The Mets have released outfielder Trayce Thompson, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. He signed a minor league contract with the club this past offseason.
A second-round pick in the 2009 draft, Thompson made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2015. He has since spent time with the Dodgers, Yankees, Athletics, Guardians, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Padres, Tigers, and Mets organizations, including two separate stints with the Dodgers and three with the White Sox.
Thompson, now 33, had the best year of his career with the Dodgers in 2022. He joined the team in mid-June (after short stints with the Padres and Tigers) and stuck on the active roster for the rest of the season. Over 74 games with L.A. that year, he slashed .268/.364/.537 with 14 doubles and 13 home runs. He also played well in the field, putting up a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and 4 Outs Above Average (OAA) in 496 2/3 defensive innings. After his impressive performance, Thompson made the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster in 2023 but struggled to replicate his success from the year prior. He spent almost all of June and July on the IL with a strained oblique, and the Dodgers traded him back to the White Sox at the deadline as part of a package for Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly. Thompson struggled even more over the rest of the year in Chicago, and the White Sox outrighted him after the season. He elected free agency shortly afterward.
The Mets came calling this past winter, and Thompson agreed to a minor league deal with his tenth organization in December. Although he received an invitation to spring training and produced an .891 OPS in 12 Grapefruit League games, he failed to earn a spot on New York’s Opening Day roster. He hit reasonably well in 62 games for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, hitting 16 home runs and posting an .800 OPS in 253 plate appearances. However, the International League has a high standard for offense, as evidenced by the fact that Thompson’s .800 OPS translates to a below-average 95 wRC+. The Mets recently needed to promote an outfielder when Starling Marte went on the IL, but it was Ben Gamel – another veteran who signed a minor league deal with the club this offseason – who got the call.
Thompson is now eligible to seek his next opportunity and perhaps join his eleventh MLB organization.
The most patriotic move of the year. Releasing Trayce Thompson for playing for the Great Britain national team during the World Baseball Classic. Thanks, Mets.
Mavericks or Lakers the likeliest landing spot
Love it! Haha. Can’t count out the Clippers. Could land a Thompson after all.
Paul George is going to… the dodgers
Screw Philly then he gets to be the nice guy and stay with his family while getting that max contract 4 years
Brian Cashman just popped his head out of his hole next to the dumpster.
Time for him to sign with the Dodgers and play like an all star for five weeks
Ahh, yes, the AAAA player.
Where is Franchy Cordero and Clint (Jackson?) Frazier these days? Every time I look, its a new team.
Frazier actually retired yesterday after a stint in the Atlantic League, believe it or not.
It sounds too good to be true…Frazier retired to bed for the night, or retired from professional baseball?
I’m going to take the liberty of representing the Dodgers here and state emphatically that we are not in any way, shape, or form interested in Thompson’s services, and that’s official.
The Yankees have entered the chat.
Good luck to him. He did what he was asked to do for the Mets but they went in on Ben Gamel. At least the Mets gave him his release to seek other jobs.
The Yankees should take a look. Trent Grisham either needs a wakeup call or be released as well.
Trayce can cover all three outfield positions, and has some pop in his bat.
Not so much CF anymore – he covered it pretty badly in spring training.
He’s become a great go-to for Immaculate Grid. Keep it rolling!
3rd trip to the Dodgers or a Tony Fernandez-esq 4th tour of duty with the White Sox?
He’ll be gone without a trace
I don’t understand why Ben Gamel can’t find at least bench work in the majors anymore? His two seasons in Pittsburgh were honestly not too bad, much better than the majority of bench players on most teams and even enough to start when you see players hitting much worse. I hope he sticks.
He was just an average-ish player in his prime. Those types tend to start fading after 30. He’s 32 now. His
Those seasons were two and three years ago. And second season in Pit was just a .693 OPS.
Despite decent speed, he is not a good defender and that is a minus for a reserve OF, especially one with modest HR power.
A quad-A player on a minor league deal seems to be right where he belongs.
As a Cardinals fan, I would honestly take him. There’s potential and he is a defensive mastermind (adds OF depth to roster).
Cubs apparently signed him. Most likely a minor league deal. That’s Jed’s favorite type of deal after all.