Phillippe Aumont pitches in the bottom of first inning during the WBSC Premier 12 Opening Game Group C game between Cuba and Canada at the Gocheok Sky Dome on Nov. 6, 2019, in Seoul.Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Pitchers Phillippe Aumont, A.J. Cole and Justin Miller headline a handful of free agents the Blue Jays signed to minor-league contracts on Monday with invitations to Toronto’s Major League spring training.
The Blue Jays also signed second baseman Andy Burns and outfielder Patrick Kivlehan.
Aumont, a 30-year-old right-hander from Gatineau spent last season with the Ottawa Champions of the independent Can-Am League. He made 18 starts and finished with an 8-4 record and a 2.65 earned-run average, while also recording six complete games and 145 strikeouts over 118 2/3 innings of work. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2012-15.
The 27-year-old Cole had a 3.81 ERA while making 25 appearances for the Cleveland Indians last season. The 6-foot-5, 238-pound, right-handed pitcher struck out 30 batters and issued eight walks in 26 innings of work before being placed on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement from Aug. 10 through the end of the season.
Miller, 32, posted a 4.02 ERA across 15.2 innings pitched for the Washington Nationals last season. The righty has spent five seasons in the major leagues, having also pitched for the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies compiling a 4.43 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, 54 walks and 159 strikeouts over 156.1 innings.
The 29-year-old Burns hit .275 with 17 doubles, three triples, 19 home runs and 63 runs batted in across 118 games for triple-A Buffalo last season. He was selected by Toronto in the 11th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft and played 10 games for the Blue Jays in 2016.
Kivlehan, 29, played 90 games for Buffalo last season, hitting .247 with 13 doubles, three triples and 25 home runs. He also played for triple-A Indianapolis and double-A New Hampshire in 2019.