The New York Mets completed a new signing on Monday. And no, it wasn’t of the minor-league variety this time.
Mets sign first baseman Jared Young
According to team insider Anthony DiComo, the Mets just gave a major league contract to first baseman Jared Young:
“The Mets signed infielder Jared Young to a Major League contract. He has 22 games of experience in the bigs but has spent most of his career in the minors and Korea. (He OPS’d 1.080 in the KBO this season,)” DiComo posted on X on Monday evening, and the team made it official via the same platform.
Per the Mets beat writer, the most likely scenario has Young alternating playing time between Triple-A Syracuse and the majors, depending on performance and other factors.
Young is a 29-year-old first baseman who split his playing time between the St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate and the KBO, in South Korea. He was equally good at both stops, hitting .326/.420/.660 with 10 home runs in Korea and .285/.411/.506 for the Cards in Triple-A. The Mets hope he can provide organizational depth and some power off the bench.
The Mets hope to work their magic with Young
Young was a 15th-round pick in 2017 by the Chicago Cubs, where he spent the first seven years of his professional career. He has some major league experience in 2022 and 2023. In 69 plate appearances, he has a 98 wRC+. The Mets player development staff will work hard to try and get the most out of Young’s left-handed bat.
The team has been very active in the free agent market, bringing in cheap alternatives at several positions to increase internal competition in typical David Stearns fashion. Not everything has to be expensive, multi-year deals and contracts. Contenders like the Mets will sign a few unheralded, underappreciated players every year and help them improve through coaching, work, and dedication.