From agent Marc Klingman comes word that Pat Venditte, a switch-pitcher who can throw both left-handed and right-handed, has signed a minor league contract with the Oakland A’s. The deal also carries an invitation to major league spring training.
Venditte was selected by the Yankees in the 20th round of the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft out of Creighton University and posted a promising 2.46 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 10.1 K/9 across 384 2/3 innings in the Yanks’ minor league system, but he went six years without getting called to New York.
Venditte is going to have a tough time cracking Oakland’s deep and talented bullpen out of spring training, but the 29-year-old is a very unique talent and should get a shot eventually at the big league level. Here’s some video of him confusing the opposition (and an umpire) a few years ago at short-season Staten Island: