Per Matt Eddy of Baseball America, the Cardinals have signed right-hander Jeremy Hefner to a minor league contract.
This isn’t a transaction that is going to grab many headlines. In fact, you might have forgotten about him or never knew about him in the first place. I wouldn’t really blame you if that was the case. The 29-year-old posted a 4.65 ERA over 36 starts and 14 relief appearances with the Mets from 2012-2013, but he has undergone two Tommy John surgeries since. His latest procedure was last October, so he missed the entire 2015 season while in rehab mode. The good news is that he’s back pitching again in the Dominican Winter League.
Hefner might have found himself on the fringes of the majors even if he remained healthy during this time, but it would be quite an accomplishment if he manages to find his way on the Cardinals’ roster at some point in 2016. He’s an easy guy to root for after all he’s been through over the past couple of years.