The Mets have agreed to a two-year, $3.7MM contract with catcher Tomas Nido, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). The contract buys out his final two seasons of arbitration eligibility and will pay the ACES client $1.6MM in 2023 and $2.1MM in 2024.
Nido had been projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $1.6MM in 2023. He’d originally reached a one-year agreement worth $1.575MM, but he’ll instead get a bump for the upcoming season and lock in his final two years of club control at fixed price points. The deal grants the Mets a bit of additional cost certainty beyond the current season and ensures that they’ll retain control over a strong defensive backup at an affordable rate.
The 28-year-old Nido has posted a .236/.275/.338 batting line in exactly 500 Major League plate appearances over the past three seasons. It’s tepid offense at best, and while he’s been slightly below-average in terms of preventing stolen bases (22% caught-stealing rate), Nido has thrived in other defensive aspects of the game. He’s drawn standout framing marks from each of Statcast, FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus, the latter of which also grades him as well above-average in terms of blocking pitches in the dirt. Nido has tallied just 1132 innings hind the plate since Opening Day 2021 but nonetheless racked up a whopping 18 Defensive Runs Saved.
Nido, at one point, was one of four catchers on the Mets’ roster before they lined up with the Orioles on a trade sending James McCann to Baltimore. He’s now likely to open the season behind Omar Narvaez, but the Mets will have top prospect Francisco Alvarez looming in the minors as an heir-apparent who could quickly reach the Majors in the event of an injury to Narvaez. Alvarez, 21, reached the Majors briefly in 2022 and went 2-for-12 with a home run and a double.
There’s been some speculation about him potentially serving as a DH option for the Mets early in the year, but as SNY’s Andy Martino wrote this morning in the wake of the Mets’ one-year deal with Tommy Pham, Alvarez won’t be a DH at the Major League level. He’s instead expected to get everyday reps behind the plate in Triple-A Syracuse. Narvaez is playing under a two-year, $15MM contract, but the second season of that deal is a player option valued at $7MM. If he has even a decent season with the Mets, he’ll likely decline that option and return to the market, setting the stage for Alvarez and Nido to take over as the primary catching tandem.
Nido’s deal is a low-cost move for the Mets, but it still slightly elevates their luxury-tax bill on the season. Had Nido remained on the $1.575MM deal to which he’d previously agreed, the Mets would’ve only owed him that salary and paid a 90% tax on that sum (a combined $2.9925MM expenditure). Instead, Nido’s luxury hit will be based on the $1.85MM average annual value of his new contract. The new contract will tack on an additional $272,500 to the team’s luxury bill. Nido will be a free agent following the 2024 season.
Two year arbitration deal?
Very common
Yeah there’s a handful every year. This is the first of the current offseason, I think, but the past few offseasons have featured deals like this for Matt Chapman, Harrison Bader, Austin Barnes, Mike Clevinger, Walker Buehler and others.
Steve, if they trade Nido midseason and bring up Alvarez, what happens to the CBT tax calculation?
I believe it’s calculated at the end of the season and figured until then are approximate, assuming roster remains as is. Your thoughts crossed my mind. At that price point, there always is a market for a defense first catcher.
Hi Steve!
I could live very well indeed on only a very small small portion of the Cohen luxury tax bill..
Yes, the amounts being thrown around are mind-boggling. I looked up Andrew Chafin’s age. He was born the day before I started my career after graduating college. Chafin could easily double my career earnings with the salary he makes in 2023.
With his new deal, Aaron Judge might have doubled mine. I’ll have to get my Turbo Tax numbers out to check.
Nope. Combining 23 and 24, he will be very close…
Are you a CEO? Half of two years is one year. You’d have to be getting $1M per year over 40 years. When the Mets were trying to sign Correa, I figured a year of my salary would be able to cover an official five-inning game of his if you figured it by inning. (Just checked, I could make it through the sixth.)
Pheno, it was tongue in cheek.
Oh yeah inflation is really fun stuff, let me tell you? There’s a massive loop hole in it, we’re all so screwed it not even funny
John Fisher, is that you?
That $272,500 in luxury tax savings for 2024 will allow the Mets to sign both Ohtani and Machado.
Don’t forget Nolan Arrenado. They’ll find a place for him.
He can’t hit not good defensively=multi million dollar contract. I’m in the wrong profession
Nido is excellent behind the plate and although he is a weak hitter like many reserve catchers he hits a few homers and usually in key spots.
He was a Gold Glove finalist, and he should’ve won it.
NY native Machado will sign with the Mets or Yankees. He will go to the highest bidder which probably is Cohen’s Mets. As for Ohtani the Cubs may have the inside track due to Ohtani’s relationship with the Cubs Seiya Suzuki. However, as we witnessed this free agent offseason there is no surety where baseball free agents choose to play for. No point going any further for free agency is almost a year away.
Nice backup or part time player
Neato Nido!
Solid move for the Mets. Lock up their backup catcher for two years before his age 30 season.
*Signed thru his age 30 season.
In a more limited 2021 sample, he threw out 12 in 21 attempts for a cs% of 57%.
I think he’s better than the 21% this year, if not at that level.
How can you not like Nido. The guy plays his heart out and gives 100% every game. He’s probably the most unsung hero of that team. I’ve seen him make some fantastic plays last season that McCann couldn’t dream of making himself.
We also have Parada coming who has a great hit tool from what I understand and is perhaps a better receiver than Sanchez.
to me Parada is the catcher of the future for the Mets and as for Nido his defense is woefully under rated and his offensive numbers would be better if he didn’t get so pull happy at times.