Position: LHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 215 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Born: 06/26/1997
College: Santa Rosa (CA) JC
Signed: Non-drafted free agent, 2017 (Dodgers)
How Acquired: Free Agent
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Minor League Free Agency: 2024
Options Left: 1
Overview
Bruihl had Tommy John surgery in high school, pitched one season in relief for California Polytechnic, then went to Santa Rosa JC. He pitched well enough to earn a scholarship back at Cal Poly, but he chose instead to sign as a non-drafted free agent with the Dodgers. He throws with a crossfire motion that’s made him very tough on left-handed hitters, but right-handed hitters have hit him hard in the majors. His fastball is only in the upper-80s, but he doesn’t throw it much. He instead relies heavily on a cutter and also throws a sweeping slider, or curve depending on your source. He’s gotten into 72 games in the majors, with decent results but a very low K rate. He needs to stay around the edges of the strike zone to be successful. He’s been strictly a reliever, apart from a couple of opener-type appearances in 2021, both against the Pirates.
2018-20
Bruihl had a rough time in his 2018 debut in advanced rookie ball, mainly due to walks. In 2019, though, he dominated in Low-A, with an 0.79 ERA and 11.0 K/9, and got into four games in High-A. He didn’t pitch during the pandemic season.
2021-23
In 2021, Bruihl opened the season in AA, but quickly got promoted to AAA. He pitched well in AAA, with a 3.57 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in the high-offense Pacific Coast League. The Dodgers called him up in early August and he got into 21 games with them. Pitching in short stints, totaling 18.2 IP, he put up a 2.89 ERA despite a 5.3 K/9.
Bruihl spent 2022 and much of 2023 shuttling back and forth between AAA and the Dodgers. In 2022 he was shaky in AAA, with a 1.71 WHIP, but he had a 1.18 mark in the majors. With the Dodgers, he again pitched in short stints and fanned only 4.3 per nine innings.
In 2023, Bruihl got into 20 games with the Dodgers and put up a 4.07 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, but at the trade deadline he was sent to the Rockies for cash. He struggled badly there and was outrighted late in the month. He opted for free agency after the season.
2024
The Reds signed Bruihl to a minor league deal for 2024 and sent him to AAA. He spent two months there and posted a 2.31 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.3 K/9. It’s possible he had some sort of opt-out provision, as the Pirates signed him a few days later to a major league deal. Bruihl pitched poorly over seven outings with the Pirates, was optioned to AAA, then was designated for assignment in July. He cleared waivers and accepted assignment to AAA.
Stats
Transactions
July 15, 2017: Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent.
August 8, 2021: Contract purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
August 1, 2023: Traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Colorado Rockies for cash.
August 27, 2023: Outrighted to AAA by the Colorado Rockies.
November 6, 2023: Became a free agent.
January 3, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Cincinnati Reds.
June 3, 2024: Released by the Cincinnati Reds.
June 6, 2024: Signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 9, 2024: Outrighted to AAA by the Pittsburgh Pirates.