The Athletics signed Pelham to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pelham, who turns 30 in February, hasn't appeared in the majors since 2018 with the Rangers. He split the 2024 season between the Mexican League and Double-A Rocket City in the Angels organization, allowing four runs (two earned) over nine innings. Pelham will compete for a bullpen job but will likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Pelham signed a minor-league contract Thursday with the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Pelham has logged only 7.2 major-league innings, all in 2018 with the Rangers. The 28-year-old left-hander registered a 4.35 ERA in 41.1 innings of relief last season between the Double-A and Triple-A affiliates of the Cubs.

Pelham cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pelham was claimed off waivers from the Rangers earlier in the offseason but didn't make it to spring training on the Cubs' 40-man roster. The lefty recorded an 11.97 ERA and a 37:40 K:BB in the upper minors last season and clearly has some work to do before he's trusted at the big-league level.

Pelham was claimed off waivers by the Cubs on Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

The lefty made his debut as a 24-year-old last season, allowing six runs in 7.2 innings of work. His 7.04 ERA in the majors for the Rangers was his lowest at any level last season, as he posted a 12.05 mark in 21.2 innings for Double-A Frisco and an 11.81 ERA in 10.2 innings for Triple-A Nashville, walking more than a batter per inning at both stops.

Pelham was designated for assignment Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

This is one of the moves that will allow the Rangers to protect some prospects from the Rule 5 draft. The 24-year-old lefty spent all of 2019 working as a reliever in the upper levels of the minors and struggled mightily (11.97 ERA in 32.1 innings).

Pelham was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Pelham has just 7.2 big-league innings under his belt, so his odds of making the Opening Day roster weren't high. He skipped over the Triple-A level before making his brief cameo last season, so he'll look to establish himself there before pushing for a return to the majors.

Pelham allowed a run on four hits in two-thirds of an inning in Wednesday's 9-3 loss to the Angels.

EDGE Analysis

Pelham's major-league debut was memorable in a bad way. He allowed four of the five batters faced to reach base and escaped significant damage thanks to a double play. The 23-year-old has a high-velocity fastball that dazzled hitters at High-A Down East (1.95 ERA), but hasn't had the same impact against batters in Double-A (6.16 ERA) or the majors.

Pelham will be called up from Double-A Frisco on Tuesday, the Rangers' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

It will be a rapid rise for the 23-year-old reliever, who's pitched just 19 innings above High-A. He has an ugly 6.16 ERA in those 19 innings, though he recorded an excellent 1.95 ERA in 27.2 innings for High-A Down East earlier in the season. Pelham's 6-foot-6 frame and fastball which touches 99 mph suggest that he could be a future high-leverage reliever, though he hasn't yet proven that he can get advanced hitters out.