The Mets have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Cristian Pache, reports Pat Ragazzo of Mets On SI. He’ll be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee next spring. Pache is represented by the MVP Sports Group.
Pache, 27, was once considered one of the sport’s top outfield prospects during his earlier days in the division-rival Braves organization. He’s long been touted as a plus-plus defender in center field — a rangy outfielder with good speed and solid raw power but a shaky hit tool that didn’t allow him to get to that pop often enough.
That lack of hit tool has indeed held Pache back. Atlanta traded him to the Athletics as one of four players in return for first baseman Matt Olson, and he’s since bounced to the Phillies, Orioles and Marlins organizations. Pache hasn’t hit in the majors during any of his stops. He’s taken 610 plate appearances at the MLB level and carries just a .181/.243/.275 batting line with a troublesome 30.8% strikeout rate. He has indeed strong defensive grades, but Pache hasn’t hit enough to even profile as a viable fourth outfielder in the majors.
Pache’s numbers in the upper minors have been better but are still lackluster, particularly considering how hitter-friendly most of the environments in which he’s played have been. In parts of five Triple-A seasons, Pache carries a .257/.332/.397 batting line. He spent the 2025 season with the D-backs’ top affiliate in Reno, hitting .251/.351/.389 in 288 plate appearances. That looks decent on the surface, but in that exorbitantly hitter-friendly setting, it’s actually about 20% worse than league-average production, by measure of wRC+.
In many ways, Pache is an even more extreme version of Tyrone Taylor, who’s already on the Mets’ big league roster. Both are right-handed hitting center fielders with questionable bats and strong gloves, but while Pache is the better defender of the two, his bat is even lighter than that of Taylor (who hit .223/.279/.319 with the Mets in 2025).
Pache is out of minor league options, so if he’s added to the big league roster at any point, he’d need to stick or else be designated for assignment and passed through waivers. He gives the Mets some versatile outfield depth, but there are enough offensive question marks surrounding him that he profiles mainly as glove-first insurance in the event of multiple injuries at the big league level.
There you go Mets fans
Seems like Stearns is making these kind of signings just to annoy the fan base. I seriously doubt Pache was on anyone’s radar. In fact he’s been so bad offensively I’m pretty sure he’s banned from most teams’ radars.
“Seems like Stearns is making these kind of signings just to annoy the fan base”
Pretty sure he’s just signing minor league depth and not focusing on what the fan base is saying.
You all make it so embarrassing to be a met fan
We are so grateful for little stearns and his genius mind.
That kinda comment says more about your insecurity than anything to do with Mets
My insecurity? Explain.
little stingray23, I imagine your genius mind can figure out Schmets’ comment.
I guess the little guy got his feelings hurt. Oh well. Jfc
It’s gonna be like 1986 all over again.
He needs a chance to show off that D.
That’s what she said.
Pache couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.
These MiLB depth signings are sure to enrage the fans
But they do make the trolls happy
PAH-chay.
Saw this coming a mile away. Heard Stearns tried to low ball Adolis.
Stearns wouldn’t be dumb enough to sign Adolis.
Another AMAZING signing! Best AAAA team money can buy! NL East are you shaking in fear yet?
It’s a minor league contract. Every team needs depth in the minor leagues. Stop being so emotional about sports!
Please Google the definition of sarcasm.
Or just add the “/s” to be clear.
Paddyo….for the trolls the /s actually stands for stupid…but, that came through loud and clear in Doc’s attempt.
Steelers 6x…maybe you should put down the 2 day old flat can of Iron City and try to be creative.
Pache was bff with RAJ a few years back. Showed up to spring training with a blinged out SUV and a dozen gold chains around his neck. I am not surprised he has been a bust so far.
It’s worth a try. What if the Mets get him in the hitting lab, identify a major flaw or two, and unlock something that other organizations have been unable to unlock?
You can always cut bait after the draft if you need the roster space.
Pretty sure he’s been on every NL East team except WAS now…plus OAK. He can play defense… that’s it. Nothing else. Defensive specialist for league minimum isn’t the worse thing. Being a Braves fan we’re paying our CF $10m to be a defensive specialist.
A 20 20 outfielder with 90 RBI, u r right same thing
Harris’s offense may still be fixable. Sorta. Perhaps an entire off-season working on the adjustments he made with Hyers will stick. The glove work is outstanding, though.
He’s for AAA. He’ll play in the spring and audition for other clubs. Nothing that the other 29 clubs don’t do.
Late inning defence. Nice.
The Mets are now the Red Sox of the NL. Operating around the edges with relatively inexpensive signings. Cohen and Henry are now in agreement on how to generate huge profits.
Nothing funnier than a Mets fan complaining that Cohen doesn’t spend enough.
I appreciate this guy helped us land Olson.