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Abraham Almonte

Abraham Almonte To Sign With Mexican League’s Olmecas De Tabasco

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Veteran outfielder Abraham Almonte is in agreement with the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN (X link). Former MLB infielder José Peraza is also headed to Mexico, per McDaniel. He agreed to a deal with the Leones de Yucatán.

Almonte, 34, has reached the majors in each of the last 11 seasons. That’s a rather remarkable stretch for a player who has never been a regular. Almonte has only once topped 70 big league games in a year, but he has gotten depth opportunities for eight MLB clubs overall. His most recent major league action came in Queens. The switch-hitter played in eight games with the Mets last summer.

In a little less than 1400 MLB plate appearances, Almonte owns a .233/.300/.371 batting line. He’s coming off a .220/.361/.464 showing in 50 contests over three minor league levels in the Mets’ farm system. If Almonte is to extend his streak of reaching the big leagues to 12 years, he’ll first need to earn another minor league opportunity during the season.

Peraza reached the majors in seven consecutive campaigns between 2015-21. He was a reasonably highly-regarded prospect during his time in the Dodgers and Reds organizations early in his career. Peraza has hit .266/.306/.372 as a big leaguer. As with Almonte, he last saw the majors as a member of the Mets, although that came three years ago. He spent last year in the New York farm system, hitting .261/.315/.366 in 41 Triple-A games.

29 Players Elect Free Agency

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October brings postseason play for a handful of teams and their fanbases. Just over two-thirds of the league is now in offseason mode after being eliminated, however. As the season comes to a close, a number of veterans will hit minor league free agency.

These players are separate from six-year MLB free agents, who’ll reach the open market five days after the conclusion of the World Series. Eligible minor leaguers can begin electing free agency as soon as the regular season wraps up. These players were all outrighted off a team’s 40-man roster during the year and have the requisite service time and/or multiple career outrights necessary to reach free agency since they weren’t added back to teams’ rosters.

Electing free agency is the anticipated outcome for these players. There’ll surely be more to test the market in the coming weeks. We’ll offer periodic updates at MLBTR. The first group, courtesy of the transaction tracker at MiLB.com:

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Pitchers

Adam Kolarek Elects Free Agency

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Mets left-hander Adam Kolarek rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Syracuse after clearing waivers and elected free agency, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. Outfielder Abraham Almonte, also designated by the Mets over the weekend, went unclaimed and has been assigned outright to Syracuse as well. Like Kolarek, Almonte has the right to elect free agency, but there’s no indication yet that he’s chosen to do so.

Kolarek, 34, now stands as an interesting, last-minute depth addition for playoff hopefuls seeking to stockpile bullpen arms in advance of Friday’s postseason eligibility deadline. The sidearm southpaw has appeared in parts of seven big league seasons, logging a combined 3.62 ERA with a well below-average 15.9% strikeout rate but strong command (6.8% walk rate) and a mammoth 63.9% ground-ball rate. He’s tossed six shutout innings with a 7-to-1 K/BB ratio between the Dodgers and Mets in 2023, plus another 35 1/3 innings of 2.55 ERA ball in Triple-A (albeit with an uncharacteristic 13.5% walk rate in that time).

Kolarek struggled with the A’s in 2021-22 (5.74 ERA in 26 2/3 innings) but has had success at every other stop in his big league career, including with the Rays, Dodgers (two stints) and Mets. He’s not a hard thrower (as is the case with most sidearmers), but he’s held opponents to an ugly 87.2 mph exit velocity in his career and allowed less than a third of the batted balls against him at 95 mph or more — both strong marks. He’ll presumably draw some interest on a minor league deal from a playoff hopeful, and with rosters set to expand to 28 players on Friday, a return path to the big leagues could be all the more realistic.

