Angels Make Decision on Minor-League Star’s Impending Free Agency

Support Local Media - Click to Add LA Sports Report as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe Los Angeles Angels selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Nicolo Pinazzi, preventing him from entering MiLB free agency on Friday.#Angels transactions:•Reinstated RHP Jack Kochanowicz from 60-day injured list•Selected the contract of LHP Nicolò Pinazzi•Declined conditional club option on RHP Robert Stephenson. He is now a free agent.— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) October 30, 2026Pinazzi, who spent 2024 and 2025 in independent leagues, shot up the Angels’ minor league system after signing a minor league deal with them ahead of the 2026 season.He pitched in every level of the minor leagues from Class-A to Triple-A this season, appearing 48 times with the organization. He had a collective 0.84 ERA across those levels, striking out 103 batters through 64 innings. Pinazzi appeared 13 times for Double-A Rocket City, allowing just one earned run through 16.2 innings before making a sole, scoreless appearance in Triple-A.His 38.9% strikeout rate on the season is elite, and his 60.8% ground ball rate is also a strong figure despite a fairly high walk rate of 12.5%.Who is Nicolo Pinazzi?Pinazzi, 27, first played professional baseball in the United States in 2021, signing with the Cincinnati Reds for 14 games of rookie ball, during which he posted a 2.60 ERA.He appeared in Class-A the following year, though just for one game, where he allowed three runs in as many innings.The southpaw had a longer stint in Class-A the following year, pitching 13 times, but didn’t see his results improve at all, allowing 20 earned runs through 18.1 innings pitched.Just before the 2024 season started, the Reds released Pinazzi, prompting him to join an independent league. He bounced around the Pioneer League and the American Association in 2024 before landing with the Idaho Falls Chukars in 2025, but he didn’t perform there either, posting a 8.13 ERA through 29 appearances.Per Brendan Gawlowski of FanGraphs, Pinazzi’ has a nasty slider’s best pitch is a nasty slider, though the southpaw tells himself it’s a cutter.“I say cutter, but it’s definitely a slider,” Pinazzi said. “I say cutter to delude myself, I throw more strikes that way.”Pinazzi clearly figured something out while with the Angels, and the team couldn’t let him walk given what he did in the minors this season. He could very well feature for the team in MLB next season, but the more likely option for him is starting in Triple-A given his untouched minor-league options.Regardless of where he will start, Pinazzi has an interesting profile and is a key player to keep an eye on for the Angels’ bullpen next year.The post Angels Make Decision on Minor-League Star’s Impending Free Agency appeared first on LA Sports Report.