Padres hurler Kyle Tyler is putting on some serious miles this spring. The right-hander was claimed off waivers Saturday, concluding a whirlwind week that began as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
After the Angels cut him loose (his roster spot was later absorbed by Ryan Tepera), Tyler quickly caught on with the Red Sox, but was only with the team a few days, losing his place to newcomer Ralph Garza.
Once the Red Sox were through with Tyler, the Padres swooped in, making room for him by designating James Norwood for assignment.
Tyler’s grueling week, bouncing between teams on opposite coasts (the Red Sox hold spring training in Fort Myers, Florida while the Angels and Padres operate out of Greater Phoenix), is a stark reminder of the frustrating, often cruel existence of non-prospects, doing whatever is necessary to keep their big-league dreams afloat.
The 26-year-old is what most in the industry would refer to as a “Quad A” player—too talented for the minors but not quite big-league caliber. That means he’ll probably spend a good chunk of the next few years living out of his suitcase, scraping and clawing for every opportunity he gets. To Tyler’s credit, the former 20th-round pick held his own as a September call-up last fall, registering a 2.92 ERA over 12 1/3 big-league innings, all out of the Angels’ bullpen.
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