After watching right-hander Miles Mikolas return from a stint in Asia to have success in the majors, the Diamondbacks are taking a low-risk gamble of their own on a pitcher hoping to follow in Mikolas’ footsteps.
The Diamondbacks on Tuesday signed right-hander Merrill Kelly to a two-year, $5.5 million deal, snapping up the former Tampa Bay Rays prospect following a successful four-year run in South Korea’s top professional league.
Kelly, 30, isn’t coming off his best season with the SK Wyverns of the KBO – he had a 4.09 ERA in 158 1/3 innings – but had ranked in the league’s top 10 in ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched the previous two seasons.