The Rockies have re-signed right-handed reliever Matt Carasiti on a minor league contract, according to a report from Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Carasiti, who pitched 24 1/3 innings for the Rockies in the majors last year, is expected to participate in camp as a non-roster player.
Carasiti, who is 32 years old, was originally selected by the Rockies in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. He made his debut in the big leagues with Colorado in 2016 before being traded to the Cubs in 2017. Since then, he has played for the Giants, Mariners, and Red Sox in the minor leagues. In his return to the Rockies last year, Carasiti recorded a 6.29 ERA in 24 1/3 innings, with a strikeout rate of 14.5% and a walk rate of 10%. He also had an impressive ground-ball rate of 56.1% while pitching out of the bullpen for manager Bud Black. In Triple-A, Carasiti performed even better, posting a 3.33 ERA with a strikeout rate of 21.8% and a walk rate of 10.1% in 27 innings.
Throughout his career, Carasiti has struggled in the majors, with a 6.89 ERA in 49 2/3 innings over three seasons. However, he still possesses a strong sinker that averaged 95.4 mph last season. The Rockies’ bullpen already had uncertainties before news of Daniel Bard’s knee surgery, so Carasiti’s prior experience in the majors could make him a viable option if the need arises during the upcoming season.
Among the other pitchers likely to secure spots in the Rockies’ bullpen are Justin Lawrence, Tyler Kinley, and Nick Mears. Lawrence emerged as the team’s closer in 2023, while Kinley and Mears cannot be sent down to the minors. Additionally, right-hander Jake Bird’s performance in 2023 likely earned him a place in the bullpen as well. However, there are still several open spots, and even if Carasiti doesn’t claim one of them, his previous experience in the majors could make him a valuable option when the team requires additional pitching depth.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com