The New York Mets and outfielder Ben Gamel are reportedly in agreement on a minor-league contract, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Mets announced that Gamel’s contract includes an invite to spring training.
The signing continues a trend of depth additions for New York. It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the Mets overall. They are hoping to rebound following a forgettable 2023 campaign.
New York could still end up signing a star in MLB free agency such as Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, or Cody Bellinger. It does not appear that the Mets are pursuing any of those players at the moment, though.
The Gamel addition won’t draw much attention, but he could play a role for the big league club in 2024.
What Ben Gamel brings to Mets
Gamel, 31, is a left-handed hitting outfielder. He made his MLB debut in 2016, playing for both the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners that season.
He would remain in Seattle through 2018 before joining the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2019 season. After two years in Milwaukee, Gamel spent 2021 with the Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates. Gamel played in Pittsburgh during the 2022 campaign as well, before spending this past 2023 season with the San Diego Padres.
Gamel offers respectable hitting ability from the left-side of the plate in addition to his veteran prowess. For his career, Gamel has slashed .252/.332/.384/.716, which aren’t bad numbers for a depth outfielder.
Harrison Bader , Brandon Nimmo, and Starling Marte project to be New York’s starting outfielders in 2023. Perhaps Gamel will make the MLB team out of spring training and carve out a role as a fourth or fifth outfielder on the roster.
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