Former Athletics Reliever Jack O'Loughlin Joins Rockies on Minor League Deal

Australian pitcher Jack O'Loughlin, who came up through the Detroit Tigers' farm system and made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2024, is signing with the Colorado Rockies.

May 26, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics pitcher Jack O'Loughlin (37) walks to the bullpen before the start of the game against the Houston Astros at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies have signed left-handed pitcher Jack O'Loughlin to a minor league contract, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Thursday.

O'Loughlin, 24, was designated for assignment by the Oakland Athletics in September. The Adelaide, Australia, native received an outright assignment to Triple-A after clearing waivers, but elected free agency at the end of the year.

The southpaw made his MLB debut this past May, making him the 38th Australian player ever to appear in a big league game. O'Loughlin, Tampa Bay Rays infielder Curtis Mead and Boston Red Sox closer Liam Hendriks are the only active Australian players with MLB experience.

Australian native Jack O’Loughlin, the left-hander who made his MLB debut last year for the Oakland A’s, signs a minor-league deal with the Colorado Rockies that includes an invite to their MLB spring training camp

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 14, 2024

O'Loughlin spent the previous six years coming up through the Detroit Tigers' farm system, starting his career in America as a teenager back in 2018. He finally made it to Triple-A in 2023, although he completely skipped over Double-A.

After going 6-10 with a 3.99 ERA in 2023, he elected free agency and became one of the top minor leaguers on the open market. He proceeded to go 3-5 with a 6.04 ERA, 1.781 WHIP and 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings with the Athletics' Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.

O'Loughlin got battered around during his limited time at the MLB level as well. In four appearances, O'Loughlin posted a 4.66 ERA, 1.862 WHIP and 5.6 strikeouts per nine innings over 9.2 frames of action.

Across 120 career minor league appearances – 68 of which have been starts – O'Loughlin is 18-23 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.445 WHIP and 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

It remains to be seen if O'Loughlin will make the Rockies' Opening Day roster, but he will at least have the chance to prove himself at their Spring Training camp in a few months' time.

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