Brett Tomko’s career is about to come full circle.
According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors, the Reds have agreed to sign Tomko to a minor league contract.
Tomko, who turns 39 in April, was originally drafted by the Reds in the second round of the 1995 draft and spent his first three major league seasons with the club before being traded to the Mariners in February of 2000 along with Mike Cameron, Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer in the deal that brought Ken Griffey, Jr. to Cincinnati.
The veteran right-hander made eight relief appearances with the Rangers early last year, but spent most of the season at the team’s Triple-A affiliate, posting an ugly 6.15 ERA and 82/42 K/BB ratio over 108 1/3 innings. He’s unlikely to crack Cincinnati’s Opening Day roster.