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Connor Overton

Blue Jays Sign Connor Overton To Minor League Deal

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The Blue Jays and righty Connor Overton are in agreement on a minor league contract, per the transaction log at MLB.com. The KHG Sports client spent spring training with the Mets and pitched well (5 1/3 innings, two runs six hits, one walk, three strikeouts) but didn’t make the club and was released in late March. He’ll now head back to the Blue Jays organization, where he made his MLB debut in 2021. He’ll head straight to Triple-A Buffalo.

The 31-year-old Overton has seen big league time in parts of three seasons, suiting up for the Jays, Pirates and Reds. He’s pitched 59 1/3 major league frames and carries a 4.85 ERA in that time. Overton has fanned 15.7% of his opponents, issued walks at a 9.4% clip and kept 38.7% of his opponents’ batted balls on the ground.

All of those rate stats check in worse than the respective MLB averages, but Overton has a strong track record in Triple-A. He’s pitched in parts of five seasons at the top minor league level, totaling 116 1/3 innings with a 3.87 ERA, a 21.4% strikeout rate, a 5.3% walk rate and a 44.8% ground-ball rate.

The Jays are currently operating with four starters: Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis. Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer signed a one-year deal over the winter but has been sidelined by a nerve issue in his thumb that has caused other problems in his right arm. Toronto has turned to lefty Easton Lucas for four starts — two of which were excellent (combined 10 1/3 shutout innings) and two of which were disastrous (combined 14 runs in 6 2/3 frames). They recently called up 27-year-old righty Paxton Schultz for his MLB debut, wherein he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings of long relief.

Schultz could step into the vacant fifth spot in the rotation, and Toronto also has righty Jake Bloss in Triple-A. He’s had a tough start to his 2025 season, but Bloss ranked on the back end of multiple top-100 prospect rankings last year and was a key piece in the return the Jays received when trading Yusei Kikuchi to the Astros.

The Blue Jays’ depth beyond Schultz, Bloss and Lucas is fairly thin, due in large part to injuries. Alek Manoah is still on the mend from UCL surgery and won’t be an option until late this season. Left-hander Ricky Tiedemann was widely considered one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball before undergoing Tommy John surgery last July. Righty T.J. Brock had Tommy John surgery in January. Southpaw Adam Macko suffered a meniscus tear early in spring training and underwent surgery in late February. Tiedemann, Macko and Brock were considered three of Toronto’s best and near-MLB-ready pitching prospects. Veteran Eric Lauer is in Triple-A Buffalo on a minor league deal but has had a rocky start to his season as well.

Given all that uncertainty, it’s not all that surprising to see the Jays turn to a familiar face to provide some further depth for the staff. Overton won’t be an immediate option, but if he pitches well in his first few turns with the Bisons, he could find himself in the mix for a big league look late next month or early this summer.

Mets Release Connor Overton

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The Mets have released right-hander Connor Overton, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The righty was not on the 40-man roster, having signed a minor league deal with the club back in February.

Overton, 32, pitched in the majors from 2021 to 2023. Suiting up for the Blue Jays, Pirates and Reds over those three seasons, he tossed 59 1/3 innings over ten starts and eight relief appearances, allowing 4.85 earned runs per nine. He struck out 15.7% of batters faced and gave out walks at a 9.5% pace.

He required Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. He spent the rest of that season on the Reds’ injured list and was outrighted at season’s end. He re-signed with Cincinnati on a minor league deal going into 2024. He was back for official game action by May but never got fully stretched out. He made 17 appearances on the farm last year, including seven starts, but never went longer than three innings. He clearly struggled, with a combined 7.85 ERA in his 36 2/3 innings across multiple levels.

As mentioned, the Mets brought him aboard on a minor league deal, perhaps hoping that being further removed from his surgery would allow him to post better numbers. He tossed 5 1/3 innings in Grapefruit League action, allowing two earned runs, striking out three and walking one. That evidently wasn’t enough to keep him in the system.

