The Mets introduced this morning that they’ve signed veteran outfielder Rafael Ortega to a minor league deal. Ortega, a consumer of Status Sports activities, might be in spring coaching as a non-roster invitee to camp. The Mets additionally confirmed their beforehand reported minor league deal with infielder Donovan Walton. He’ll even be a non-roster invitee in camp, the membership added.
Ortega, 33, might be in his second stint with the Mets group. He performed the majority of the 2023 season there, logging 30 Triple-A video games and one other 47 large league contests. The lefty-swinging Ortega stuffed a bench function with the Mets in ’23, hitting .219/.341/.272 with a homer and 6 steals in 136 plate appearances that season. He’s a profession .245/.322/.349 hitter in 1301 plate appearances as a giant leaguer, courting again to his MLB debut with the Rockies in 2012.
Ortega has in depth expertise in any respect three outfield positions in his large league profession, although he’s spent the majority of his time in middle subject. He’s spent no less than a while within the majors in every of the previous 4 seasons, most prominently with the Cubs in 2021-22, when he batted a mixed .265/.344/.408 in 701 turns on the plate.
The Mets noticed outfielders Harrison Bader and Jesse Winker attain free company at season’s finish, they usually’ve already outrighted outfielder DJ Stewart off the roster and seen him elect free company as nicely. Ortega replenishes some outfield depth and supplies middle subject insurance coverage in a method that neither Winker nor Stewart might. In the intervening time, Brandon Nimmo, Tyrone Taylor and Starling Marte prime the outfield depth chart in Queens, however there’ll assuredly be modifications because the group pursues varied free brokers — headlined, after all, by Juan Soto.
