the top two levels, although he has struggled a bit with walks upon getting moved up to Reno. The Diamondbacks will give the 27-year-old an opportunity to try to carry over that bat-missing success against MLB hitters.