Pirates sign veteran pitcher to one-year deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates have added left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa to their bullpen, signing him to a one-year minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. La Sorsa brings experience from three MLB organizations, having pitched parts of three major league seasons since his debut in 2023. The Tampa Bay Rays drafted the 27-year-old in the 19th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of St. John’s University, where he played for the Red Storm. He also starred at Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, New York, leading the team to a Catholic High School Athletic Association championship in his senior year. During the 2018 collegiate summer season, he pitched for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, recording a 3-2 record with a 5.79 ERA and contributing two innings to a combined no-hitter. La Sorsa began his professional career with the Hudson Valley Renegades in Low-A, throwing 36 1/3 innings in 2019. After the 2020 minor league season was canceled due to COVID-19, he returned in 2021 with 31 appearances, posting a 3.60 ERA and nearly a strikeout per inning. He continued his progression in 2022, achieving a 36.3% strikeout rate at Double-A and limiting opponents to a .191 batting average, finishing with a 2.33 ERA over 73 1/3 innings. His MLB debut came with the Rays on May 29, 2023, when he pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two. However, after two appearances, Tampa Bay designated him for assignment, and the Washington Nationals claimed him on June 8. In 23 games with Washington that season, La Sorsa recorded a 4.76 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. He returned to the Nationals in 2024, pitching 16 games with a 4.58 ERA and 14 strikeouts across 17 2/3 innings before the team released him in January 2025. La Sorsa then joined the Cincinnati Reds on a minor league deal, appearing in five major league games and posting a 10.80 ERA with two strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. After a brief run with the New York Mets, he elected free agency in November.