A closer look at the three recent Diamondback signings

Aug 20, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Austin Adams (54) reacts after a strike out to end the top of the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

It may seem hard to believe, but 2023 Spring Training is just two months away.

While it has been a fairly stale offseason for the Arizona Diamondbacks, they have made quite a few moves that may seem insignificant but could very well make a difference in the bullpen this season.

On January 25th, the D-Backs signed three new relief pitchers to minor league contracts.

Here is everything you need to know about these new additions:

Austin Adams

Originally drafted in the 8th round of the 2012 draft, Adams has bounced around with three different teams before signing with Arizona this week.

While his playing time has been inconsistent, the 31-year-old did see quite a bit of action during his 2021 season with the San Diego Padres.

During this 2021 season, Adams pitched 52.1 innings, struck out 76, and finished with a 4.10 ERA.

But it was not his high ERA that led to the Padres slashing his playing time down in the following year, it was his lack of ball control.

In 2021, Adams hit 24 batters, which led the entire MLB. In total, he walked 35 batters in just 52 innings.

Could this be something that Diamondbacks pitching coach Brett Strom can fix?

After all, Adams only allowed 1 home run during these 52 innings, meaning that obviously he does have some nasty pitches, just needs some help controlling them.

If Austin Adams can limit the walks, he can be a solid part of Arizona’s bullpen.

Eric Yardley

It has been over 365 days since Eric Yardley stepped on the mound for a game in the major leagues.

After a miserable season with the Brewers in 2021, the 32-year-old has bounced around in AAA, where he has continued to struggle.

But it was not always like this for Yardley. In 2019, he pitched his first couple of games in the majors. During this year, Yardley threw 11 innings, allowing three runs.

Then in 2020, Yardley actually showed signs of progress as he pitched in 23 innings, only allowing four earned runs.

This success can be credited to his extreme release point, which can be extremely difficult to hit.

2020 MLB Most Extreme: Lowest Release Points

Tyler Rogers: 1.2ft
Eric Yardley: 2.3ft
Adam Cimber: 2.5ft
Tim Hill: 2.8ft
Darren O’Day: 3.6ft

The average height of the 5 pitchers with the lowest releases in 2020 is 6’3”. pic.twitter.com/evNHgNQhA4

— Connor Нinchliffe (@conhinch) December 28, 2020

Jeurys Familia

Familia is the only one of these three with extensive experience in the majors.

For this reason, the Diamondbacks have offered a $1.55 million addition to his contract if he makes it out of the minor leagues.

In total, Familia has played with the Mets for 10 seasons, plus one season each with the Phillies, Red Sox, and Athletics.

But recently, the 33-year-old out of the Dominican Republic has struggled immensely.

Last season, Familia finished with a 6.09 ERA by throwing 44 innings and allowing a whopping 30 earned runs.

Of course, there have been signs of promise, such as his All-Star Game appearance in 2016, but it seems as if Familia’s best days are behind him.