Originally posted at The Tenth Inning Stretch

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Multiple reports today, including a formal announcement by the Twins' twitter, indicate that the Twins selected LHP Brooks Raley off waivers from the Cubs' organization.

Who is Brooks Raley?

Brooks Raley was drafted by the Cubs in the 6th Round of the 2009 draft from Texas A&M, 8 picks after the Twins selected C Chris Herrmann from Miami, and there is a good possibility that the pair will form part of the Rochester Redwings battery in 2014. Raley has had September call ups to the majors both of the last seasons, starting 5 games with the Cubs in 2012 (1-2, 24.3 IP, 8.14 ERA, 6.88 FIP, 11 BB, 16 K, 1.81 WHIP) and relieving in 9 games in 2013 (14 IP, 5.14 ERA, 5.05 FIP, 8 BB, 14 K, 1.46 WHIP). His career minor league numbers are 107 G, 102 GS, 555.3 IP, 3.92 ERA, 1.401 WHIP, 6.1 K/9, 2.13 K/BB; which are not stellar.

Raley has four pitches: A high 80s fastball, a high 70s slider, a high 70s change up (his best pitch) and a low 70s curveball. He is not a control artist but he flashes good command.

At first place, the presence of lefties Kris Johnson, Sean Gilmartin, Pat Dean & Logan Darnell in the organization and potentially slated for a spot in the Rochester rotation, makes this acquisition somewhat of a head scratcher. A quick look at his MLB career splits shows that LHB hit a collective .194/.293/.306 off Raley, which indicates that there might be a future as a LHRP, for someone who makes every MLB lefty he faces look like Drew Butera at the plate. This makes this acquisition look like it might make sense in the big schema of things... After the Gilmartin acquisition, I indicated that Gilmartin would have probably been in the high 20s on my off-season top 40 prospect list, if he was a Twin when I made it. Raley would have not made the cut. As a 40-man roster member he will be in the big club Spring Training starting this weekend.