The Royals announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Thomas Hatch to a minor league deal. The 30-year-old has pitched in parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Blue Jays and Pirates, with a 4.96 ERA in 39 career relief appearances.
Hatch is a Tulsa native who pitched at Oklahoma State before the Cubs made him a third-round pick in 2016. As a minor leaguer, he was traded to the Blue Jays for pitcher David Phelps and he made his MLB debut in 2020 with a 2.73 ERA in 17 games.
Hatch was up and down the next few seasons and was claimed off waivers by the Pirates in 2023.