On January 6, the Boston Red Sox confirmed that spring training is right around the corner by revealing their first group of non-roster invitees to major league camp at Fenway South. Their announcement revealed an under-the-radar minor league signing.
The Red Sox signed left-handed pitcher T.J. Sikkema, 27, to a minor league deal. The New York Yankees selected him in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, and he's also suited up for the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds organizations. He is yet to make his MLB debut.
Sikkema played just one year and pitched only 10.2 innings in the Yankees organization after he was drafted in 2019. The 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Sikkema missed the entire 2021 campaign with a shoulder injury.
He was a Royals prospect by the time he took the mound again — New York traded him and fellow pitching prospects Beck Way and Chandler Champlain to Kansas City for former Red Sox top prospect, fan favorite and World Series champion, Andrew Benintendi.
Red Sox sign former Yankees, Reds, Royals prospect T.J. Sikkema to minor league deal with invite to spring training
The Royals traded him to the Reds organization before the 2024 season. He appeared at the High-A and Double-A levels during his first year with the club and most recently ascended to Triple-A for the first time in his career. He clocked a 4.57 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 31 walks over 86.2 innings between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville last year.
It's hard to foresee where Sikkema will factor into the Sox's pitching plans for the upcoming season, as they still have so much pitching depth at or approaching the major league level. He appeared mostly as a starter in the Reds organization, but with Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, David Sandlin and other top young pitchers in the mix, Sikkema could be pushed to the 'pen.
The Red Sox have recently had great success with former Yankees players and prospects. Many of them have found their way in Boston, including Garrett Whitlock, Rob Refsnyder, Aroldis Chapman and more. It would be fitting and funny for Sikkema to join their ranks and burn New York a few times in the big league bullpen sometime later in the season. For now, Sox fans will have to wait and see what becomes of him.