San Diego Padres: Dietrich Enns Signs Minor League Deal

The San Diego Padres have signed another player to a minor league deal.

This isn’t the high-profile news like the Washington Nationals signing former Arizona Diamondback Patrick Corbin to a six-year/$140 million deal, however, the San Diego Padres have continued to add to their minor league pitching depth with the signing of former Minnesota Twin Dietrich Enns. He announced the signing on his Twitter account.

The 27-year-old left-handed pitcher was originally drafted in the 19th round of the 2012 MLB draft by the New York Yankees. He was traded in June of 2017 to the Minnesota Twins (along with RHP Zack Littell) in exchange for LHP Jaime Garcia.

Across seven minor league seasons, Enns has made 138 appearances (73 starts), posting a 36-27 record with a 2.55 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He has recorded 512 strikeouts in 530 innings and has limited opponents to a .220 average.

Up until the 2018 season, Enns never pitched to an ERA higher than 2.94 but struggled in 2018 while splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A.

Enns went a combined 9-12 with a 4.60 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a .273 batting average against in 129 innings. Of the 26 home runs he has given up in his career, 12 of them came in 2018.

This coming off a 2017 season which saw Enns make his major league debut with the Minnesota Twins. He made one start against the Milwaukee Brewers and followed it up with a relief appearance before he was sent back to AAA. In his four major league innings, Enns gave up three earned runs off seven hits (including two home runs), striking out two and walking one.

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What type of pitcher is Dietrich Enns? He is a Tommy John survivor, going under the knife back in 2014. Per Wayne Cavadi who wrote up a piece about Enns last year for the now shut down MinorLeagueBall.com,

"Enns has a four-pitch arsenal, highlighted by a fastball that usually hits in the high-80s or low-90s. He seems to have solid command of his changeup, using it as a successful out pitch and mixes in a slider which, like the change, works in the mid to low-80s. He as an adequate curveball as well. His issues have always been surrounding his high walk rates, which has been less of an issues this season than in the past, as he walked two or less in eight straight outings. He also seems to be working more ground balls of late, which is always helpful."

Welcome to San Diego, Dietrich Enns.