Mets sign pitchers Ben Rowen and Cory Burns to minor-league deals
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Ben Rowen delivers to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Milwaukee. Credit: AP / Jeffrey Phelps
The Mets signed righthanded relievers Ben Rowen and Cory Burns to minor-league deals, the club announced on Thursday. Rowen’s contract includes an invite to big league camp while Burns’ does not.
Both have pitched in the big leagues, which the Mets prioritized when exploring minor league deals.
Rowen, 28, is submarine-style righty with a fastball that doesn’t crack 82 mph. But he generates a high rate of groundballs. He pitched in four games for the Brewers last season, his first stint in the big leagues since appearing in eight games in 2014 with the Rangers.
A September call-up, Rowen allowed five earned runs in three innings. The Brewers claimed Rowen off waivers in August. He began the season pitching for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, where he posted a 2.47 ERA in 37 appearances.
Since being chosen by the Rangers in the 22nd round of the 2010 draft, Rowen has a 1.85 ERA in 270 minor league games with five different organizations. With a camp invite, he’ll have a chance to break camp with the Mets.
Burns, 29, is returning to affiliated baseball after spending 2016 in independent ball with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League. With a deceptive delivery, he posted a 2.17 ERA with 31 saves in 55 appearances.
Burns has pitched in 27 big league games between the Padres and Rangers, though he has not appeared in the majors since 2013. He has a 3.29 ERA in the minors since the Indians made him an eighth-round pick in the 2009 draft.