December 8, 2011 at 9:30 AM
Red Sox sign left-handed reliever Jesse Carlson
First reported by Robert Mayer of the Berlin Patch, the Red Sox have signed southpaw reliever Jesse Carlson.
Carlson, who will turn 31 on December 31, was originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 15th round of the 2002 amateur draft. After spending six seasons in the minors with the Detroit, Houston, Texas and Toronto organizations, Carlson made his major league debut in 2008. During his freshman campaign with the Blue Jays, Carlson was a key member of the Toronto bullpen, compiling a 7-2 record with a 2.25 ERA in 69 relief appearances, striking out 55 in 60.0 innings pitched. He spent all of 2009 as a member of the Blue Jays bullpen, posting a 4.66 ERA in 73 outings. Carlson's last major league work came in 2010, when he pitched in 20 contests, compiling a 4.61 ERA in 13.2 innings.
Over his 8 season minor league career, Carlson has compiled a 31-13 record with a 3.50 ERA and 32 saves in 332 games. He missed the entire 2011 season due to rotator cuff surgery and will be looking to win a spot in the Boston bullpen during the spring. If Carlson fails to crack the major league roster, he will start the 2012 season as a member of Triple-A Pawtucket.