Reds, Chafin agree to minor league deal

The Cincinnati Reds signed veteran reliever Andrew Chafin to a minor league contract on March 27. The 2008 Western Reserve graduate was assigned to Triple-A Louisville and has already appeared in a game for the Bats. He threw a scoreless inning on March 29 with three strikeouts and one walk. Chafin was granted his release from a minor league deal with the Twins on March 20 after he did not make the Minnesota roster out of spring training. He allowed two runs with five strikeouts and three walks in six innings of work for the Twins during the spring, with a four-seam fastball that averaged 85.7 mph. A left-hander, Chafin enters an organization that has two lefty relievers in their opening day bullpen in Cincinnati. Last season, Chafin was traded at the deadline for a fifth time in the past six years. After asking for his release from the Detroit organization in late April 2025, Chafin signed with the Washington Nationals on May 1. He was 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 26 appearances for Washington and struck out 18 batters in his 20 innings of work. In 13 2/3 innings over 16 appearances with Anaheim, Chafin did not factor into a decision and had a 1.98 ERA. He struck out 18 and walked seven for the Angels. After being drafted out of Kent State University by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the MLB Draft in 2011, Chafin spent parts of his first seven seasons in Phoenix. Arizona traded him at the deadline in 2020 to the Chicago Cubs, and Chafin re-signed with the Cubs that winter. The Cubs then dealt him to the Oakland Athletics at the July 2021 trade deadline, and Chafin later signed with nearby Detroit during spring training in 2022. Chafin ended up spending the entire 2022 season with the Tigers, posting a 2.83 ERA across 64 appearances in his age 32 season. In February 2023, Chafin then returned to the Diamondbacks, only to be traded to the Milwaukee Brewers at the deadline on Aug. 1, 2023. He signed back with the Tigers in the winter, but then Detroit traded him to the Texas Rangers at the deadline last season on July 30, 2024. Unsigned as teams opened training camp, Chafin returned to the Tigers on a minor league contract with an invite to spring training on Feb. 24, 2025. He opened the season at Triple-A Toledo but asked for and was granted his release on April 30. He was 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 13 games for the Mudhens. The next day, Chafin signed with the Nationals on May 1. His first two appearances were against his home state Reds and Cleveland Guardians on May 3 and May 6, respectively. Should Chafin be called up to the Reds, the team will make its annual "Battle of Ohio" trip to Cleveland on May 15-17. Chafin got to make his MLB debut in 2014 at Progressive Field — just 45 minutes from his hometown in Wakeman. The Guardians also visit the Reds in the last week of June this season at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Chafin has appeared in four postseason games with Arizona (2017) and Chicago (2020). He recorded a key out in an 11-8 Wild Card Game postseason win over Colorado in 2017. Chafin also made two appearances in a three-game sweep in losses against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division series in 2017. He then appeared in one postseason game with the Cubs in a Wild Card round loss to Miami in 2020. For his MLB career, Chafin is 22-28 with a 3.35 ERA across parts of 12 seasons. He still owns more strikeouts (591) than innings pitched (542) for his career. Prior to his professional career, Chafin was a four-year letterwinner and the Firelands Conference Player of the Year in 2008 for Western Reserve. Chafin was also Division III District Player of the Year and All-Ohio first team. In his final high school game of his career, he threw a no-hitter at Mapleton. Chafin holds the school record for most strikeouts in a game (19), most strikeouts in a season (178), and lowest ERA and is tied for most pitching wins (10). Shortly after graduation, Chafin was the No. 1 starter and anchor for the Sandusky American Legion Post 83 summer baseball team, which won its first-ever state title in 2008 — largely behind the lefty's arm. At Kent, Chafin was the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year in 2009 with a 4-1 record, eight saves, a 1.26 ERA, and 55 strikeouts. He missed 2010 because of reconstructive Tommy John elbow surgery, then was the MAC Pitcher of the Year after he posted an 8-1 record in 2011 with 105 strikeouts in 89 innings of work and a 2.02 ERA.