Aug 29, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Alex Reyes (29) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Pittsburgh won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Mets Take Flier on Former All-Star Closer Alex Reyes on Minors Deal

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Dec 18, 2024 2:00 PM ET

With Juan Soto secured, the New York Mets now appear keen to keep bolstering their roster with a slew of other signings this offseason.

They have already acquired multiple veteran pitchers on minor league deals, such as when they signed former St. Louis Cardinals southpaw Brandon Waddell on December 16.

And on December 18, JustBaseball's Aram Leighton announced via X that the Mets just signed another former St. Louis Cardinals reliever to a minor league deal: 2021 All-Star closer Alex Reyes.

Source: Former top pitching prospect and Cardinals All Star closer Alex Reyes has agreed to a minor league deal with the Mets.

Injuries have derailed the 30-year-old, but talent has never been a question. Full story: https://t.co/dCnpg11NCp
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) December 18, 2024

In a subsequent article on JustBaseball.com, Leighton wrote, "When healthy, Reyes ran his fastball north of triple digits along with a pair of nasty breaking balls and a changeup that flashed plus. Unsurprisingly, that resulted in a strikeout rate that generally hovered around 30% as a pro, though he did battle some command challenges at each stop."

He later added, "In 2021, the then 26-year-old made 69 appearances, picking up 29 saves with a 3.24 ERA in 72 1/3 innings, earning him an All-Star nod. After dealing with a shoulder issue in the following Spring Training, it was revealed that Reyes would have to undergo another shoulder surgery, wiping out his 2022 campaign before it started."

"For the Mets, it’s a low-risk flier to take at a spot where they could use some reinforcement," Leighton wrote.

Despite missing most of the past few seasons due to injury, Reyes' career 2.86 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 145 MLB innings pitched — combined with him holding the MLB record for the most consecutive saves to begin a career, with 24 — shows that he's a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Mets.

Reyes seems like the sort of pitcher that lauded New York pitching coach Jeremy Hefner could help turn into a massive asset for the Mets next season.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: