Rockies claim RHP Nick Mears off waivers from Texas to improve bullpen

The Colorado Rockies added another big league arm to their bullpen on Friday, claiming RHP Nick Mears off waivers from the Texas Rangers.

Mears joins a Rockies’ relief corps that has already been bolstered RHP Pierce Johnson and LHP Brent Suter. 

The 26-year-old righty has pitched in parts of three seasons as a big leaguer with the Pittsburgh Pirates, amassing 30.1 innings with a 4.75 ERA.

In 2022, the 6’3” reliever spent much of the year in Triple-A, twirling 24.2 innings with a 4.74 ERA at Indianapolis. He did make two appearances with Pittsburgh during the final week of the season, throwing 2.0 scoreless frames against the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The scouting report shows Mears throwing a four-seam fastball that sits between 94-98 mph, though he was once clocked at 101 mph while in the minors, and compliments it with a curveball that gives him a 17 mph differential between the two pitches. 

Originally signed by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent out of Sacramento City College (JC) in 2018, Mears put on 30 pounds of muscle and became a top 30 prospect for the organization before the start of 2020, according to Baseball America. 

Mears had spent the entirety of his professional career with Pittsburgh before being claimed on waivers by Texas in December. Once they came to agreement on a two-year deal with RHP Nathan Eovaldi, Mears was waived once again.

The Sacramento-area product is the third reliever claimed off waivers by the Rockies since last August, joining Dinelson Lamet and Suter, who both came from the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Only Daniel Bard (6.103), Suter (5.161), Lamet (5.070), Pierce Johnson (3.137) and Lucas Gilbreath (1.147) have more Major League service time than Mears’ one-year and 79 days (1.079).

Colorado now has 39 players on the 40-man roster.