The Detroit Tigers signed right-handed relief pitcher Preston Guilment to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to James Schmehl of MLive. Since he will attend spring training, Guilmet has the chance to make the 2016 Opening Day roster as a bullpen pitcher, but will probably find himself with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
After being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 22nd round of the 2008 MLB Draft, the pitcher returned to college and was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 9th round just a year later. Guilmet has played for Low-A Mahoning Valley, Single-A Lake County, High-A Kinston, Double-A Akron, Triple-A Colubus, Cleveland Indians, Triple-A Norfolk, Baltimore Orioles, Triple-A Buffalo, Triple-A Durham, Triple-A Oklahoma City, Triple-A Colorado Springs, Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers over three seasons in the MiLB and MLB. The righty is a true baseball journeyman even as a 28-year-old.
Over all levels of baseball, Guilmet has gone 24-19 with a 3.09 ERA across 433.1 innings pitched. The pitcher who threw for four different organizations in 2015 has logged 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings over 304 games pitched in his career. In the major leagues, Guilmet has struggled with a weak 8.22 ERA, 1.478 WHIP and just 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings over 23.0 innings pitched with the Indians, Orioles, Rays and Brewers.
Guilmet posted an 11.05 ERA and 1.77 WHIP in 7.1 innings with the Rays and Brewers in 2015. The Tigers have yet to confirm the move for the right-handed relief pitcher. Guilment is the fourth reliever that the Tigers have picked up this offseason. Detroit has added Francisco Rodriguez, Mark Lowe and Justin Wilson, who will all make the major league roster. Rodriguez will be used as the closer, while Lowe will pitch the eighth inning. Wilson has the ability to pitch at anytime because he is noted as a left-handed specialist.