After nine years in the minor leagues, pitcher Jake Brigham finally got the call to the big leagues.
The Braves promoted Brigham on Saturday after he’d pitched just one game for Triple-A Gwinnett. Brigham got the news from Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker on Friday and joined the Braves’ bullpen for their game Saturday against the Pirates.
“I just started crying,” Brigham said. “I’ve been in the minor leagues nine years. I’ve been with several different organizations. When ‘Snit’ told me, it was just overwhelming. It was a really good feeling.”
The Braves signed Brigham to a minor-league contract during the winter. He made three appearances with the big-league club during spring training, began the season at Double-A Mississippi and pitched four innings in relief for Gwinnett on Tuesday.
The Braves called up Brigham, 27, after they placed starting pitcher Williams Perez (foot) on the 15-day disabled list.
“It was crazy,” Brigham said. “It was fast.”
The Braves invited Brigham to spring camp because he came recommended to manager Fredi Gonzalez by long-time pitching coach Mark Connor. Connor was a coach for the Rangers, who selected Brigham in the sixth round of the 2006 draft out of Central Florida Christian Academy.
This season Brigham has posted career-best numbers for ERA (3.13) and walks and hits per inning pitched (1.058). He took a perfect game into the ninth inning for Mississippi on June 4.
“The experience level is there,” Gonzalez said. “He’s been able to mix his pitches and throw them all for strikes. He’s pitched well.”
Brigham said he’s always had a hard fastball and good slider. He said he added a sinker to his repertoire in 2013 at the urging of his Triple-A pitching coach, Brad Holman.
“We started messing around with it and it led to first-pitch outs, quick outs, a lot of ground balls, (and) going deeper into games,” Brigham said. “It’s been a real weapon for me to throw behind in the count, something that moves and is going to put the ball on the ground.”
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