Tigers add another journeyman lefty to depleted minor-league bullpen

Detroit — The Tigers are restocking their relatively short minor-league supply of left-handed relievers. They brought back Ian Krol on a minor-league deal with a camp invite last month and former 2014 draft pick Locke St. John last week.

On Thursday, they signed lefty Miguel Del Pozo to a minor-league deal. St. John and Del Pozo will not be invited to big-league camp next month.

The 28-year-old Del Pozo has had brief and regrettable big-league stints with the Angels in 2019 and the Pirates last year. He’s also spent time in the Marlins and Rangers systems.

He features a 93-mph, four-seam fastball and a curveball, but he’s had trouble keeping his pitching in the strike zone. He has walked 16 hitters in 13 big-league innings, while allowing 18 runs.

The Tigers scouted him in the Dominican Winter League where he’s allowed just one hit and two walks, with eight strikeouts, in six innings.

Presently, there are three left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster — Gregory Soto, Daniel Norris and Tyler Alexander. Norris and Alexander will both compete for a spot in the starting rotation this spring.  

Krol, St. John and Del Pozo are the only lefty relievers in the system at the Triple-A level. So, the Tigers are probably still on the search for lefties.

chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @cmccosky