Yankees Sign Pirates Reliever To Minor-League Deal
The New York Yankees are signing Duane Underwood Jr. to a minor-league deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training, per the New York Post.
Underwood will give the Yankees a right-handed option for their bullpen, which the team has re-made significantly in the past month via both trades and free-agent signings.
The 29-year-old was with Pittsburgh last season, where he made 20 appearances, went 1-0 with two saves, a 5.18 ERA and struck out a career-low 5.8 hitters per nine innings.
Underwood started 2023 with the Puerto Rican national team in the World Baseball Classic. But he was on a yo-yo with the Pirates, who designated him for assignment in late May and then assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis in early June after he went unclaimed.
He spent most of his time in the minors either on Indianapolis’ injured list or developmental list. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Underwood spent three seasons with the Pirates, as he went 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA in 114 games (one start) with three saves and 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Before he was with the Pirates, he spent three seasons with the Chicago Cubs, where he went 1-1 in 30 appearances (one start) with a 5.20 ERA and one save. He struck out 10.7 hitters per nine innings.
The Cubs drafted Underwood in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Pope High School in Marietta, Ga. Along with his time in the minors, he played in the 2016 Arizona Fall League and was later moved to the Cubs’ 40-man roster before his eventual call-up on July 25, 2018.