Perhaps some club looking for extra non-roster depth will give Overton a call. As mentioned, he has some passable MLB work on his track record. He also posted a 2.21 ERA in 85 1/3 minor league innings over 2021 and 2022. He struck out 24.2% of batters in that time with a 4.7% walk rate. He then got hurt and was ineffective when he returned last year, but perhaps he can get back on track this year.

Photo courtesy of Reinhold Matay, Imagn Images

Mets, Connor Overton Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Mets reached agreement on a deal with Connor Overton, as announced by the pitcher’s representatives at KHG Sports Management. It’s surely a minor league contract for the 31-year-old righty.

Overton pitched in the big leagues in each year between 2021-23. He split that time between the Blue Jays, Pirates and Reds. Overton started 10 of his 18 appearances and worked to a 4.85 ERA across 59 1/3 innings. He struck out a well below-average 15.7% of batters faced against a 9.5% walk rate. Cincinnati outrighted him off the 40-man roster at the end of the ’23 season. They brought him back on a minor league deal not long after he elected free agency.

An injury cost him most of last season. Overton began the year on the minor league IL and wasn’t reinstated to the Triple-A roster until early August. Opponents teed off for more than a run per inning over his 24 2/3 frames to close the year. That obviously wasn’t going to get him another MLB look from Cincinnati. Overton hit minor league free agency again at season’s end.

While last year was a disaster, Overton has a solid minor league track record. He owns a 3.87 ERA in parts of five Triple-A seasons. His 21.4% strikeout rate there is a little below average, while his 5.3% walk rate is excellent. Overton sits in the 90-91 MPH range on his fastball and isn’t going to overpower many hitters. He profiles as a strike-throwing depth arm with the versatility to make a few spot starts or pitch in long relief over the course of the season.

Reds Re-Sign Connor Overton To Minors Deal

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The Reds have re-signed Connor Overton to a minor league deal, according to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy.  The right-hander was outrighted off of Cincinnati’s 40-man roster in early October and entered minor league free agency, but Overton now looks to return for what will be his third season in the Reds organization.

Overton underwent Tommy John surgery last May, so he isn’t expected to be part of the Reds’ 2024 plans until around midseason.  Since this was the second TJ procedure of Overton’s career, it is possible his recovery time might take a little longer than the usual 12-15 month timeframe, and it can’t be ruled out that he might need all of 2024 to rehab.  The minor league deal gives Overton and the Reds some low-risk security in allowing him to rehab in a familiar environment while seeing what he can potentially contribute on the field.

Overton made only three starts and threw 11 innings (to the tune of an 11.45 ERA) in 2023, and the combination of a stress reaction in his back and a hamstring injury also limited him to 33 innings over six appearances in 2022.  He has a 4.85 ERA over 59 1/3 total innings in the bigs, with the Blue Jays, Pirates, and Reds since his MLB debut in 2021.

A 15th-round pick for the Marlins back in the 2014 draft, Overton bounced around both the affiliated and independent minor leagues before breaking into the majors with Toronto.  Working as both a starter and a reliever since the canceled 2020 minor league season, Overton’s numbers have been quite impressive at the Triple-A level, which is likely another reason why the Reds wanted to keep the 30-year-old in the fold.  Overton’s first priority is simply to get healthy, but there is some possible late-bloomer potential if Overton can translate his Triple-A success to the majors.

Reds Outright Five Players

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The Reds announced this afternoon that right-handers Vladimir Gutierrez, Alan Busenitz, Justin Dunn, Brett Kennedy, and Connor Overton have all cleared waivers and been assigned outright to the minor leagues. None of the five had previously been announced as having been designated for assignment, though the quintet have all now been removed from the club’s 40-man roster.

