The Philadelphia Phillies have signed right-hander Michael Ynoa to a minor-league deal with an invite to major league spring training, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Ynoa, 29, has a 4.42 ERA and 4.73 FIP across 45 career relief appearances at the major league level, all of which came as a member of the Chicago White Sox in 2016 and 2017.
Most recently, Ynoa was a member of the Kansas City Royals organization, posting a 4.57 ERA in 17 games at the Triple-A level in 2019. However, Ynoa has stayed fresh pitching for Augilas in the Dominican Winter League, posting a 2.79 ERA in 20 appearances.
What’s jumps off the page about Ynoa are his attributes, as he’s 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds. The righty’s arsenal includes a mid-90s fourseam fastball, along with a changeup, slider and cutter.
Will Ynoa ultimately help bring a playoff-caliber bullpen to Philadelphia, a year after a historically-bad unit likely kept Joe Girardi’s team from reaching the postseason? Who knows. But perhaps the Phillies have intel on what has allowed Ynoa to have success in the Dominican Winter League, and believe they could further tap into it as they look to find a diamond in the rough.