TROY – Tri-City ValleyCats manager Pete Incaviglia had serious concerns about finding a capable closer when Trey Cochran-Gill retired after last season.
Cochran-Gill racked up 38 saves for the ValleyCats over the past two seasons, ranking second in the league with 24 in 2021.
“As great as Trey was for us and knowing he was down there (in the bullpen) and how great he was for us, of course, I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Incaviglia said. “It’s hard to replace him. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d get Reymin Guduan.”
Guduan, 31, is a 6-foot-4 Dominican lefthander who has the distinction of owning a World Series ring. He appeared in 24 regular-season games in relief for the 2017 Houston Astros, who won their first title that year, though Guduan didn’t pitch for them in the postseason.
“It’s special because everybody, their minds go to the big leagues,” Guduan said. “You go to the World Series, it’s the best. When you win the World Series championship, it’s something special. When you wear your ring in your house, everbody says, ‘Oh, you’ve got a ring from the World Series?’ It’s special for everybody.”
He spent parts of three seasons with the Astros from 2017 to 2019. While in Triple-A, he was suspended in August 2019 for an undisclosed disciplinary issue and released in September.
Guduan pitched for the Oakland Athletics in 2021. He came a free agent and spent last season in the Mexican League. Through his agent, Guduan signed with the ValleyCats of the independent Frontier League on May 5, just a week before the season opener.
Guduan was overpowering with 28 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings entering Saturday night’s home game against the Ottawa Senators. He had four saves and a 1.65 earned-run average.
“I mean, he was a big-leaguer for a reason,” ValleyCats catcher and outfielder Jakob Goldfarb said. “He kind of carries himself like…
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