Cubs sign RHP Adrian Sampson to minor league deal

The Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Adrian Sampson, reports Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register. He’s reported to the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Iowa.

It’s a quick return to the organization for Sampson, whom the Cubs just lost on waivers a couple weeks ago. The Mariners had grabbed the 30-year-old after Chicago designated him for assignment, but Seattle took him off their 40-man roster before he even appeared in a game. Sampson passed through the wire unclaimed following his second designation but refused an outright assignment in favor of minor league free agency last week.

Sampson heads back to Iowa, where he’s started five games this year. Through 19 2/3 innings, he posted a 3.66 ERA. Sampson only punched out 14.6% of opponents in that time, but he induced ground-balls at a solid 48.5% clip and continued his career-long track record of pounding the strike zone. Chicago selected him to the majors for one relief outing before unsuccessfully trying to run him through waivers.

That May 8 outing against the Dodgers — in which Sampson allowed two unearned runs in one inning — marked his second straight season with some big league work. The 30-year-old started five of his 10 outings for the Cubs last season, posting a 2.80 ERA through 35 1/3 frames. That was in spite of his low-strikeout ways and eight home runs allowed, and Chicago outrighted him off their 40-man roster following the season before bringing him back on a Spring Training minor league deal.