Reds' Dean Kiekhefer: Signs minor-league deal with Reds

Kiekhefer and the Reds agreed to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Kiekhefer spent the 2017 season at the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, where he produced 42 strikeouts and only 19 walks en route to a 4.47 ERA in 44.1 innings pitched. He played 26 games in the majors in 2016 with St. Louis, pitching to a 5.32 ERA in 22.0 innings. Before that, Kiekhefer had an outstanding three seasons at Triple-A Memphis, as he threw a combined 149.2 innings and produced a sub-3.00 ERA each year. The 28-year-old will need to replicate his Memphis numbers this spring should he hope to grab a spot in the Reds' bullpen.