Friday’s activity centered around the non-tender deadline, leading to a wave of players being non-tendered by their teams and adding to a free-agent pool largely filled with out-of-option relievers. The New York Mets had a relatively quiet day compared to others, opening up three spots on their 40-man roster by non-tendering Alex Ramirez, Alex Young, and Grant Hartwig.
Earlier in the day, the Mets made an addition as well. If you were to identify the thinnest area on their depth chart, catcher would likely be the answer. While the team will address pitching in free agency, catching depth remains a concern. An injury to Francisco Álvarez or Luis Torrens would leave them in a vulnerable position.
To bolster their options, the Mets signed 28-year-old to a minor league deal, inviting him to spring training. He’ll have the chance to showcase his skills and potentially provide catching depth for the upcoming season.
The Mets added to their depleted catching depth chart with Jakson Reetz
With only 17 MLB plate appearances and a batting average below the Mendoza Line, Reetz is an experienced catcher likely to spend some time on the Mets’ taxi squad. He does have a minor league option remaining, which works in his favor for sticking with the team. However, adding him to the 40-man roster isn’t a priority, as he’s unlikely to see major league action unless injuries arise.
The Mets’ minor league catching depth isn’t particularly strong. While Kevin Parada is a notable name, he has faced challenges, and Hayden Senger and Matt O’Neill, both close in age to Reetz, have yet to make their MLB debuts.
Reetz hasn’t dominated minor league pitching but did hit 30 home runs in 2022, with 22 of them coming in Double-A for the Brewers. David Stearns, who was with Milwaukee at the time, may have appreciated his versatility, as Reetz has logged over 300 innings in left field.
The concept of a catcher-outfielder hybrid is still unusual, if not unsettling, especially for Mets fans who recall Todd Hundley’s struggles in the outfield. Reetz isn’t the first player of this type Stearns has shown interest in. Last year, the Mets claimed Cooper Hummel, who also had ties to Stearns from their time with the Brewers. Although Hummel transitioned fully away from catching and didn’t stick with the Mets, his versatility reflects a quality Stearns seems to value.
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