The Mets add another veteran bat on a minor-league contract

The Mets 2024 offseason has been a change of pace from what fans of the blue and orange have become accustomed to over the last two years.

Rather than making that big splashy move, new President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has methodically filled out the Mets roster by focusing on depth.

On Tuesday, they made another depth move. According to Michael Barron of Just Mets, the Mets have signed catcher Austin Allen to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

A look at Allen’s baseball journey

Allen’s major league journey started in 2015 when the San Diego Padres selected him in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft.

The Missouri native methodically worked up the Padres system before being called up on August 11, 2019.

Allen made his debut the same day, drawing a walk in a pinch-hit appearance against Wade Davis.

The Florida Institute of Technology product finished his rookie campaign slashing .215/.282/.277 with no home runs and three RBIs across 34 games.

Following the campaign, Allen got shipped alongside a player to be named later, who ended up being Buddy Reed, to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Jurickson Profar.

Allen would appear in 14 games during the COVID-19 shortened campaign, slashing .194/.219/.323 with one home run and three RBIs.

The Missouri native would spend the majority of 2021 in Triple-A, playing just four games in the big leagues. 

Allen would struggle to carve out a role in Oakland during the 2022 campaign, appearing in just four games, slashing .071/.188/.071 with no home runs and RBIs before being designated for assignment.

The 30-year-old would spend the next season and a half bouncing around the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins organizations before becoming a free agent following the 2023 campaign.

What does it mean for the Mets?

Acquiring Allen is a low-risk, high-reward situation for the blue and orange. The Mets hope the 30-year-old can continue to produce in the minor leagues and become an essential piece for Triple-A Syracuse.

There is no guarantee that Allen will make his way to the big leagues, but his role could expand, with Omar Narváez likely exiting the organization.