Angels sign former Yankees pitcher Montana Semmel

The Los Angeles Angels have signed a 23-year-old pitcher named Montana Semmel to a minor league contract. Semmel has spent his entire career with the New York Yankees organization before this move. Ari Alexander from KPRC in Houston first reported the signing. Semmel is expected to join the Angels in a minor-league call-up for a game against the Cincinnati Reds. Montana Semmel was drafted by the Yankees in the 36th round of the 2019 draft. He debuted that summer in the Gulf Coast League, where he played in six games and had an earned run average (ERA) of 3.23 over 9.1 innings. However, Semmel faced challenges early in his career, including injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic. After his first spring training in 2020, he had to quarantine due to a teammate testing positive for the virus. The season was canceled, and he returned home. In the fall of 2020, Semmel experienced elbow soreness, leading to a diagnosis of a flexor strain. This injury kept him out of action for all of 2021. From 2022 to 2024, he played in 69 games, striking out 105 batters and finishing with a 5.42 ERA. Despite facing obstacles, Semmel avoided significant injuries in recent years. He has now joined the Angels' advanced Class-A affiliate, Tri-City, which is the highest level he has reached since being drafted.