Reliever Nick Anderson has signed a minor league contract with the Rockies, according to Ari Alexander of KPRC 2. Previously with the Cardinals on a minor league deal, Anderson opted out and quickly secured a new opportunity. Represented by Gaeta Sports Management, he had been pitching for Triple-A Memphis, where he posted a 6.20 ERA across 20 1/3 innings in 17 appearances. While his strikeout (21.5%) and walk (8.6%) rates were decent, he struggled with hard contact and left too many runners on base, leading St. Louis to pass on promoting him.
Anderson, now 34, pitched in the majors for the Royals during the first half of last season, logging 35 2/3 innings with a 4.04 ERA and a 19% strikeout rate. Afterward, he had stints in Triple-A with both the Dodgers and Orioles but didn’t return to the big leagues.
Anderson has bounced around as a middle reliever since his standout 2019–20 stretch with the Marlins and Rays. He gave the Braves 35 1/3 innings of solid work a couple of seasons ago, posting a 3.06 ERA while maintaining a fastball velocity in the 94–95 mph range. The Rockies’ bullpen has a respectable 4.29 ERA, but they rank last in the majors with an 18.9% strikeout rate.
