Mississauga pitcher joins Detroit Tigers organization

Mississauga’s Jordan Balazovic will pitch in the Detroit Tigers organization in the upcoming season.

Balazovic, 26, signed a minor league deal with the club and will attend spring training.

Last year the tall right-hander played with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization, went 2-6 with an ERA of 4.26, and struck out 69 batters.

A graduate of St. Martin Secondary School, Balazovic was originally selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 2016 Major League draft and pitched eight seasons at various levels for the team.

He made his big league debut in 2023 pitching 3-2/3 scoreless innings and went on to make 17 appearances with the big club that year finishing with an ERA of 4.44 and 17 strikeouts.

After a slow start, the Twins organization released him last summer, and he later signed on with the Korean team.

He is expected to compete for a spot in the Tigers’ bullpen but could also be groomed for roles as a spot starter.