Since signing Juan Soto to a record, 15-year, $765 million contract last week, the Mets have made only minor moves, signing a pair of players out of the KBO and a minor league catcher. This isn’t exactly what fans expected, but these signings serve an important purpose.
The Mets signed infielder Jared Young to a one-year, major league contract earlier this week, and have reportedly signed left-hander Brandon Waddell and catcher Chris Williams to minor league deals. Young and Waddell were teammates on the Doosan Bears in South Korea and turned in stellar 2024 seasons, while Williams spent last year in Triple-A with the Minnesota Twins and posted an .800 OPS.
These might be signings to bolster the depth way down the depth chart, but still, they do improve the depth around the margins of the roster. This is a crucial, though often overlooked, part of the roster. It’s something previous Mets executives have neglected, but something president of baseball operations David Stearns has emphasized.
Stearns has long had a reputation for being able to identify talent that can provide an impact at various levels of the organization. When he was hired last fall, he talked about how crucial it is to have depth at spots 40-50 and even beyond on the roster. Stearns has the final say when it comes to the players his scouts recommend, and identifies certain players himself.
Some of those moves worked well last year, but some didn’t. Stearns has the benefit of an owner, Steve Cohen, who is willing to cut ties with players without worrying about the financial ramifications to the payroll. We saw this when the Mets designated infielder Joey Wendle and catcher Omar Narvaez for assignment last year. They were both on major league contracts with enough service time to decline minor league assignments, and opted for their release while retaining their salaries.
But then came Jose Iglesias and Luis Torrens to take their places. Iglesias signed a minor league contract last offseason while the Mets traded for Torrens after losing catcher Tomas Nido on waivers.
Without Nido, the Mets need another backstop at Triple-A. Currently, the Mets only have two on their 40-man roster. Hayden Senger traveled with the team during the postseason as a member of the taxi squad, but Senger’s bat has yet to develop. The 28-year-old Williams gives the Mets a veteran minor league catcher who could likely give the team a big league at-bat if needed.
Over three seasons in the KBO, Waddell pitched to a 2.98 ERA, striking out nearly eight hitters per nine innings (7.9) and walking 2.4. Primarily a starter, Waddell helps the starting pitching depth and could compete for a spot in the bullpen out of spring training. A 30-year-old who played college ball at Virginia, Waddell has 11 games of major league experience, most recently pitching for St. Louis, Minnesota and Baltimore in 2021. More importantly, he has one more minor league option.
Young also has two option years left, which gives the Mets some roster flexibility when it comes to the infield. The 29-year-old Canadian plays first base, second base and left field. Last year, Young posted a 1.080 OPS in 169 plate appearances for Doosan, hitting .326 with 10 home runs.
It’s an intriguing pickup that insulates the Mets in a few ways. There is no first baseman at the moment with Pete Alonso having become a free agent. Stearns said they view Mark Vientos as a third baseman, but that could change if they end up using Brett Baty at third.
Baty also plays second base and left field, though his primary position has always been third base. While the Mets do need more middle infield help, they might get that from Luisangel Acuña.
Fans might be clamoring for Alonso, but none of these signings preclude the Mets from signing the star slugger. The Mets will continue to look for more depth at various positions while pursuing bigger names for the big league roster in free agency or through trades.