Position: RHP
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 09/18/1990
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2008 (Astros)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2023
Options Left: 0
Overview
Minaya’s career took a long time to get off the ground. He didn’t make it past low A until his sixth season, and didn’t pitch well until his seventh, at which point he was in AA. He’s spent parts of six seasons in the majors, including most of 2017-18, and has usually pitched at least respectably. He throws his fastball in the range of 93-95 mph and his best pitch is a change, which he throws often. He also throws a slider to right-handed hitters, but the pitch isn’t very effective. For his career, he’s been a little more effective against left-handed hitters. His control is marginal and has gotten worse the last couple years. He’s usually had good K rates, but not in 2022. The Pirates signed Minaya to a minor league deal for 2023.
2009-13
Minaya struggled for quite a few years to get things going. He pitched reasonably well in rookie ball in 2009. The Astros jumped him up to low A in 2010 and he had a mediocre season as a starter, with poor walk and K rates, but he was only 19 at that point. Houston sent him back to that level in 2011 and he pitched as a starter and reliever, but he wasn’t effective, getting hit hard and walking a lot of batters. The Astros demoted Minaya to short season ball in 2012 and he did just OK. In 2013, he was back in low A for a third time, still not pitching especially well.
2014-16
Minaya finally made it to high A in 2014. He was more effective, with two bad outings accounting for over half the earned runs against him and leading to a 4.40 ERA. He got a late-season promotion to AA. He did have a K/9 in double figures. In 2015, back in AA, Minaya had his first good season, partly because his control was much better than previously. He continued to strike out over a batter an inning. He finished the year in AAA and Houston added him to the 40-man roster in the fall. In 2016, Houston sent Minaya back to AAA and he pitched decently, but in June they designated him for assignment. The White Sox claimed him and he pitched a bit better in AAA for them than he had for Houston. The Sox called him up in September.
2017-19
Minaya missed most of April 2017 with an abdominal strain, then went to AAA. He ultimately spent most of the season in the majors, serving as the Sox’ closer over the last six weeks. He was only moderately effective for Chicago and had some trouble with gopher balls, allowing one every six innings. In 2018, he was up and down between AAA and the majors in the season’s first half, then spent the second half with the White Sox. He finished the season with two strong months, posting a 2.42 ERA in August and September.
A little oddly, considering his strong finish in 2018, the next year the White Sox outrighted Minaya to AAA during spring training, then called him up in May. In mid-July, they outrighted him again. He wasn’t very effective in the majors, with opponents slugging .500 against him. His xFIP was 5.66, but a high strand rate kept his ERA down to 3.90. After the season, Minaya refused assignment to the minors, became a free agent, and signed a minor league deal with Minnesota.
2020-23
During the pandemic season, the Twins called Minaya up from their alternate site briefly, but he didn’t see any action before being outrighted a few days later. He again refused assignment after the season, but eventually re-signed with the Twins on a minor league deal. In 2021, Minnesota called Minaya up at the end of May, outrighted him a few days later and then called him back up in July. In the end, he spent about 60% of his season in the majors, posting a 2.48 ERA. He actually got better results there than in AAA, where his ERA was 3.41. He was helped by a very low BABIP and high strand rate in the majors; his xFIP was about the same at both levels. His control was shakier than in most recent seasons, which was a negative sign, although his K rate remained very good. After the season, Minaya became a free agent again.
During spring training 2022, Minaya once again signed a minor league deal with the Twins. Between May and July, they called him up and designated him for assignment twice. Minnesota finally released Minaya in September and he finished the season in AAA with the Nationals. He spent most of his season in AAA with the Twins and pitched poorly there. Control continued to be a problem and his K rate dropped sharply, although he was also hurt by a low strand rate.
Minaya became a free agent after the 2022 season and signed with the Pirates. They sent him to Altoona, which was a low level given his major league experience. He got into 22 games in relief there and put up a 2.39 ERA with solid more than good numbers otherwise, like a 1.37 WHIP. In June the Pirates moved him up to Indianapolis and he had a rough time, with an ERA of 9.00 through a dozen outings. He missed the last six weeks of the season due to injury.
Stats
TRANSACTIONS
September 3, 2008: Signed by the Houston Astros as an international free agent.
November 20, 2015: Contract purchased by the Houston Astros.
June 22, 2016: Claimed off waivers from the Houston Astros by the Chicago White Sox.
March 15, 2019: Outrighted to AAA by the Chicago White Sox.
May 5, 2019: Called up by the Chicago White Sox.
July 17, 2019: DOutrighted to AAA by the Chicago White Sox.
September 20, 2019: Refused minor league assignment and became a free agent.
January 28, 2020: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Minnesota Twins.
August 28, 2020: Called up by the Minnesota Twins.
September 4, 2020: Outrighted to alternate site by the Minnesota Twins.
October 7, 2020: Refused minor league assignment and became a free agent.
December 17, 2020: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Minnesota Twins.
May 29, 2021: Called up by the Minnesota Twins.
June 8, 2021: Outrighted to AAA by the Minnesota Twins.
July 17, 2021: Called up by the Minnesota Twins.
November 30, 2021: Became a free agent.
March 11, 2022: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Minnesota Twins.
May 28, 2022: Called up by the Minnesota Twins.
June 10, 2022: Outrighted to AAA by the Minnesota Twins.
July 1, 2022: Called up by the Minnesota Twins.
July 6, 2022: Outrighted to AAA by the Minnesota Twins.
September 4, 2022: Released by the Minnesota Twins.
September 14, 2022: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Washington Nationals.
October 8, 2022: Became a free agent.
February 4, 2022: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.