Yankees News: Yankees Sign Scott Baker To A Minor League Deal

By Jason Evans | Jan 30, 2015

Teams at this point in the off-season are looking to tinker. Looking to fill in around the edges. Looking for some depth. The Yankees are looking for some cheap depth in the starting rotation. Their five appears set, with Ivan Nova coming back later in the season, but after that there are more questions than answers.

Today, the Yankees added another candidate for the rotation. According to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, the Yanks signed 33 year old veteran right-hander Scott Baker to a minor league deal. If Baker, makes the club, he will earn $1.5 million per CBS Sports Jon Heyman.

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Baker appeared in 25 games for the Texas Rangers, going 3-4 with a 5.47 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and a 4.78 ERA. Baker spent some time with the Cubs in 2013, pitching in three games. Baker missed all of 2012 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Baker was the Twins second round pick back in 2003. Baker had a solid career with the Twins, recording three years of double digit wins from 2008-2010. Baker was never a big strikeout guy. The most he recorded in one season was 162 back in 2009, which was the only year he hit the 200 inning plateau.

Minor league deals are free looks at players. Baker certainly has a shot at making the club. He could be the long man. He could beat out Chris Capuano for the temporary fifth spot in the rotation. All Baker needs to be is league average to be an effective player and member of the team.

The Yanks haven’t announced their spring invitees quite yet, and Baker will be a part of it. We don’t know who else will compete for a similar role, but to me signing Baker wasn’t a bad move at all. Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle and he could be that.

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