Position: RHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 181 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 08/04/1992
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2010 (Marlins)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Minor League Free Agency: 2024
Options Left: 0
Overview
German spent parts of five seasons in the Yankees’ rotation, with varying success. In fact, his career has seen some extreme ups and downs, including a perfect game, a couple of suspensions and alcohol issues. German relies mainly on a curve and change, both of which are effective pitches. His fastball sat in the 93-95 mph range early in his first few major league seasons, but now it’s 92-93, and its effeciveness is well below average. German has usually had good control and K rates above a batter an inning, and hasn’t usually given up a lot of hits. He’s always, though, given up a great many home runs. The Pirates signed German to a minor league deal for 2024. It includes a $1.25M salary if he’s in the majors and a club option for 2025 with a base salary of $2.25M. He has performance escalators for both seasons.
2010-14
German advanced slowly through the low minors despite putting up outstanding ERAs. He spent two years in the Dominican Summer League, moved up to the Gulf Coast League in 2012, then went back there to open 2013. He made five starts in the GCL in 2013, then eight more in the New York-Penn League. German finally got to Low Class A in 2014. From 2011-13, he never had an ERA above 1.82 at any stop. In Low A, he made 25 starts with a 2.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and outstanding control. The Marlins added him to their 40-man roster after the season, then traded him to the Yankees a month later.
2015-18
German’s first season with the Yankees never happened as he missed all of it following Tommy John surgery. New York removed him from the roster after the season and he signed a minor league deal to stay with the team. German returned to make five starts each at the two Class A levels in 2016, pitching well, and the Yankees added him back to the 40-man roster after the season.
In 2017, German split the season between AA and AAA, with ERAs of 3.00 and 2.83, respectively. The Yankees called him up briefly in June and again in September, and he pitched well over seven relief appearances. In 2018, he opened the season in the New York bullpen but soon moved to the rotation, making 14 starts. His ERA was 5.57 despite a solid 1.33 WHIP, with the big problem being 15 gopher balls in 85.2 IP. The Yankees sent him to the minors in July and he missed nearly a month after that with an injury.
2019-23
German had a breakout season in 2019, going 18-4 with the very high-scoring Yankees. He had a 1.15 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9 and 9.6 K/9, but longballs remained a big problem, as he allowed 30 in 143 innings, leading to a 4.03 ERA. Before the 2020 season, though, German was suspended for 81 games due to a domestic violence incident; MLB deemed the suspension satisfied by German missing all of the shortened pandemic season.
In 2021, German returned to make 18 starts with a 4.58 ERA. The ERA again resulted from gopher balls, as his other stats were good. He missed most of the last two months due to right shoulder inflammation. The shoulder problem continued in 2022, as he started the season on the injured list due to right shoulder impingement. He rejoined the Yankees in time to make 14 starts, with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.
German had his most eventful season in 2023, although mostly not in good ways. He didn’t pitch especially well early in the season and was suspended for ten games after failing a foreign-substance inspection. On June 28, he threw the 24th perfect game in MLB history. By the end of July he had a 4.56 ERA, but at the beginning of August the Yankees suspended him after a clubhouse altercation in which he appeared to be intoxicated. New York removed German from the 40-man roster after the season and he opted for free agency.
2024
The Pirates signed German in the middle of 2024 spring training. He wasn’t able to pitch until mid-May, apparently due to visa issues. His pitching in AAA was poor and, in mid-July, German opted out of his contract. He evidently didn’t generate any interest, as he re-signed with the Pirates a few days later. He had another opt-out date three weeks later and this time the Pirates called him up despite continued struggles in AAA. He made seven appearances for them, including two starts, and pitched very poorly. They designated him for assignment when they claimed Joey Wentz and he cleared waivers. German finished with a 5.04 ERA in AAA and 7.84 in the majors. Walks were a problem and he didn’t have an especially high K rate.
Stats
Transactions
May 27, 2010: Signed as an international free agent by the Miami Marlins.
November 20, 2014: Contract purchased by the Miami Marlins.
December 19, 2014: Traded by the Miami Marlins with Nathan Eovaldi and Garrett Jones to the New York Yankees for David Phelps and Martin Prado.
December 3, 2015: Became a free agent.
December 11, 2015: Signed as a minor league free agent by the New York Yankees.
November 4, 2016: Called up by the New York Yankees.
November 3, 2016: Became a free agent.
December 15, 2016: Signed as a free agent by the New York Yankees.
November 2, 2023: Outrighted to AAA by the New York Yankees; elected free agency on November 6.
January 23, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 16, 2024: Released by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 19, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
August 9, 2024: Called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
September 7, 2024: Outrighted to AAA by the Pittsburgh Pirates.