Gutierrez, 28, missed the entire 2023 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was a regular member of the Reds rotation during his 2021 rookie campaign, pitching to a roughly league average 4.74 ERA (99 ERA+) with a 5.76 FIP in 114 innings of work across 22 starts. Gutierrez struggled particularly badly down the stretch that season, with a 9.43 ERA and 7.17 FIP in his last six starts of the season. Prior to that awful stretch, Gutierrez had managed a 3.68 ERA and 4.78 FIP that gave him the look of a solid, back-of-the-rotation arm.

It was strong enough performance to earn Gutierrez a spot in the Cincinnati rotation to start his Sophomore campaign, though he struggled badly with a 7.71 ERA and 6.51 FIP in eight starts that saw him removed from the rotation at the end of May that year. Gutierrez made just two more appearances for the Reds in the big leagues that season before going under the knife in early July. Gutierrez eventually made it back onto a professional mound late in the 2023 season, though he struggled to an 8.31 ERA in 4 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level this year. Now that he’s off the club’s 40-man roster seems likely that Gutierrez, who is eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player this offseason, will enter free agency this offseason barring the Reds deciding to both add him back to the 40-man roster and tender him a contract.

Busenitz, 33, has the option to elect free agency rather than accept the outright assignment as a player who’s been outrighted previously in his career, and will qualify for minor league free agency next month regardless. A 25th-round pick by the Angels in the 2013 draft, Busenitz made his MLB debut with the Twins back in 2017, pitching out of the club’s bullpen for two seasons with a 4.58 ERA and 5.49 FIP before joining the Reds on a minor league deal this past offseason. Busenitz was shuttled on and off the club’s roster throughout the season, ultimately posting a strong 2.57 ERA across his six appearances.

Dunn, 28, was a first-round pick by the Mets in the 2016 draft before being shipped to the Mariners in a package that also featured Jarred Kelenic in exchange for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. Dunn made his big league debut for the Mariners back in 2019 and pitched to a 3.94 ERA in 102 2/3 innings of work for the club over three seasons before being traded to Cincinnati in the deal that sent Jesse Winker to Seattle. Dunn struggled badly in 31 innings with the Reds last year, posting a 6.10 ERA in 31 innings before missing the entire 2023 campaign due to a shoulder issue that required surgery in September. Like Gutierrez, Dunn will be eligible for minor league free agency unless the Reds add him back to the 40-man roster and tender him a contract in the coming weeks.

Kennedy, 29, has been outrighted previously in his career, allowing him to elect free agency rather than accept an outright assignment. Like Busenitz, he figures to qualify for minor league free agency next month either way. Kennedy made his big league debut with the Padres in 2018 after the club selected him in the 11th round of the 2015 draft. He struggled to a 6.75 ERA in 26 2/3 innings with San Diego that year and didn’t receive another big league opportunity until this year, when he posted a 6.50 ERA across 18 innings with the Reds.

Overton, 30, has also been outrighted before in his career and will have the option to elect free agency rather than accept his outright assignment, with minor league free agency likely looming next month regardless of his decision. A 15th-round pick by the Marlins in the 2014 draft, Overton made his major league debut with the Blue Jays back in 2021 before being claimed off waivers by the Pirates that September, only to hit free agency after being outrighted off the roster that offseason. With a 4.70 ERA in 15 1/3 innings of work in his rookie season, Overton joined the Reds on a minor league deal and pitched well in 2022, with a 2.73 ERA in six appearances, including four starts. Things came off the rails for Overton in 2023, however, as he struggled to a 11.45 ERA in three starts with the Reds before ultimately undergoing Tommy John surgery back in May.

Connor Overton Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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Reds righty Connor Overton’s exploratory elbow surgery ultimately resulted in him requiring Tommy John surgery, manager David Bell announced to reporters this morning (Twitter link via Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). It’s a worst-case scenario for the 29-year-old righty, who’d spent a month on the injured list with an elbow strain but experienced a setback that led to this morning’s operation. He’ll miss the rest of the 2023 season and a good portion of the 2024 campaign as well.

