Rockies Sign Peyton Battenfield To Minors Contract

The Rockies have signed Peyton Battenfield to a minor league deal, as per the right-hander’s MLB.com profile page.  In a transaction that flew under MLBTR’s radar, Battenfield was released by the Mets last month, but the 26-year-old has now caught on with the fifth different organization of his pro career.

A ninth-round pick for the Astros in the 2019 draft, Battenfield was traded to the Tampa Bay the following offseason, and then to Cleveland at the 2021 trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Jordan Luplow to the Rays.  Battenfield was briefly called up to the Guardians’ active roster in 2022 but didn’t appear in a game, so his official MLB debut didn’t take place until 2023, when he posted a 5.19 ERA, 18.5% strikeout rate, and 8.2% walk rate over 34 2/3 innings for the Guards.

Some injuries in Cleveland’s rotation opened the door for Battenfield to make six starts and a relief appearance, but a bout of shoulder inflammation sent him to the 60-day injured list and he didn’t pitch in the Show again after May 17.  Cleveland ended up designating Battenfield for assignment at the end of August, and the Mets claimed the righty away through Battenfield didn’t see any time on New York’s big league roster.

Battenfield has a 4.19 ERA over 210 1/3 career Triple-A innings, and a 15.48% strikeout rate that represents a sharp drop from the much stronger K-rates he posted at the lower levels of the minors.  He was also burned by the long ball, after allowing seven homers in his 34 2/3 innings with the Guardians and 13 homers in 47 2/3 frames with Triple-A Columbus last season.

This vulnerability to home runs might not bode well for a move to the Rockies, but Battenfield will give pitching-needy Colorado some rotation depth.  With German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela already on the mend from Tommy John surgeries last year, Kyle Freeland was also just placed on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain yesterday.  Peter Lambert will move from Colorado’s bullpen to take Freeland’s spot in the rotation, and given how the Rockies are in such dire straits when it comes to pitching, Battenfield might quickly get himself on the radar for a call-up if he performs well in the minors.