3:34pm: Hawkins would earn just about $1MM plus incentives if he makes the Mets, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports (on Twitter).
2:29am: The Mets have signed LaTroy Hawkins to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale (on Twitter).
The 40-year-old Hawkins was effective in 42 innings for the Angels last season, pitching to a 3.64 ERA, 4.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. His fastball still averaged 92.3 mph, according to FanGraphs, though his 5.4% swinging strike rate was the lowest of his lengthy career.
If Hawkins makes the roster, the Mets will become the tenth team for which he's pitched at the Major League level. The Reynolds Sports Management client has a career 4.45 ERA, 6.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 47.8 percent ground-ball rate in 1303 2/3 innings. He's been significantly better as a reliever (3.36 ERA in 518 1/3 innings) than he was a starter early on in his career (6.11 ERA in 785 1/3 innings).
Hawkins is the second veteran right-handed bullpen option that general manager Sandy Alderson has added in the past 24 hours, as the Mets signed Scott Atchison to a minor league deal on Wednesday morning.
