Red Sox Sign Vinny Nittoli to Minor League Deal, Non-Roster Spring Invite

The Boston Red Sox added veteran right-hander Vinny Nittoli to their depth corps, signing him to a minor-league contract that includes a non-roster invitation to big-league spring training. The move brings a 35-year-old pitcher with extensive Triple-A experience into competition for a bullpen role and gives Boston another option as it sorts late-inning relief depth.

Nittoli is a former 25th-round pick who broke into the majors in 2021 with the Seattle Mariners and has spent time in the Philadelphia, New York Mets, Oakland and Baltimore organizations. He has not pitched in an MLB game since 2024, but his major-league line remains tidy in small samples: a 2.41 ERA in 18 2/3 innings, 13 strikeouts and a 1.071 WHIP. Those figures bolster the veteran’s profile as a potentially reliable short-leash option in low-leverage or matchup spots.

The bulk of Nittoli’s work has come at Triple-A, where he has logged 223 innings with a 4.76 ERA across six seasons. Last year Nittoli combined for a 4.58 ERA in 39 1/3 Triple-A innings, posting a 26 percent strikeout rate and an 8 percent walk rate between two top affiliates. His career Triple-A strikeout rate sits at a strong 28.3 percent, underlining swing-and-miss ability even when run prevention has fluctuated.

Nittoli profiles as a cutter-heavy reliever who primarily throws an 89 mph cutter while mixing a low-90s sinker and a low-80s curveball. That pitch mix dovetails with modern bullpen usage that values hard cutters and sinkers to induce weak contact, with the curveball serving as a breaking offering to change hitters’ timing. Those traits make Nittoli an analytical fit for matchups against right-handed lineups and for teams seeking late-inning mix-and-match arms.

There are roster implications built into the signing. Nittoli is out of options, so if Boston calls him up and later needs the roster spot, the club would have to expose him to waivers rather than sending him down outright. That wrinkle raises the stakes for Nittoli’s spring showing and for the Red Sox front office as it balances depth against roster flexibility.

Nittoli joins a group of non-roster pitchers with MLB experience pursuing bullpen jobs in Fort Myers, including Seth Martinez, Hobie Harris, Devin Sweet and Tayron Guerrero. For Red Sox fans tracking depth charts, Nittoli presents a familiar minor-league veteran arc: high strikeout ability, fluctuating Triple-A results, and a resume that could translate into late-season value if the right combination of health and command arrives.

For the organization, the signing is a cost-effective gamble on a seasoned arm with clear tools and a track record of generating strikeouts. For Nittoli, spring training is another audition to force a big-league decision. His performance in camp will determine whether Boston can keep him as insurance without risking him on waivers, or whether he will be an organizational depth piece hoping for another shot at the majors.