The Mets added to weakest part of the depth chart with a unique player.
The flurry of activity on Friday was centered around the non-tender deadline, with numerous players being let go by their teams, contributing to a wave of free agents, mostly out-of-options relievers. The New York Mets had a quieter day in comparison. They cleared three spots on their 40-man roster by non-tendering Alex Ramirez, Alex Young, and Grant Hartwig.
Earlier in the day, the Mets also made some additions. If you had to point out the weakest part of the roster, the catcher position would be a solid choice. While the team can address its pitching needs in free agency, the catching depth is limited. Should Francisco Alvarez or Luis Torrens suffer an injury, the team would face challenges behind the plate.
To address this, the Mets agreed to a minor league deal with 28-year-old Jakson Reetz, who will attend spring training. Reetz, who has just 17 MLB plate appearances and a batting average below the Mendoza Line, will likely spend most of his time on the taxi squad. With a remaining minor league option, he has a chance to stick around, but he won’t be added to the 40-man roster unless an injury occurs.
The Mets’ minor league catching options are slim, with Kevin Parada, Hayden Senger, and Matt O’Neill all still developing and only slightly younger than Reetz. While Reetz hasn’t dominated in the minors, he did hit 30 home runs in 2022 (with 22 coming in Double-A for the Milwaukee Brewers). Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns, clearly valued him at the time. Reetz has also played over 300 innings in left field, which raises the question of whether his versatility could be an asset.
The concept of a catcher who also plays outfield is unusual and may make some fans uneasy, with memories of Todd Hundley’s struggles in the outfield still fresh for older Mets fans. Reetz isn’t the first player with this dual role; last year, the Mets claimed Cooper Hummel off waivers, and while he didn’t make it through the offseason, his brief time with the team demonstrated Stearns’ interest in players with this flexibility. Hummel, like Reetz, had spent time with the Brewers under Stearns, and last season, he transitioned away from catching entirely, not appearing as a catcher for the Houston Astros.
