Mets Sign Five to Minor League Deals
Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
The Mets officially signed five players to minor league deals on Friday. Three are returning to Queens with major league experience for the Mets.
Here’s a quick rundown of the most recent additions.
Tommy Hunter
Hunter returns on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, and he brings a wealth of experience back to Queens.
The 36-year-old has spent the last two seasons with the Mets and has been a reliable option out of the ‘pen when needed. In 30 1/3 innings pitched with the Mets in 22 games, Hunter has a 1.78 ERA with 28 strikeouts.
A fan favorite and great interview subject, Hunter might not start out on the Opening Day roster but his experience makes him a candidate to appear in the bullpen in 2023 as needed.
José Peraza
Another familiar face for Mets fans, Peraza was part of the beloved Bench Mob of 2021 and logged significant innings at second and third base while the team dealt with a rash of injuries.
After spending 2022 with the Red Sox organization, exclusively in the minor leagues, Peraza has signed with the Mets on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
Peraza is just 28-years-old but has a significant amount of big-league experience after debuting in at 21 with the Dodgers. 2018 was Peraza’s best year with the Reds, hitting .288/.326/.416 with 14 HR and 58 RBI. Since then his performance at the plate has declined and in ’21 as a Met he hit just .204/.266/.380 in 154 PA.
While Peraza may struggle at the plate, his defensive versatility makes him valuable from a depth perspective. Should the Mets deal with injury, Peraza can fill almost anywhere on the diamond.
Sean Reid-Foley
Met fans may remember Reid-Foley mostly due to his unique stance where he squats low to the ground to get the signals before rising up to pitch.
Once a top prospect in the Blue Jays organization, Reid-Foley has appeared in five big league seasons totaling just over 100 innings pitched. His career has been a bit of a roller coaster and he’s got good stuff but has not been able to put it together consistently.
Sporting a 5.40 career ERA at 27-years-old, SRF will have a chance to put it together with the Mets minor league organization. Reid-Foley had Tommy John surgery in May this year.
Jimmy Yacabonis
Another reliever thrown in the mix, Yacabonis has earned an invite to spring training and will compete in a suddenly-crowded bullpen.
A 30-year-old with some starting experience, Yacabonis has made major league appearances for the Orioles, Mariners, Marlins and Rays. Yacabonis has not been able to make it work on the diamond. In 118 innings pitched, Yacabonis has given up 131 hits, 79 earned runs and 23 homers, good for a career ERA of 6.03 and WAR of -0.6.
Abraham Almonte
The Mets needed outfield depth and found a candidate to help in that department with Almonte.
A 33-year-old with 10 years of big league experience, Almonte has spent most of his career in center or left field and should have the opportunity to contribute for the Mets at some point in the 2023 season.
In 2021, he played significantly for the Braves but last season he appeared in just 15 games for the Red Sox. For his career, he has hit .235/.302/.374 and while the Mets hope they don’t need a replacement in the outfield, it’s good to have a veteran presence in case injuries happen.
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