The New York Mets placed six players on outright waivers, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. If they clear waivers, infielders Danny Mendick, Jonathan Araùz, outfielder Rafael Ortega, catcher Michael Pèrez, and pitchers Anthony Kay and Vinny Nittoli can all elect free agency.
The moves free up six spots on the 40-man roster before the official start of the offseason. None of these players had major roles or promising futures with the Mets. They all will likely become free agents and will be free to sign with any team. A return to the Mets is not impossible, though new front office leader David Stearns will likely prefer to bring in his own depth pieces.
Six Mets Placed on Outright Waivers
Mendick, Araùz, and Ortega are perhaps the most noticeable of the names. All three saw decent playing time in August after the Mets traded veterans at the deadline. Though they had their moments, each mostly struggled in Queens.
Danny Mendick
Mendick, 30, played well with the Chicago White Sox in 31 games in 2022 before tearing his ACL. The Mets signed him to a $1 million deal after Chicago non-tendered him. The Mets hoped Mendick would rebound and act as a minor acquisition turned breakout depth piece. He played well in Triple-A, hitting .282/.369/.424, but hit under .200 in 35 games in the majors while offering defensive versatility.
Rafael Ortega
Ortega, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in June and joined the team immediately after the deadline. He offered good, professional at-bats (14.7 walk percentage) and provided solid center-field defense and base running. Though he has value, the solid veteran will likely have to settle for a minor league deal this winter, meaning the Mets did not have to spend a 40-man spot on him.
Jonathan Araùz
Like Ortega, Araùz joined the Mets in Kansas City right after the trade deadline. At 25, he’s the youngest of the six players. He was eventually sent down when the Mets called up Ronny Mauricio on September 1. Araùz offered versatility in the infield, but the Mets have higher upside options in the organization. Excluding a two-homer game, Araùz offered little with the bat and will likely sign a minor league deal elsewhere this winter.
Anthony Kay
Kay, 28, joined the Mets in September and only made four appearances. He was a nice story, as the New York native finally pitched for the team that drafted him in the first round. The Mets traded Kay to the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2019 deadline, and he has struggled in the majors since. He should have enough upside as a lefty to allow him to compete for a spot with a team in spring training.
Vinny Nittoli
This year, the Mets clearly targeted pitchers who threw the sweeper. That included Nittoli, whom they acquired in a minor June trade with the Chicago Cubs. He only tossed 3 2/3 innings with the Mets but struggled in the minors. Stearns seemingly likes pitchers with good cutters, so Nittoli might not be a fit.
Michael Pérez
Pérez made his Mets debut in 2022 but only appeared in nine total games in two years. He offers solid defense and organizational depth at an important position. The Mets started last year with Omar Narváez and Tomás Nido on top of the depth chart. Pérez acted as depth insurance in case Francisco Alvarez was not big league-ready. When Alvarez broke out, Pérez (and Nido) sunk in the depth charts.
Alvarez, Nido, and Narváez are under contract for next year, so Pérez will likely test the market in hopes of a better opportunity. However, a reunion in Queens is possible, as Nido and Narváez both represent possible trade candidates.
What’s Next?
These moves cleared up six spots on the 40-man roster. Open 40-man spots in the offseason are typically used for new acquisitions or protecting prospects from the Rule 5 draft. However, five of the six spots will immediately get claimed by the five players currently on the 60-day injured list. Players on this list don’t count towards the 40-man, but the list does not exist in the offseason.
Of the five players, Elieser Hernández represents the most likely candidate to be reinstated and immediately removed. Only one spot will open when free agency officially starts (Carlos Carrasco is the only Mets free agent).
Though more Mets are candidates for outright waivers, the team will likely open more spots through non-tenders and DFAs over the next few weeks.
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