The 29-year-old Overton opened the season in the Reds’ rotation but was blasted for 14 runs on 19 hits and seven walks in just 11 innings of work through three starts. It was a far cry from the 2022 season, when Overton logged a 2.73 ERA in 33 innings of work across six appearances (four starts) for Cincinnati. An 11.3% strikeout rate and tiny .204 average on balls in play always made some regression likely, but the extent of his 2023 struggle was still alarming. The revelation of a major elbow injury quite possibly helps explain some of Overton’s immense struggles.

Selected in the 15th round of the 2014 draft by the Marlins, Overton has spent time with six MLB organizations — including big league work with the Reds, Pirates and Blue Jays — and also suited up for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League. In 59 1/3 big league innings, he’s posted a 4.85 ERA with a 15.7% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate.

Overton might’ve gotten a lengthier look in the Reds’ rotation this season, as Cincinnati entered the year relying heavily on young arms with minimal MLB track records. Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft all had some success in last year’s rookie campaigns, but each has struggled to varying extents in his sophomore effort. Veteran Luis Cessa opened the season in the rotation, but he’s already been designated for assignment and released. Offseason signee Luke Weaver has made six starts and currently sports a 6.54 ERA. Cincinnati has recently turned to journeyman right-hander Ben Lively for a pair of starts and is also taking its first look at prospect Brandon Williamson. Suffice it to say, there would’ve been ample opportunity for a healthy Overton, whether he struggled or not.

Instead, he’ll spend the remainder of the season on the injured list. It’s a small consolation when considering that the surgery cost him an opportunity to establish himself as a credible big league pitcher, but he’ll accrue Major League service time and pay for the remainder of the season. That’ll take him past two years of service. Overton won’t be arbitration-eligible next winter, but his spot on the 40-man roster will still be in jeopardy, as the Reds would have to carry him on the roster all winter before they could recoup that spot by placing him on the 60-day IL in spring training 2024. If he’s outrighted off the roster at season’s end, it’s certainly possible they’d have interest in re-signing him on a minor league pact.

Reds’ Connor Overton To Undergo Elbow Surgery

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Reds righty Connor Overton had, who’s been out since mid-April due to an elbow strain, had a setback in his recovery and will undergo exploratory elbow surgery to determine the root of his troubles, manager David Bell announced to reporters Monday (Twitter link via Olivia Ray of WLWT Cincinnati). Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer further adds that the surgery could very well end the righty’s season.

Overton, 29, appeared in six games for the 2022 Reds (four starts) and posted a sharp 2.73 ERA in 33 innings of work. With just an 11.3% strikeout rate and a minuscule .204 batting average on balls in play contributing to that mark, Overton never seemed likely to sustain that level of success, but he regressed far more precipitously than the Reds had anticipated through his first three starts of the current campaign.

While Overton’s velocity remained consistent with its 2022 levels, he was clobbered for 14 runs on 19 hits (three of them homers) and seven walks in just 11 innings of work. Overton actually improved his strikeout rate a bit (to 16.4%) and more than doubled his swinging-strike rate (from 6% to 12.5%), but his elbow barked after just three starts and he’ll now face a lengthy absence.

Originally a 15th-round selection by the Marlins in the 2014 draft, Overton bounced around the league on a series of minor league deals and also played with the independent Lancaster Barnstormers before landing with the Reds, his sixth affiliated organization, prior to the 2022 season. He’s posted sharp numbers in the upper minors — 2.45 ERA, 24.6% strikeout rate, 5.4% walk rate in 91 Triple-A innings — but has yet to find much in the way of big league success. In 59 1/3 Major League innings between the Blue Jays, Pirates and Reds, he has a 4.85 ERA with a 15.7% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate. He’ll accrue big league service and pay while on the injured list, though his chances of lasting the entire 2023-24 offseason on Cincinnati’s 40-man roster take a big hit with news of this surgery.

