The Twins have reportedly signed relief pitcher Alex Speas to a minor-league contract, as confirmed by his agency. Speas, who will turn 27 next March, has had brief stints in Major League Baseball with both the Rangers and Astros. He made one appearance for Houston last season, facing the Twins in May. Over four career MLB innings, he’s allowed four runs on four hits, six walks, and struck out six.
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Speas’ challenges in establishing a steady big-league career stem from his electric arm, but lack of control. His stuff is undoubtedly impressive, but he struggles with consistency in his command.
In 2023, Speas was designated for assignment four times. In 29.2 innings across four Triple-A teams, he surrendered 40 earned runs on 35 hits and 43 walks, along with 45 strikeouts. His strikeout rate of 13.7 strikeouts per 9 innings is notable, but his 2.63 WHIP and 12.13 ERA were concerning. He walked over 27% of the batters he faced.
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A Georgia native, Speas was a second-round draft pick by the Rangers out of high school. After spending several years in their system, he took a break in 2022 to coach and instruct at a North Carolina high school. He returned to playing in 2023, posting a 2.86 ERA over 56.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A for the Rangers, striking out 85 while walking 38.
Speas remains a work in progress, but his age (26) and electric fastball that reaches over 100 mph keep him in demand. The Twins will now look to tap into his potential, hoping to help him improve his command and reduce his walk rate. While it’s a long shot, there’s still a chance Speas could develop into a reliable MLB reliever if he can gain more control over his pitches.