Diamondbacks sign ex-Mets reliever Jeff Brigham to minor league deal

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed former New York Mets relief pitcher Jeff Brigham to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, the Triple-A Reno Aces announced on Saturday.

Brigham will be 33 years old next season and joins the organization with 90 career major league appearances between the Miami Marlins and Mets.

The right-hander tossed 37.2 innings for New York in 2023, producing 5.26 ERA while striking out 10 batters per nine innings.

Jeff Brigham strikes out the first 2 batters he faces as a Met pic.twitter.com/cI4P25nRxa

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023

He threw a three-pitch mix, using primarily sweepers (42.2%) along with a 93.5 mph four-seam fastball and a new cutter, according to Baseball Savant. Opponents hit .143 with a 30.2% whiff rate when facing the sweeper but found more success against his other fastballs in 2023. His 11.3% walk rate did not help.

New York non-tendered Brigham, who signed with the Minnesota Twins for the 2024 season. He spent the year in Triple-A St. Paul where he worked a 4.64 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched.

Brigham will provide the Diamondbacks additional non-roster bullpen depth going into the spring. Last year, non-roster invitees Humberto Castellanos, Logan Allen and Brandon Hughes all pitched 56 combined innings for Arizona, although most NRIs never cracked the 40-man roster.

The Diamondbacks are searching for bullpen help at the major league level this winter after dealing with an uncertain ninth inning for much of the season. Paul Sewald is a free agent, although much of the bullpen remains under contract.

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