ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves have reinforced their bullpen with the signing of right-handed pitcher Ian Hamilton to a non-guaranteed one-year deal, the club announced this Friday.
Hamilton, 30 years old, has a six-season career in the Major Leagues, highlighting his last three with the New York Yankees.
Featured Season in 2023
His best performance was recorded in 2023, where he became a mainstay of the New York bullpen. He achieved an impressive 2.64 ERA, with 69 strikeouts in 58 innings, demonstrating a high ability to generate missed swings (34.6%) and a ground ball percentage of 56.0%.
Challenges and Recovery
In the following two seasons, injuries impacted his performance. During 2024, Hamilton was out for three months due to a strain in his right side. In the past campaign, he pitched 40 innings with an ERA of 4.28, finishing the last two months in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The non-guaranteed contract suggests a minor league agreement or a split contract, allowing Hamilton to receive Major League salary only when he is on the team’s active roster.
With this addition, the Braves seek to strengthen their bullpen for the upcoming season, relying on the recovery ability of a pitcher who has already proven his worth in crucial moments.
