The New York Mets added depth to their outfield by bringing on Jackie Bradley Jr. to their minor league system.
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo revealed the news on Wednesday, as well as a quote from Mets manager Carlos Mendoza on what the move means for the ball club:
“Another depth piece,” Mendoza said. “I’ve seen this guy play really well at this level. Credit to him that he went and played independent ball, stayed in the game and made some adjustments.”
Mets: Jackie Bradley Jr. is an accomplished outfielder who can help on defense in 2024
Bradley Jr. is a former 2016 All-Star and 2018 Gold Glove Winner with a World Series under his belt. He brings championship experience and great defense to a Mets team that has climbed the steep hill from the bottom of the NL East standings back into the playoff hunt.
The Virginia native did not get to show much of his game in 2023. He played sparingly, in 43 games for the Kansas City Royals, where he slashed .133/.188/.210 with 10 runs. When last seen over the course of a full season, Bradley Jr. recorded 38 RBIs behind a .203 batting average for the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
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Bradley Jr. is a good insurance option that the Mets have stashed in the minors
He may be beyond his peak years, but the 34-year-old remained sharp in the outfield, posting a perfect fielding percentage behind 74 putouts and three assists to no errors in 32 starts, 24 of which came in center field. The Mets could use able-bodied with superior gloves and timing behind their starting unit, and Bradley can be that for the franchise.
The University of South Carolina product will grease his wheels in Triple-A and look to crack the Mets’ big league roster with CF Harrison Bader (ankle) day-to-day and RF Starling Marte (knee) on the 10-day IL with a. He’ll get a chance to prove his worth in the minors and see if he can reclaim his productive play from a handful of years back.
