Pirates sign D.J. Carrasco to minor league contract

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that they have signed right-handed pitcher D.J. Carrasco to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training as a non-roster player.

The 32-year-old Carrasco spent the entire 2009 season with the Chicago White Sox and led all American League relief pitchers with 89.1 innings pitched – the first Sox reliever to do so since Goose Gossage in 1975 (141.2ip). In 49 games (one start) with the White Sox in 2009, Carrasco went 5-1 with a 3.76 ERA (93.1ip/39er), establishing career bests in ERA and strikeouts (62).

Carrasco has gone 20-16 with two saves and a 4.45 ERA (362.1ip/179er) in 181 Major League games (23 starts), posting a 3.82 ERA (132.0ip/56er) in the last two seasons with the White Sox.

Originally selected by Baltimore in the 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Carrasco spent a majority of his minor league career (1999-2002) in the Pirates organization, having been signed as a free agent by Pittsburgh in March of 1999.

The Royals selected Carrasco in the 2002 Rule 5 Draft and he spent the entire 2003 season with Kansas City, going 6-5 with two saves and a 4.82 ERA (80.1ip/43er) in 50 games (two starts). After spending three seasons in the Kansas City organization, Carrasco pitched briefly in Japan in 2006 before signing a minor league contract with Arizona prior to the 2007 season, which he spent at Triple-A Tucson.

With the addition of Carrasco, the Pirates now have 20 non-roster players attending spring training (15 pitchers, 3 catchers and 2 outfielders).

Popularity: 1% [?]