Nick Anderson DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Friday that they signed free-agent right-hander Nick Anderson to a minor-league contract with a non-roster invite to major-league spring training. The 34-year-old veteran reliever has appeared in 165 games over five MLB seasons since debuting with the Miami Marlins in 2019. In his time in the majors, he has put up a nice 3.18 ERA with a 31.6 percent strikeout rate in 158 1/3 relief innings. Anderson pitched for the Kansas City Royals in 2024, going 3-1 with a 4.04 ERA (5.07 FIP), a 1.40 WHIP, one save, 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 35 2/3 innings. He hasn't been a big strikeout guy since his first full season with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, when he struck out 44.8% of the hitters he faced. In comparison, he had a weak 19% strikeout rate for KC last year. Anderson could provide veteran relief depth for the Red Birds, but he should remain off the fantasy radar for now.

According to Roch Kubatko, several teams are very interested in signing right-handed pitcher Nick Anderson. Anderson threw for several teams on Thursday and is drawing interest for a one-year contract. Kubatko noted that Anderson spent the offseason with a pitching analyst, refining his mechanics to hone in on fastball metrics and split change. Last summer, Anderson posted a 4.04 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP across 35 2/3 innings in the major leagues. He struck out 29 batters and held a hefty 9.8% walk rate. In 2023, Anderson was productive with the Braves, posting a strong 3.06 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 35 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should expect Anderson to compete for a spot on an Opening Day roster during spring training.

According to Ari Alexander of KPRC2, right-handed pitcher Nick Anderson is drawing interest from multiple clubs. Alexander noted that Alexander will likely sign a one-year deal. The 34-year-old went to the Baseball Performance Center over the offseason and added a split-change to his arsenal. Last season, Anderson logged 35 2/3 innings with the Kansas Royals. He posted a 4.04 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP with 29 strikeouts before being released in July. During the 2023 season, the right-hander posted a strong 3.06 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 35 1/3 innings with the Atlanta Braves. If Anderson were to find a suitor, he would likely have a role as a middle-relief option out of the bullpen and could eventually return to a high-leverage role.