The Mets announced that they’ve designated righty Drew Gagnon for assignment. His DFA opened a spot on the 40-man roster, allowing the Mets to select the contracts of shortstop Andres Gimenez, right-hander Jordan Humphreys, catcher Ali Sanchez and left-hander Thomas Szapucki. All four players are now protected from next month’s Rule 5 Draft.
Of the players added to the 40-man, Gimenez has generated the most prospect fanfare. Entering the 2019 season, he was ranked among the game’s top 50 prospects, but a poor showing in Double-A Binghamton has caused his stock to slip a bit. In 479 plate appearances, Gimenez hit just .250/.309/.387 with nine home runs. And while he stole 28 bases, he was also caught 16 times, underscoring a need to improve his efficiency. MLB.com still ranks him at the back end of the game’s top 100 prospects, but he’ll be in the hunt for a rebound season in 2020.
Gagnon was bombed in brief MLB action last year, falling victim to the leaguewide home run surge even more than most of his fellow pitchers (11 long balls in 23 2/3 innings). But he did show an 11.8% swinging-strike rate in the bigs, and over 88 2/3 innings in 15 starts in the hitter-friendly Triple-A International League, he worked to a 2.33 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9.
Reports out of South Korea this week suggested that Gagnon was working toward a deal with a KBO club. However, a source tells MLBTR that not only was Gagnon not moving toward a deal in Korea — he hasn’t even engaged in any conversations with Korean clubs about a potential deal. The Mets will have a week to trade Gagnon, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or place him on release waivers.
Bye bye
I wonder who will take over pitching batting practice. This guy had nothing.
Don’t worry, literally anyone else they put in that pen will take his place.
Edwin Diaz fits the bill.
The only pitcher to beat me in minor league as I played RTTS. Good luck to you. Wish Mets had done this sooner.
Long Beach state product here. wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in a year or 2 ! good luck man
Jeff, I don’t mean this in a disparaging way, but what’s there to “work on/move towards?” Seems there’s an opportunity he wants to pursue and sounds like the team would rather let him go than use up a 40 man slot. Sounds like a win/win. Would a holdup be a negotiating repayment of a signing bonus or something?
Good luck to him. It is a hitters league over there, but if he can find the magic he had in Las Vegas and the PCL he could be successful. And yes, a win win if the move opens up a 40 man spot if not for a prospect then for a free agent.
A 4.18 league ERA isn’t hitter friendly especially for the KBO
Oppa Gagnon style!
Why no brief blurbs about the other three players? At least stat line & levels…
Glad they got rid of gaggin’on
As if the Mets even needed to protect 40 guys. There system is shot at this point.
Any injuries to key players next year and its hello 4th place.
When a guy gives up a homer every two innings of course you’re going to swing at his pitches.
Good moves on Mets part.
He will find a team to take him. A team that needs pitching and is in a rebuild like Baltimore might be interested.