Pirates sign a pair of minor league free agents

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced the signing of left-handed pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes and right-handed pitcher Logan Kensing to minor league contracts, which include invitations to spring training.

The 27-year-old Reyes split the season 2011 season between Toronto and Baltimore and went 7-11 with a 5.57 ERA in 29 games (25 starts) with the two clubs. He posted a 3.35 ERA with the Blue Jays during the month of May and capped off the month by tossing his first Major League complete game on May 30 vs. Cleveland.

Reyes was originally selected by Atlanta in the second round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and made his big league debut with the Braves in 2007. He led the Atlanta organization with 12 wins and 142 strikeouts while also being named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team in 2006.

Kensing, 29, spent the 2011 campaign with Scranton-Wilkes-Barre (Yankees’ AAA) after missing the 2010 season recovering from elbow surgery. Originally a second-round selection by Florida in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Kensing has appeared in a total of 134 Major League games with the Marlins (108 games between 2005-09) and Nationals (26 games in 2009). He made a career-high 48 appearances and tossed a career-high 55.1 innings with Florida in 2008.