The Mariners have signed right-hander Adonis Medina to a minor league deal, as reported by Matt Eddy of Baseball America. The deal presumably comes with an invitation to massive league Spring Coaching subsequent yr.
Medina, 28 subsequent month, first signed with the Phillies out of the Dominican Republic and made his professional debut again in 2014. A beginning pitching prospect on the time, Medina spent the early years of his profession climbing the minor league ranks and was a consensus top-100 prospect within the sport after a powerful exhibiting at Single-A in 2017. The correct-hander struggled a bit over the following two years, nonetheless, and his prospect star misplaced a few of its shine as he struck out simply 17.5% of opponents whereas permitting a 4.94 ERA on the Double-A degree again in 2019.
These struggles didn’t cease the Phillies from calling up Medina for his massive league debut in the course of the abbreviated 2020 season, nonetheless. In a spot begin in opposition to the Blue Jays on September 20, Medina received his first cup of espresso within the massive leagues. He carried out solidly sufficient, surrendering two runs on three hits and three walks whereas hanging out 4 in 4 innings of labor, however was shortly optioned off the membership’s roster. He remained with the Phillies for the 2021 season and carried out properly within the majors in a small pattern whereas shuttling between the massive leagues and Triple-A. Regardless of his 3.52 ERA in 4 appearances on the massive league degree, nonetheless, Medina struggled badly within the minors with a 5.05 ERA and a lackluster 18.4% strikeout price at Triple-A.
Medina’s lackluster efficiency within the minors led the Phillies to put Medina on waivers, the place he was promptly claimed by the Pirates solely to be traded to the Mets the next month. The correct-hander transformed to aid full time in his new group, and his outcomes on the Triple-A degree improved barely (4.65 ERA in in 31 innings) after the function change. That step ahead didn’t translate to the main leagues, nonetheless, as Medina was shelled to the tune of a 6.08 ERA in 23 2/3 innings of labor throughout 14 appearances in Queens that yr. Whereas some peripheral numbers, comparable to his 3.89 SIERA, have been extra bullish on his efficiency, that wasn’t sufficient to maintain Medina on the roster because the Mets designated him for project that September.
That led the right-hander to depart stateside ball for South Korea, the place he signed with the KBO’s KIA Tigers. His new membership tried to transform him again to beginning, however that experiment didn’t go properly as he struggled to a 6.05 ERA in 58 innings of labor throughout 12 begins. In contrast to his time in Queens, Medina’s struggles on the sector have been now mirrored in his peripheral numbers as he struck out simply 13.4% of batters confronted whereas strolling opponents at a ten.8% clip. Medina’s tough efficiency led to him being launched that July, and he didn’t catch on with one other membership till he signed with the Nationals on a minor league deal in February of this yr.
Whereas Medina’s time with D.C. didn’t finally lead to a return to the massive leagues, he did exhibit the most effective outcomes at Triple-A of his profession after changing again to full-time aid with the Nationals. In 49 aid appearances, Medina posted a 3.76 ERA in 64 2/3 innings of labor for the membership’s affiliate in Rochester. He struck out a decent 21.9% of opponents confronted whereas strolling 9.5%, the most effective ratio he’s flashed since his days as a high prospect within the late 2010’s. Now, Medina has latched on with a Mariners membership that figures to present him the chance to earn a spot within the membership’s bullpen out of Spring Coaching or act as non-roster depth within the minors ought to he finally not make the Opening Day roster.