As for the 34-year-old Almonte, he went 1-for-15 with eight punchouts in 16 plate appearances with the Mets. The journeyman outfielder has suited up for eight teams in parts of 11 seasons at the MLB level. He’s typically been a reserve outfielder, never topping 258 plate appearances in a season, and is a career .233/.300/.371 batter in 1379 plate appearances. Almonte is a lifetime .287/.388/.493 hitter in parts of nine Triple-A seasons, including a .228/.331/.564 slash in 118 plate appearances with Syracuse this season.

Mets Designate Adam Kolarek, Abraham Almonte For Assignment

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The Mets announced four roster moves today, including the news that outfielder Abraham Almonte and reliever Adam Kolarek have been designated for assignment.  The transactions create roster space for Mark Vientos and Jeff Brigham, as Vientos was activated from the 10-day injured list and Brigham was called up from Triple-A Syracuse.

Almonte and Kolarek are no strangers to the DFA process, as this is the second time that each player has been designated this season — Kolarek by the Dodgers in June, and Almonte by the Mets just two weeks ago.  In both cases, the players cleared waivers and were outrighted off the 40-man roster, and both chose to accept the outright assignment rather than test free agency.  Should either of the duo clear waivers this time around, either Almonte or Kolarek could again opt for free agency or decide to head to Syracuse.

Kolarek has only been with the Mets for less than a month, after the Dodgers traded the southpaw and right-hander Phil Bickford to New York in what was essentially a roster-clearing move for Los Angeles at the deadline.  The Mets selected Kolarek’s contract last week and he has made four appearances without allowing a run.  In fact, Kolarek has a perfect 0.00 ERA for the 2023 season to date, though only over six total innings with L.A. and New York.

Almonte signed a minor league deal with the Mets during the offseason and made his 2023 debut earlier this month.  The veteran outfielder has one hit over 16 plate appearances, playing as a late-game defensive sub and pinch-hitter.  The Mets brought Almonte up for depth purposes, as their outfield ranks have been thinned by trades and injuries.

Mets Select Abraham Almonte

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The Mets announced some roster moves today, placing infielder Mark Vientos on the 10-day injured list due to left wrist tendonitis, retroactive to August 16. Outfielder Abraham Almonte has been selected to take his place on the active roster. To open a spot for Almonte on the 40-man, left-hander Josh Walker has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Almonte, 34, has been on and off the Mets’ roster lately. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, he was brought up to the big leagues last week before being designated for assignment and outrighted a few days later after taking just 12 plate appearances in four games. He has enough service time that he could have rejected the outright assignment but seems to have accepted and will now make a quick return to the majors.

Prior to getting called up, he was having a strong season in the minors. He hit .244/377/.548 in 167 plate appearances, walking at an 18% clip and producing a wRC+ of 128. He’s often hit well in the minors but has struggled to replicate that production in the majors. Dating back to 2013, he’s hit .234/.301/.373 for a wRC+ of 82 in 1,375 trips to the plate in the show. He figures to join the outfield mix alongside Brandon Nimmo, DJ Stewart, Rafael Ortega and Tim Locastro.

Vientos has always crushed minor league pitching but has hit just .188/.240/.286 in his first 167 major league appearances. Despite that tepid output, the Mets will be challenged to cover third base in his absence with Eduardo Escobar having been traded to the Angels and Brett Baty also on the IL. Some combination of Jonathan Araúz, Danny Mendick and Jeff McNeil figure to be slotted into that position as well as second base. It’s unclear how long Vientos is expected to be out for.

Walker, 28, was first added to the club’s roster in May. He’s since made 13 appearances with an ERA of 8.10 in that small sample. He landed on the injured list a few days ago due to a right oblique strain and it seems it’s significant enough to end his season. Today’s transfer means he’s ineligible to return until the middle of October. Barring a miracle postseason run by the Mets, he won’t be back this year.

Mets Outright Abraham Almonte

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The Mets have sent veteran outfielder Abraham Almonte outright to Triple-A Syracuse, per the transaction log at MLB.com. He’d been designated for assignment on Saturday.

A journeyman who has appeared at the MLB level with eight different clubs, Almonte got into four games for the Mets. He hit 12 times, reaching base twice via a single and walk. While a very brief stay, it marked an 11th consecutive year with some major league action for the switch-hitter.

