The A’s signed right-hander Vinny Nittoli to a minor league contract, according to reporter Jessica Kleinschmidt (X link). The deal includes an invitation to Oakland’s big league Spring Training camp.
It was a pretty short stint on the open market for Nittoli, who only elected minor league free agency a few days ago after the Mets outrighted the 32-year-old off their 40-man roster last week. Nittoli came to New York in a trade from the Cubs last June, and all of his 2023 big league action came in a Mets uniform — 3 2/3 innings pitched over three appearances.
This makes it three MLB seasons for Nittoli, though he has only 6 2/3 career innings and six games under his belt as a big leaguer. A 25th-round draft pick for the Mariners in 2014, Nittoli has bounced around to nine different organizations in total, including both his new deal with the Athletics. He has also been with the Mariners and Blue Jays in multiple stints, and pitched in independent ball in 2017-18.
Nittoli has largely worked as a relief pitcher during this well-traveled career, and he has a 5.04 ERA over 153 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level. Despite some pretty solid strikeout totals, Nittoli has been hampered by the home run ball in recent years, particularly in 2023 when he allowed 11 homers in 42 2/3 total innings with the Cubs’ and Mets’ top affiliates.
The righty’s secondary metrics have been decent enough to keep meriting looks from a variety of different teams now, but Nittoli hasn’t yet been able to establish himself beyond anything more than a few cups of coffee in the majors. A fresh opportunity awaits in Oakland, and since the rebuilding A’s are on the lookout for low-cost veterans to fill out their bullpen, Nittoli might have a shot at winning himself a job in Spring Training.
