The Cincinnati Reds have bolstered their bullpen depth by signing veteran left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin to a minor league contract, assigning him to the Triple-A Louisville Bats. As the Bats kick off their season tonight, the Reds are hoping Chafin can bring his wealth of experience to the table.
Chafin, a seasoned pitcher with 12 MLB seasons under his belt, initially signed with the Minnesota Twins this offseason. However, after being informed he wouldn't make the team, he exercised his opt-out clause, making him a free agent. Now, the Reds are looking to capitalize on his availability.
Throughout his career, Chafin has been a reliable arm, boasting a career ERA of 3.35 over 643 games. Last year, he split his time between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels, appearing in 42 games with an impressive 2.41 ERA over 33.2 innings. He demonstrated solid control, allowing just two home runs, issuing 19 walks, and fanning 36 batters.
While Chafin has shown the ability to throw strikes, his walk rate has been inconsistent, a trend that’s persisted over the past few seasons. After joining the Angels, there was some improvement, though his walk rate remained higher than ideal.
This spring, Chafin pitched in six games for the Twins, allowing two runs over six innings, which translated to a 3.00 ERA. He gave up four hits, walked three, and struck out five. Notably, he reduced his walks after his initial outing.
However, a concerning trend has emerged with Chafin's velocity. From 2021-2024, his fastball clocked in around 92 MPH, but it dipped to 89.5 MPH in 2025.
Despite this, he managed to keep runs in check. This spring, his fastball averaged just 85.7 MPH, which raises questions about his ability to retire MLB hitters effectively.
Keeping an eye on his velocity through Statcast data while he's in Triple-A could provide insight into whether he can regain some of that lost speed.