The Reds have signed left-hander Justus Sheffield to a minor league deal, in line with his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He’s been assigned to the Complicated League for now however will presumably transfer as much as a better affiliate after moving into recreation form.
Sheffield, 28, can be trying to get again on monitor after some disappointing outcomes in recent times, although he was as soon as regarded as a future mainstay within the large leagues. Cleveland chosen him thirty first total within the 2014 draft and the lefty was twice used as a notable piece of a big commerce. He was despatched to the Yankees as a part of the 2016 deadline deal that despatched Andrew Miller the opposite method, then was traded to the Mariners after 2018 as a part of the deal that despatched James Paxton to the Bronx.
He was clearly a scorching commodity throughout that point, taking a look at that draft choice and his inclusion in these trades. Baseball America ranked him as one of many prime 100 prospects in 4 straight seasons from 2016 to 2019, placing him as excessive as #27 within the final of these years. That was primarily based on a really sturdy 2018 marketing campaign, whereby Sheffield tossed 116 innings between Double-A and Triple-A with a 2.48 earned run common, 25.9% strikeout price and 10.5% stroll price. He additionally made a short main league debut with the Yanks, whereas simply 22 years previous, earlier than going to Seattle within the aforementioned Paxton commerce.
However his time in Seattle didn’t see him ship on his enormous prospect hype. He typically floundered with the Mariners and even struggled with their Triple-A workforce within the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He at the moment sports activities a 5.47 ERA in 186 main league innings, unfold out over the 2018 to 2022 interval. He received floor balls on 49.5% of balls in play in that point however his 18.2% strikeout price and 10.6% stroll price had been each subpar.
He additionally tossed 244 1/3 minor league innings from 2019 to 2022 however had a 5.49 ERA in that point, once more with pretty uninspiring peripherals. He struck out 21.2% of batters who stepped to the plate whereas giving out free passes 10.3% of the time.
The Mariners tried shifting him to the bullpen, giving him ten aid appearances in Triple-A to begin 2023, however his struggles continued and he was launched in late April. He landed a minor league take care of Atlanta and that membership let him return to the rotation, however he wasn’t capable of flip issues round with the change of surroundings. He completed the yr with a 7.63 ERA in 63 2/3 frames between the 2 organizations. He struck out simply 19.9% of batters confronted whereas giving out walks at a 15.2% clip.
He returned to free company on the finish of the season and has lingered there till this deal. For the Reds, there’s little hurt in signing this deal and getting an up-close take a look at Sheffield. Regardless of his many trials and tribulations, he’s nonetheless virtually two years away from his thirtieth birthday, which supplies him loads of time to engineer a second act.
If the Reds plan to stretch him out as a starter, it’s going to seemingly take a number of weeks for him to construct up his pitch depend. They do have some query marks of their rotation, as Graham Ashcraft was not too long ago optioned to the minors after some poor outcomes and Brandon Williamson had his rehab shut down as a consequence of continued discomfort in his throwing shoulder.
For now, the Cincinnati rotation consists of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott and Frankie Montas, with guys like Nick Martinez, Carson Spiers, Connor Phillips, Lyon Richardson and Christian Roa candidates to take Ashcraft’s spot. In the long run, Montas is an impending free agent whereas Martinez has an opt-out on the finish of this yr, that means the depth might be thinned down the street. Although alternatively, prospect liks Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty are at the moment in Double-A and can climb into the combination ultimately.
Sheffield has lower than three years of service time and one possibility yr remaining. If he can get his efficiency again to his prospect days and earn a roster spot, he may present the membership with some rotation depth and the chance for long-term profit if issues go particularly effectively.