Overton likely would’ve gotten a lengthier look in a rotation audition this season, but he’s now out of the picture for the foreseeable future. Cincinnati also subtracted veteran righty Luis Cessa from that mix when they released him last week. Overton joins lefty Nick Lodolo on the injured list, though Lodolo, who has a stress reaction in his tibia, isn’t looking at nearly as long an absence. The Reds are currently utilizing Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, rookie Brandon Williamson, journeyman Ben Lively and veteran offseason pickup Luke Weaver in the rotation. Top prospect Andrew Abbott, who’s fanned 45.3% of his opponents between Double-A and Triple-A, could get a look at some point this summer as well.

Reds Place Nick Lodolo On 15-Day IL

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The Reds announced a flurry of roster moves this morning, as the club placed left-hander Nick Lodolo and right-hander Casey Legumina on the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Levi Stoudt to Triple-A Louisville. To replace the aforementioned trio on the roster, the club recalled right-hander Kevin Herget while selecting the contracts of right-handers Alan Busenitz and Silvino Bracho. To clear 40-man roster space for Busenitz and Bracho, the club has transferred right-hander Connor Overton and left-hander Reiver Sanmartin to the 60-day IL. As noted by Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Lodolo is expected to miss at least four weeks of action.

The most significant news here is that regarding Lodolo, as the 25-year-old lefty will now miss at least a month of the 2023 campaign. A long time top prospect for the Reds, Lodolo was as good as advertised in his first taste of big league action last year, pitching to a solid 3.66 ERA (123 ERA+) and a 3.90 FIP over 103 1/3 innings of work across 19 starts. Unfortunately for the Reds, Lodolo wasn’t able to carry that success over into the 2023 campaign, as the lefty has posted an ugly 6.29 ERA and 5.82 FIP in seven starts this season. Lodolo figures to rest his ailing calf and get healthy in order to try and get his season on track when he returns from the IL this summer.

With Lodolo out of action for the time being, the Reds have just three regular starters in their rotation: Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, and Luke Weaver. With no announced starter for Tuesday’s game against Colorado, the club could look to add another starter to the roster in the coming days, though with ten relievers on the roster at the moment, a bullpen game is another option the club could explore.

Joining Lodolo in exiting the active roster is a pair of rookies: Legumina, 25, heads to the IL while Stoudt, 25, heads to Triple-A. Legumina has posted a decent 4.35 ERA in 10 1/3 innings of work out of the Reds bullpen this season, while Stoudt struggled to a 10.29 ERA in seven innings over two appearances, including one start.

Replacing the trio on the roster is a group of right-handers. Herget, 32, impressed earlier this season in 10 2/3 innings of work out of the Reds bullpen, posting a 1.69 ERA in five appearances. The 32-year-old Busenitz, meanwhile, has yet to make an appearance in a Reds uniform. The righty sports a 4.58 ERA in 57 innings of work in the big leagues, all of which came as a member of the Twins across the 2017 and 2018 campaigns. Since then, he’s spent four seasons pitching in Japan, with a 2.83 ERA in 155 2/3 innings of work. He landed a minor league deal with Cincinnati in December, and has impressed against Triple-A pitching so far, with a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings.

The 30-year-old Bracho, meanwhile, is now poised to make the first appearance of his seventh season in the major leagues. The righty reliever made his debut in 2015 with the Diamondbacks, and spent most of his career with Arizona before joining the Braves in 2022. Bracho was non-tendered by the club this past offseason and signed a minor league deal with the Reds during Spring Training. Overall, Bracho has a career 4.88 ERA in 94 innings at the big league level.

Reds Place Connor Overton On 15-Day IL

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The Reds have placed right hander Connor Overton on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain, the team announced. They have recalled right hander Casey Legumina from Triple-A to take his place on the active roster.

