The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed left handed reliever Dan Meyer to a minor league contract, Pirates Prospects has learned. Meyer, a former first round pick from the 2002 draft, was recently released by the Philadelphia Phillies, after failing to make the team as a non-roster invitee.
Meyer has pitched 113.2 innings in the majors, with a 5.46 ERA, spending most of his time with the Oakland Athletics and the Florida Marlins. The 29 year old left hander hasn’t been a LOOGY option, with an .816 OPS against left handers, compared to a .788 OPS against right handers. His best year came in 2009, when he posted a 3.09 ERA in 58.1 innings. During that season he had a .674 OPS vs left handers, and a .605 OPS against right handers.
Meyer will serve as AAA depth, pitching out of the Indianapolis bullpen. Last year at the AAA level he had a 3.38 ERA in 40 innings, with a 6.1 K/9 and a 3.6 BB/9 ratio. Meyer was once a key piece in the Tim Hudson trade between Oakland and Atlanta, with a 90-93 MPH fastball, and a chance to be a starter, although he never made the successful jump to the majors.