Almonte has had a nice season when healthy at the Triple-A level. The 34-year-old has been limited to 27 games there by injury but put together a .228/.331/.564 line with 11 home runs in 118 trips to the dish. He has worked exclusively in the corner outfield with Syracuse but has a fair amount of center field experience as a professional.

It’s unclear whether Almonte will return to Syracuse. He has enough service time to decline an outright assignment in favor of minor league free agency.

Mets Designate Abraham Almonte For Assignment

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The Mets announced four roster moves in between games of their double-header with the Braves today, including the news that outfielder Abraham Almonte has been designated for assignment.  Right-hander Denyi Reyes was optioned to Triple-A, while righty Tyson Miller was called up from Triple-A and outfielder Tim Locastro was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Almonte signed a minor league deal with New York during the offseason, but he didn’t make his 2023 debut until four days ago, after the Mets selected his contract to the active roster.  With his appearance in the first game of the Atlanta double-header, Almonte’s tenure with the Mets could be over after four games, and one hit over 12 plate appearances.

The four-game cup of coffee at least ensured an 11th consecutive MLB season for Almonte, an Immaculate Grid favorite who has seen action with eight different Major League clubs.  The switch-hitter has a career .235/.302/.374 slash line over 1371 PA, as Almonte is known most for his outfield versatility than his prowess at the plate, though his glovework has allowed him to find backup or part-time roles for over a decade.

Assuming he clears waivers, Almonte has the right to elect free agency in the event an outright assignment, since he has been outrighed before in his career.  The Mets could also choose to release Almonte entirely, if they prefer to use younger players down the stretch rather than keep a veteran around at Triple-A.

Locastro returns after undergoing thumb surgery in May, and his thumb injury occurred during a rehab assignment when Locastro was already on the injured list recovering from back spasms.  The lengthy absence has limited Locastro to just 11 games, and he looks to get some outfield work while the Mets try to fill the void left by deadline trades and Starling Marte’s IL stint.

Mets Option Brett Baty, Place Starling Marte On Injured List

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The Mets have optioned third baseman Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse, placed outfielder Starling Marte on the 10-day injured list with a groin strain, recalled infielder Jonathan Araúz and selected the contract of journeyman outfielder Abraham Almonte. Almonte’s promotion was first reported by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Paired with their selection of reliever Jimmy Yacabonis over the weekend, New York’s 40-man roster is at capacity.

Baty heads back to Triple-A for the first time since April. The recent top prospect began the season in Syracuse but got off to a roaring .400/.500/.886 start. That earned him a big league call a couple weeks into the year — his second promotion after a debut late last season. Baty quickly pushed Eduardo Escobar to the bench (and eventually made him expendable in trade) and started the season well, mashing at a .333/.394/.467 clip through the end of April.

The 23-year-old has hit a major slump since that excellent first month. He’s been a below-average hitter in each month since that point. Things have particularly spiraled of late. Since the All-Star Break, Baty is hitting .130/.211/.261 while striking out in 31.2% of his 77 plate appearances. While the Mets have turned their attention towards 2024, the struggles simply became untenable. They’ll hope Baty can find his stride against lower-level pitching.

Whether he does so could have implications for Baty’s long-term earning power. He entered the season with 50 days of major league service. Between his April 17 recall and today, he has accrued roughly 112 days of additional service time. That brings him to 162 days overall. Players get to a full service year at 172 days, meaning Baty’s approximately 10 days shy of that mark. If he returns to the big leagues for a week and a half later in the season, he’ll surpass the one-year threshold and remain on pace to reach free agency after the 2028 campaign. If he spends the remainder of the season in the minors, his free agency trajectory would be pushed back until after the ’29 season — though he’ll be on pace to reach arbitration after 2025 as a Super Two player in that case.

Danny Mendick draws into the starting lineup at third base against the Cubs this evening. 23-year-old Mark Vientos seems the favorite for playing time there overall, with Mendick and Araúz offering utility depth behind him.

