Pirates Prospects has learned that the Pittsburgh Pirates have re-signed right-handed pitchers Casey Sadler and Angel Sanchez to a minor league contracts. Both missed all of 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Pirates signed both Sadler and Sanchez as a minor league free agent this past off-season, just days after releasing them. They did it knowing they would miss the entire season and become a free agents again at the end of the year. Sadler and Sanchez spent the entire year rehabbing at Pirate City.
The 26-year-old Sadler has made two brief appearances with the Pirates, pitching six games in relief in 2014, and making one spot start in 2015. He made 13 starts for Indianapolis in 2015 and pitched well early on, before really struggling at the end, which ended up with him being shutdown in early June, before having his Tommy John surgery after the season ended.
Sanchez is also 26 years old (27 in November) and he too had his Tommy John surgery late in the season, leading to him missing all of 2016. He had a breakout year in 2015, posting a 2.69 ERA in 137.1 innings split between Altoona and Indianapolis. The Pirates picked him up off waivers on July 31, 2014.
Both pitchers should compete for jobs with Indianapolis next year, with a chance to add depth for the Pirates later in the season. They will likely be somewhat limited in their work, since neither was able to get in any innings this season, still out of action as the Fall Instructional League came to a close last weekend. They should both be ready to go when Spring Training opens up.
**In other minor news, Curtis Partch, Phil Coke, Jorge Rondon and Trey Haley all elected free agency. Not a big deal on any of these, they had an option to become minor league free agents a month earlier and took that route. Also, infielder Tyler Filliben was released earlier this month. The 24-year-old, 12th round pick from 2014, spent his second full season at West Virginia, where he had a .490 OPS in 221 at-bats, and filled in at 2B/3B/SS.
I’m glad they picked Sadler up again. He may never be more then the back of the rotation arm but I think he can eat some innings for us and could be a solid 4 or 5 option after he’s healthy.
Good signings.
Not sure but seems like a nice gesture on the Pirates part to give these guys a paycheck while they rehab from surgery. I guess no one will take them in the rule 5 draft and then both can walk next year as free agents.
So much for the Nuttig is cheap rants that we are accustomed to hearing.
The Pirates are actually required to rehab them until they’re healthy or until they sign with another team. Might as well sign them to a contract if you’re already responsible for the rehab.
Seriously? Whoever came up with that I applaud them. Never knew that. Ok, back to watching Deadpool.
yeah, I was aware of that- although many minor league pitchers are NOT aware of that. A friend of mine hurt his shoulder in AA awhile back at Mobile I think………didn’t say anything cause he was afraid of getting cut or whatever……….instead he ended up causing himself to get released from poor performance, and claiming injury after the fact isn’t getting you anywhere- career over
That sucks. I feel for him. No one wants to volunteer shoulder surgery as a pitcher.
Yeah- non-prospects or fringe prospects usually are going to keep their mouth shut, even though all they are doing is hurting themselves. Footnote: I go in for shoulder labrum surgery in just over 2 weeks
Best of luck. Thought I was going to have that too but it was bursitis from an old football injury. Hopefully it’s the non-typing shoulder.
lol, i’m a southpaw
Yeah, that’s the rule with every player and every team. The team he got injured with is required to rehab him until he either retires, or is healthy again.
Which would be anywhere from a 2 hour period to 2 days for Deadpool, depending on whether he lost a limb.
Yeah when he cut off his arm I was surprised…….and then he grew it back. That was probably in the comic books. Hopefully they make a sequel.
You can’t mention Sadler without a Cumpton update. What’s his injury status?
He was right there with these two rehabbing all year at PC. He didn’t sign, so it was actually quite easy not to mention him, but we will if he signs (or he will be in the minor league free agent article next month). As of the end of the FIL, he wasn’t pitching either.
signing minor league contracts
wouldn’t they still be rule 5 eligible?
yes
thanks calvin coolidge
So it would make more sense to sign Cumpton after the rule 5 draft. pretty sure someone could take him and keep him in the majors all year
So between the TJ and shoulder he’s well behind Sanchez and Sadler?
He wasn’t able to really get into his TJ rehab due to the shoulder surgery, which added another 11-13 months to his return. He’s now had two surgeries and missed two full seasons, so that’s tough to come back from.
That’s a shame. Thanks for the update.