The San Francisco Giants have signed left-handed pitcher Clayton Andrews to a minor league contract, according to MLB.com’s transaction log. Initially assigned to their Arizona complex, Andrews is expected to move up to Triple-A Sacramento in the near future.
Andrews, a former 17th-round draft pick by the Brewers, has made five appearances in Major League Baseball. Standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall, the southpaw debuted with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, appearing in four games. This year, he played one game for the New York Yankees after being acquired from Milwaukee in February. In that lone outing, Andrews faced Luke Raley and surrendered a home run before being designated for assignment when the Yankees signed Tim Hill in late June.
This season, Andrews has cleared waivers twice, giving him the option to elect minor league free agency rather than returning to Triple-A with the Yankees. He has opted for this opportunity and is now joining the Giants, a team much closer to his roots. Andrews, 27 years old, attended high school in Santa Rosa and played college baseball at Long Beach State.
The Giants have been looking to bolster their bullpen depth, particularly among left-handed relievers. Throughout the season, Taylor Rogers and Erik Miller have been the main southpaws utilized by manager Bob Melvin. Raymond Burgos had a brief one-inning stint in his MLB debut but was swiftly removed from the 40-man roster. San Francisco has recently added pitchers Alex Young, acquired from the Reds in exchange for Austin Slater, and Kolton Ingram, picked up off waivers from the Cardinals, in efforts to strengthen their bullpen.
San Francisco’s decision to sign Andrews as a non-roster player reflects their interest in his ability to generate strikeouts, a skill he has demonstrated consistently in the minors. During his time in Triple-A with the Yankees, Andrews struck out nearly 26% of opposing batters across 24 2/3 innings. Over his six seasons in the minors, he has struck out almost one-third of the hitters he has faced. However, control has been an issue for Andrews, with a career walk rate exceeding 12%, including a 20.4% rate with the Yankees’ minor league system.
Overall, the Giants’ signing of Andrews represents a calculated move to add left-handed depth to their bullpen, hoping that his minor league success in generating strikeouts will translate to effectiveness at the major league level, once he transitions to Triple-A Sacramento and potentially beyond.