Marte’s rough 2023 campaign continues. He just returned from a two-week IL stay because of recurring migraine issues. The hamstring injury is obviously unrelated but represents another frustration in one of the worst seasons of his career. Around the injuries, Marte has hit only .248/.301/.324 with five homers through 341 trips to the plate.

His absence opens an outfield spot for Almonte. The switch-hitting outfielder signed a minor league deal over the offseason and is hitting .228/.331/.564 over 27 games in Syracuse. He’s striking out at a lofty 31.4% clip but has connected on 11 homers and is drawing plenty of walks. Almonte is accustomed to the role of late-season call-up. It’s his 11th straight year reaching the bigs, though he’s never played more than 82 games in any single season. Almonte will soon suit up for the eighth team of his career. He’s a .235/.302/.374 hitter in a little under 1400 MLB plate appearances.

Mets Sign José Peraza, Abraham Almonte To Minor League Deals

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The Mets announced the signing of five players to minor league deals, including outfielder Abraham Almonte and infielder José Peraza. They also announced the previously-reported deals for right-handers Tommy Hunter, Sean Reid-Foley and Jimmy Yacabonis. All but Reid-Foley, who is likely to miss extended time after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May, will receive invites to major league Spring Training.

Peraza, 29 in April, will return to the Mets club he was with in 2021. A speed-and-contact guy, he’s stolen 79 bases in his career and has only struck out in 13.1% of his plate appearances but has never been much of a power threat. He did hit 14 home runs with the Reds in 2018, but that stands out as an anomaly compared to the rest of his career. For 2022, he spent the year in Triple-A on minor league deals with the Yankees and then Red Sox. Between the two clubs, he hit .236/.290/.354, wRC+ of 70. He’ll provide the Mets with a versatile depth option, as he’s played all three outfield slots and the three infield positions to the left of first base.

Almonte, 34 in June, has appeared in parts of the past 10 MLB seasons, though he’s been limited to part-time roles. His 82 games played in 2015 are still his career high. Last year, he mashed in the minors, getting into 80 Triple-A games and hitting .293/.417/.534 for a wRC+ of 153. He also got into 15 MLB games with the Red Sox, hitting .257/.297/.400 for a wRC+ of 93.

Almonte appeared to have a deal in place KBO’s LG Twins earlier this month, though they reportedly nullified the deal after conducting his physical. Whatever the issue was that caused the Twins to walk away, it’s evidently not a huge concern for the Mets. He’ll give them an experienced outfielder as a depth option in the minors.

KBO’s LG Twins Walk Away From Deal With Abraham Almonte

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TODAY: According to reports out of South Korea, the LG Twins have pulled out of the contract, due to an issue following Almonte’s physical.

DECEMBER 5: The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization have announced a one-year contract with outfielder Abraham Almonte.  (Hat tip to reporter Sung Min Kim.)  Almonte will receive $400K in salary, a $100K signing bonus, and up to $300K in incentive bonuses.

The 33-year-old Almonte is a veteran of the last 10 Major League seasons, suiting up with seven different teams at the MLB level and also spending some time in the minors with the Brewers’ and Yankees’ farm systems.  Of Almonte’s 455 career games in the Show, 187 were played with Cleveland from 2015-17, and his next highest total was 70 games with the Padres over parts of three seasons.

Almonte consistently found work as a backup or part-time outfielder during his journeyman career, due more to his ability to play all three outfield positions than his bat.  While the switch-hitter has a few flashes at the plate, Almonte hit a modest .235/.302/.374 over 1363 Major League plate appearances.  He entered the 2022 season on a minor league deal with the Brewers, but didn’t reach the majors until after he was dealt to the Red Sox in July.

Heading overseas for the first time in his pro career, Almonte now joins the Twins.  Each KBO League team has up to three roster spots dedicated to non-Korean players, and international players can only sign for a $1MM maximum.  An international player’s first KBO contract can also be only one year in length.

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