Pitcher Kendall Graveman will attempt a Major League comeback with the Arizona Diamondbacks after missing the 2024 season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the former Benjamin Russell High School standout have reached agreement on a one-year, $1.35 million contract, MLB.com and ESPN reported on Friday.
Graveman had shoulder surgery in January 2024 that kept him from playing last season.
Graveman’s past 196 MLB appearances have come out of the bullpen.
The Diamondbacks’ saves leader in 2024, Paul Sewald with 16, left in free agency for the Cleveland Guardians last month. But he was removed from Arizona’s closer role in August.
Justin Martinez saved eight games from Aug. 5 through Sept. 3 and returns. The Diamondbacks also have former Miami Marlins closer A.J. Puk available in the bullpen.
In his most recent season, Graveman pitched in 45 games for the Chicago White Sox before being pitching in 23 games for the Houston Astros after being traded into the pennant race. He posted a 3.12 earned-run average (2.42 for Houston) in 66.1 innings. The right-hander went 5-6 with eight saves while striking out 66.
A four-year starter as a pitcher and shortstop at Benjamin Russell in Alexander City, Graveman went to Mississippi State after posting a 6-3 record with a 1.19 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 63 innings as a high school senior.
At Mississippi State, Graveman compiled a career record of 19-13 with a 3.69 ERA in 68 appearances before departing as an eighth-round choice of the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2013 draft.
In his first full minor-league season, Graveman had a 14-6 record with a 1.83 ERA at four levels in the Toronto system before making his MLB debut as a September callup in 2014.
One of the four players traded by the Blue Jays to the Oakland Athletics on Nov. 28, 2014, for former Faith Academy and Auburn star Josh Donaldson, Graveman had a 23-29 record in 78 starts for Oakland before sustaining an arm injury.
Graveman had Tommy John surgery in 2018, and he didn’t play in a big-league game between May 11, 2018, and July 27, 2020.
In his comeback with the Seattle Mariners in 2020, Graveman made the transition to the bullpen after making two starts.
In his career, Graveman has a 37-43 record with a 3.95 ERA and 24 saves in 280 games. In 652 innings, Graveman has 494 strikeouts.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
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