Mets sign right-handed reliever Drew Gagnon to minor league deal

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson is finding some cheap options to rebuild the minors

The Mets are adding another arm to the bullpen competition for 2018 or maybe beyond. This time its former Angels’ minor league right-hander Drew Gagnon.

The 27-year-old righty was the Milwaukee Brewers’ third round draft pick in 2011. He was traded in 2012 to the Anaheim Angels where he has been since. The Californian pitcher has never pitched in the major leagues, but spent the 2017 season in Triple-A with the Salt Lake Bees.

Gagnon’s numbers aren’t anything to write home about, which is obviously why the Angels gave up on him. But it’s pretty evident the Mets are trying to find a diamond in the rough with him.

There’s no word yet on whether the Mets have extended an invitation to Spring Training for Gagnon, but adding another arm to the bullpen competition in Florida can’t hurt.

More likely though is that Gagnon will be a mainstay either at Triple-A Las Vegas or in Double-A Binghamton with the Rumble Ponies.

The reliever market has been relatively surprising so far this offseason. The Colorado Rockies just signed Wade Davis to the most expensive (per year) contract for a reliever in history as they’re trying to build what will arguably be the bullpen in the majors.

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Meanwhile the Mets have added a single solid arm to their ‘pen, and they still have a lot of work to do. It’s true, signing Anthony Swarzak is a plus. He pitched really well last season and will pair nicely with the likes of Jerry Blevins, AJ Ramos and Jeurys Familia. But as we all learned in 2017, health can’t be guaranteed in any aspect. What may look like a good bullpen on paper, could be reduced to a shell of itself with a little bit of bad luck.

This move will likely not do anything to help the major league team, but is it worth a shot? Sure, you can’t lose much trying.