Prior to the Houston Astros handing out a megadeal to Josh Hader this offseason, one of their major moves was trading for young reliever Dylan Coleman.
The 27-year-old was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres.
He was able to pitch two years in their minor league system, but had to miss the 2020 season because it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Padres then traded him to the Kansas City Royals November 2020 where he was able to climb their pipeline until he made his Major League debut in 2021.
After only appearing in five games that year, he was heavily featured in 2022, posting an ERA of 2.78 across 68 appearances with an ERA+ of 148.
However, Coleman struggled last season with an 8.84 ERA in 23 games, getting sent down to their Triple-A affiliate for 32 appearances.
The Astros took a chance on the young pitcher and brought him to their team via trade.
Coleman is hoping he can put together a strong Spring Training performance and make the Opening Day roster to get his career back on track.
"I feel like if I’m where I want to be, all that will take care of itself. I’ve got a lot of confidence in my stuff and my ability," he said according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Houston certainly has a track record of getting pitchers coming off difficult stretches and turning them into solid contributors out of their bullpen.
This is something that Coleman knows and is looking forward to experiencing.
"Obviously, the winning culture is here, as well, but more so the development [intrigues] me ... You have guys here that can really lock in on that and get you back on track quicker. It's a lot of help," he said.
The Astros knew a little bit about what they were getting when they acquired him. He faced Houston three times throughout his career and didn't allow a single run when facing their star studded lineup.
They're hoping he can bring that level of pitching to their team when he puts on an Astros jersey this season.
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