The New York Yankees signed veteran outfielder Brett Phillips to a Minor League contract on Tuesday, but his future isn’t in the outfield. Phillips, who played seven seasons in the Majors, is now transitioning to pitching.
After being released from a Minor League deal with the Chicago White Sox earlier this year, Phillips shifted to pitching and has been developing as a reliever. On Monday, he showcased his skills in a semi-pro game, striking out the side on 15 pitches with a fastball reaching 97 MPH.
The Yankees quickly took notice and signed the 30-year-old right-hander. Last year, Phillips played 40 games at the Major League level with the Los Angeles Angels and has also had stints with the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Baltimore Orioles.
Phillips holds a career batting average of .187 with 31 home runs and 39 stolen bases in 393 games. Though he made five pitching appearances as a position player, they were not notably successful, allowing 12 hits and nine runs over 5.1 innings.
Known for his defensive skills and energetic personality, Phillips has taken pitching seriously since his release by Chicago in May, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He made his first pitching start since Little League for the GPS Legends of Texas in a 9-3 win over the Seattle Blackfins at the National Baseball Congress World Series on Monday.
“This wasn’t something where I got ready in a week for this,” Phillips told Taylor Eldridge of the Wichita Eagle. “I’ve put in a lot of good work. This has been a thought-out process and something I really want to pursue and I feel like I can still make a difference at the big-league level.”
Now, Phillips joins a Yankees organization known for maximizing its relievers’ potential. It is yet to be determined at which level of affiliated ball he will start, but with his powerful fastball, he might be on a fast track back to the Majors.
