Pittsburgh Pirates ink Kevin Siegrist to minor league deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates quietly made an excellent move in signing Kevin Siegrist to a minor league contract.

Back on February 15, Tim Lincecum held his showcase, dazzling scouts with a fastball that was in the lower 90s. However, he was not the only pitcher to hold a showcase that day, as former St. Louis Cardinals reliever Kevin Siegrist held one of his own. Pitching in front of 20 scouts, Siegrist looked to show that he was healthy as well, and ready to perform once again in 2018.

That showcase certainly worked. Siegrist has now found a home, with the Pittsburgh Pirates signing him to a minor league contract. That contract includes an invitation to the major league side of Spring Training, where he will compete for a role in the Pirates bullpen.

There was a time when Siegrist was one of the better setup men in baseball. Between 2015 and 2016, he produced a 2.44 ERA and a 1.137 WHiP, striking out 156 batters in his 136.1 innings. However, last year, he had two different stints on the disabled list with a forearm strain and a spinal strain. Those injuries worked against the lefty, as he struggled to a 4.81 ERA and a 1.551 WHiP. He still struck out more than a batter an inning, with 43 whiffs in his 39.1 innings of work, but he issued 22 walks in that time.

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He may well have landed in the perfect spot with the Pirates. There are several bullpen spots open, and the only lefty with a guaranteed role in closer Felipe Rivero. This would leave Siegrist to compete against Steven Brault, Jack Leathersich, and Josh Smoker to be that lefty set up man.

This move continues a busy week in Pittsburgh. The Pirates have acquired a good amount of outfield help, with Bryce Brentz and Corey Dickerson. Michael Saunders came and went. And former top setup man Daniel Hudson was sent on to Tampa Bay, making the competition even more wide open for the Pirates bullpen.

Should Siegrist be able to build off of his showcase, and continue to impress the Pirates, one of those spots may well be his. His track record alone would seemingly give him a leg up on the competition, none of which have had proven success at the major league level.

Next: Pirates add Corey Dickerson

The Pittsburgh Pirates have strengthened their bullpen by signing Kevin Siegrist. Even though this is not the type of move that grabs headlines, it is a solid move for the coming year.