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.
