Pitcher Erick Fedde Close to Signing with Mystery Team

Erick Fedde, a free agent right-hander, is on the verge of finalizing a two-year contract with an undisclosed team, according to a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (X link). It is anticipated that the 2023 KBO MVP will exceed $5MM annually in his new deal.

If the agreement goes through, Fedde will make his return to the major leagues after a season in South Korea. During his time with the NC Dinos, the 30-year-old delivered an outstanding performance, allowing only 2.00 earned runs per nine innings over 180 1/3 innings. He also maintained an impressive 29.5% strikeout rate while walking fewer than 5% of opposing hitters.

Drafted 18th overall in 2014, Fedde had previously spent his entire MLB career with the Nationals. The UNLV alum was considered a top prospect before making his big league debut in 2017, although he struggled with injuries in subsequent seasons, leading to stints in Triple-A and the majors in 2019.

Despite his ups and downs, Fedde secured a spot in the Nationals’ rotation during the shortened 2020 season and maintained that role for the next three years. However, his performance was lackluster, resulting in a 5.42 ERA and an 18.1% strikeout rate. After the Nationals opted not to offer him an arbitration contract last offseason, Fedde made his move to the KBO.

His impressive showing in the hitter-friendly foreign league laid the groundwork for a swift return to the majors. Along with improved performance, he also revamped his pitch mix, revealing to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (source) that he had added more horizontal action to his slider and adjusted his changeup grip. This modified arsenal has undoubtedly piqued the interest of several MLB teams, as reports indicated that Fedde had garnered attention from multiple clubs this winter.