It’s been a rough start to the season for the 29-year-old, giving up 14 earned runs in 11 innings over three starts. It’s an unfortunate development for a player who impressed to the tune of a 2.73 ERA over 33 innings late last year for the Reds. Now it seems the issue with his elbow may have been behind his struggles to start the year.

In his place, the Reds will call on Legumina to make his big league debut. Originally drafted by the Twins in the eighth round back in 2019, Legumina came over to the Reds in the Kyle Farmer deal this winter. The Twins had added him to their 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft, but he’s yet to appear in the big leagues.

Legumina’s been working in relief at Triple-A Louisville, putting up a 1.59 ERA in 5 2/3 innings. Even though he’s replacing a starter on the roster, it’s likely that Legumina will continue in a relief role with the Reds. Luke Weaver is set to come off the IL to take what would have been Overton’s next start, so the Reds can use an extra spot in their bullpen in the meantime.

Reds Release Hunter Strickland

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The Reds announced today that right-hander Hunter Strickland has been released. Strickland was one of several veterans who can opt out of their minor league deals today, and it seems the Reds have decided he won’t make the club.

Strickland, 34, had his best years with the Giants earlier in his career, but has gone into journeyman mode of late. Over the past four seasons, he’s suited up for the Mariners, Nationals, Mets, Rays, Angels, Brewers and Reds. He struggled with Cincinnati last year, posting a 4.91 ERA over 66 appearances, striking out 21.1% of batters faced, walking 11.6% and getting grounders at a 34.2% clip. However, he’s not too far removed from a 2021 season that saw him register a 2.61 ERA with better rate stats, though that might have also had some good fortune behind it. His .250 batting average on balls in play and 83.3% strand rate were both on the fortunate side of league averages, leading to a 4.19 FIP and 4.06 SIERA.

The veteran will now head to the open market and look for his next opportunity. With several teams around the league dealing with notable injuries and several more roster cuts and opt-outs to come, Strickland is sure to find interest somewhere, at least on another minor league deal. The Reds had two other veterans who had opt-outs today, none of whom will make the team. Infielder Chad Pinder was released yesterday and right-hander Chase Anderson was reassigned to minor league camp.

Anderson, though, seems like he will stick around. Manager David Bell tells Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer that Anderson will accept his minor league assignment and be part of the Triple-A rotation. Bell also confirmed what seemed likely when Anderson was demoted, that the final two rotation spots will go to Luis Cessa and Connor Overton.

Anderson could have pursued opportunities with other clubs but it’s possible that he’s in a decent spot with the Reds, as he may be the #6 starter at the moment. The front three spots are going to youngsters Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft, as those three will continue their development after encouraging seasons in 2022. With Luke Weaver set to begin the season on the injured list, the final two rotation spots will fall to Cessa and Overton, with Anderson perhaps the next man up if there’s another injury or someone struggles.

The club also has prospects Brandon Williamson and Levi Stoudt on the 40-man, though neither has any major league experience yet and neither impressed in spring. Williamson posted an ERA of 11.20 and Stoudt’s was 13.50 in Cactus League action. They seem ticketed for starts in Triple-A alongside Anderson, though the veteran might be ahead of them if there’s a need for a big league starter early in the season, with those two continuing to develop.

The 35-year-old Anderson was once a solid starter with the Diamondbacks and Brewers, but has struggled in recent years. The past three seasons have each seen him post an ERA above 6.00 at the big league level. Last year, he made nine appearances with the Reds, finishing with a 6.38 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, 14.6% walk rate and 51.6% ground ball rate.

Despite the recent struggles, Anderson’s path to a roster spot isn’t a long shot, as neither Cessa nor Overton are truly established. Cessa, 31 in April, has made 201 MLB appearances but only 29 of those have been starts, with most of those coming earlier in his career. He posted a 4.30 ERA in 10 starts last year. As for Overton, 29, he has just 15 major league games on his résumé thus far. He posted a 2.73 ERA last year but spent most of the season on the injured list due to a stress reaction in his lower back.

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