A former left-handed relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Justin Bruihl, has recently secured a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds, along with an invitation to their Major League camp. The Reds made the announcement on Twitter. Bruihl, 26, spent his initial three seasons with the Dodgers, posting a 3.65 ERA, 43 strikeouts, and a 1.20 WHIP in 65 games and 66.2 innings pitched.
During his time with the Dodgers, Bruihl split his appearances between the majors and minors. His 2023 season began with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, and in 20 big-league games that season, he accumulated 19 strikeouts with a 4.07 ERA in 24.1 innings. However, his tenure with the Dodgers concluded after his last game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 25, leading to his designation for assignment three days later.
Bruihl concluded the 2023 season with the Colorado Rockies, following a trade on August 1. Unfortunately, his stint with the Rockies was challenging, as he recorded a high 14.73 ERA in seven games, pitching 3.2 innings and registering only three strikeouts.
Now joining his third MLB team, Bruihl aims to make an impact on the big-league roster in the upcoming season.
In other Reds news, catcher Austin Wynns has been outright assigned to Triple-A Louisville after clearing waivers. The Reds designated him for assignment on Tuesday as part of the corresponding move to sign Frankie Montas. The team also received cash considerations from the Giants to finalize the December 19 trade involving outfielder TJ Hopkins.
The decision to trade Hopkins was influenced by the signing of Wynns to a free agent deal. The Reds inked the 33-year-old catcher to a one-year contract, and he remained on the 40-man roster for about three weeks. However, Tuesday’s designation for assignment leaves Cincinnati with Tyler Stephenson and Luke Maile as the only catchers on the 40-man roster.
Wynns, despite not achieving the desired outcome, likely anticipated the possibility. He signed a split contract with a $900K rate for MLB time and $300K for Triple-A. With no minor league options left, his path to Triple-A involved clearing outright waivers. While Wynns could technically reject the assignment, it would mean forfeiting the $300K guaranteed in the split deal. Accepting the assignment, he may report to big league Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. If he doesn’t secure an Opening Day spot, he can start the season in Louisville, earning a respectable salary for a minor league player.
Wynns represents a top non-roster option for the Reds if they opt for a three-catcher group, as they did last season. Despite a subpar offensive showing in the previous season with a .208/.268/.277 slash line over 51 games between the Giants, Dodgers, and Rockies, Wynns boasts five seasons of big league experience and demonstrated solid defensive skills. He successfully thwarted 30.8% of stolen base attempts and earned career-best marks as a pitch framer.
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