While he didn't have any experience as a full-time relief pitcher in the majors, Mike Minor's impressive 2017 has put him in a good position this winter.
Mike Minor's 2017 season was impressive for a couple of reasons.
Not only did he return to an MLB field for the first time since 2014 (surgery for a torn labrum in March of 2015 cost him two seasons), but the Kansas City Royals placed him in the bullpen on a full-time basis for the first time in his career.
The move was perfect for both parties -- the Royals got much-needed help in this area of their roster and Minor revitalized his value as a reliever, which is very important since the demand for high quality relief pitching is so high these days.