The Philadelphia Phillies have officially signed right-handed pitcher Austin Brice to a minor league contract today, according to a report by Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Brice, who will turn 32 in June, has been given an invitation to participate in the team’s major league Spring Training.
Brice last appeared in a major league game in 2022 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He initially made his debut in 2016 with the Miami Marlins, but his time with the team was short-lived as he was later traded to the Cincinnati Reds. During his two seasons with the Reds, Brice struggled with a 5.40 ERA in 70 innings of work. Following the 2018 season, he was designated for assignment by the club. After a series of waiver claims, Brice returned to the Marlins for the 2019 season and had his best performance, recording a solid 3.43 ERA in 44 2/3 innings.
However, Brice’s success in the majors did not last long. Since the start of the 2020 season, he has struggled with a 5.85 ERA in 40 innings of work. In 2023, Brice spent the entire season in the minor leagues, playing for the Minnesota Twins and Arizona Diamondbacks, where he posted a combined 6.92 ERA in 40 1/3 innings. Despite these disappointing numbers, Brice has shown promise at the Triple-A level throughout his career. In 170 1/3 innings over six seasons, he has recorded a 4.54 ERA, a 25% strikeout rate, a 10.3% walk rate, and a strong 47.4% groundball rate.
However, Brice’s struggles with allowing home runs have hindered his overall performance. Throughout his major league career, he has allowed a staggering 17.6% of his fly balls to be hit for home runs, and this percentage was even higher at the Triple-A level last year. If Brice can address this issue, his solid peripheral numbers and ability to induce ground balls make him a viable option as a major league reliever.
During the upcoming spring training, Brice will have the opportunity to prove himself and compete for a spot in the Phillies’ crowded bullpen alongside other non-roster invitees such as Ryan Burr and Nick Snyder. If he doesn’t make the major league roster, Brice will likely provide relief depth at the Triple-A level, joining other pitchers like Michael Rucker and Kaleb Ort who are already on the team’s 40-man roster.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com