Orioles sign Mike Recchia to minor-league deal

The Baltimore Orioles have signed right-hander Mike Recchia to a minor-league contract, reports Roch Kubatko of MASN.

A former New York Yankees farmhand, the 23-year-old Recchia spent the 2012 season pitching for the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League, an independent league team based in his hometown of Crestwood, Illinois.

The right-hander posted a stellar 2.51 ERA and struck out 10.6 batters per nine in 150⅓ innings for the ThunderBolts. Recchia's league records in shutouts (5) and strikeouts (177) earned him the 2012 Brian Tollberg award, given to the league's best pitcher.

Recchia spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons pitching in Low-A ball for the Yankees, posting a 3.38 ERA and striking out 78 in 96 innings over the two years.

Recchia is the fourth independent-league player picked up on a minor-league contract by the Orioles in the last two weeks. The club signed two other right-handers and a catcher early last week.