Relief pitcher Nick Anderson has signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies, according to Ari Alexander of KPRC 2. Previously, Anderson, represented by Gaeta Sports Management, was under a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals but opted out and quickly secured a new opportunity.
Anderson had been pitching for the Cardinals’ top affiliate in Memphis, making 17 appearances with a 6.20 ERA across 20 1/3 innings. While his strikeout rate (21.5%) and walk rate (8.6%) were decent, he struggled with allowing hard contact and stranded fewer runners than desired. Unsurprisingly, St. Louis chose not to promote him after he exercised his opt-out.
The 34-year-old appeared in the majors last season with the Kansas City Royals, pitching 35 2/3 innings with a 4.04 ERA and a moderate 19% strikeout rate. He later spent time in Triple-A with the Dodgers and Orioles but did not receive a major league call-up from either team.
Anderson has been a reliable middle reliever since his strong 2019-20 performances with Miami and Tampa Bay. He also contributed 35 1/3 innings of 3.06 ERA pitching for the Braves a few seasons ago and still throws a fastball in the 94-95 MPH range. The Rockies’ bullpen currently holds a decent 4.29 ERA but ranks last in MLB with just an 18.9% strikeout rate.
