Philadelphia Phillies Sign Former A’s Pitcher Colin Peluse to Minor-League Deal
The Philadelphia Phillies have added an intriguing arm to their system this offseason, signing former Oakland A’s pitcher Colin Peluse to a minor-league contract. Peluse will be assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to the MiLB transaction log.
Peluse, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted by the A’s in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest. He began his pro career with the Vermont Lake Monsters, a team that was folded after the contraction of the minor leagues in 2021.
Over his first three years as a pro (through 2022), Peluse worked mainly as a starter, but he transitioned to primarily a relief role in 2023. This past season marked the first time in his career that he didn’t start or open a game, working exclusively out of the bullpen.
Peluse has struggled in Triple-A, though. He advanced to Double-A quickly, logging 15 innings in 2021, and made 23 appearances (21 starts) for Double-A Midland in 2022 with a 5.38 ERA over 118 2/3 innings. He also got a brief stint in Triple-A Las Vegas that year, allowing seven earned runs over 1 2/3 innings.
In 2023, Peluse spent the entire season with Las Vegas, appearing in 42 games (5 starts) and covering 65 innings with a 6.78 ERA. He struck out 16.5% of batters, walked 12.1%, and gave up a .311 batting average with a 1.88 WHIP. He also surrendered 20 home runs. While the Pacific Coast League (PCL) is known for being hitter-friendly, those numbers were still concerning.
On the positive side, Peluse has been more effective in his recent Double-A outings. In 2024, he posted a strong 2.05 ERA in Midland, striking out 20.9% of batters and walking just 7.5%. He followed that up in 2025 with a 2.64 ERA, a 22.9% strikeout rate, and a low 5.1% walk rate.
For the Phillies, this is a low-risk, high-reward move. The minor-league contract means there’s no financial risk, and while Peluse has had trouble at the higher levels, his recent success in Double-A suggests potential. The Phillies will give him an opportunity in a new Triple-A league (the International League), which could provide a much-needed confidence boost. It will also be interesting to see how the Phillies might tweak his pitch mix or develop him further in 2026.
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