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Three 2019 Mets players you can watch in the KBO this year

By Tim Boyle

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 23: Chris Flexen #64 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the Grapefruit League spring training game at First Data Field on February 23, 2019 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 23: Chris Flexen #64 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the Grapefruit League spring training game at First Data Field on February 23, 2019 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The KBO season has started in South Korea and three members of the 2019 New York Mets can be found playing some baseball.

Major League Baseball doesn’t have a start date, but the KBO over in South Korea has already begun. While New York Mets fans won’t see Pete Alonso, Jacob deGrom, or anyone else we all love play ball, the league does have some familiar names.

Specific to those who root for the orange and blue, there are three guys who saw action with the Mets in 2019.

None had a lasting impact on the organization. However, if you’re baseball-starved, some familiarity could help fill the baseball void.

Aaron Altherr – NC Dinos

It’s hard to believe Aaron Altherr played in 26 games for the 2019 Mets. Mostly used as a reserve player, Altherr’s reign in Flushing resulted in a .129/.200/.258 slash line across 35 plate appearances.

Surprisingly, Altherr was actually fast-tracking his way toward regular playing time in MLB just two years earlier. In 2017, he hit 19 home runs while slashing .272/.340/.516 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. The season was by far his most successful of any.

The veteran outfielder will suit up for the NC Dinos in the KBO this year.

Drew Gagnon – Kia Tigers

From the outfield to the mound, another former member of the Mets we saw in 2019 will appear in the KBO. Pitcher Drew Gagnon appeared in 23 games for the organization between 2018 and 2019. Combined, he went 5-2 with a 7.32 ERA.

Gagnon was one of the many Four-A relievers the Mets used out of the bullpen in recent seasons. Although there was some slight hope of him becoming a late-bloomer in 2018, his 8.37 ERA in 2019 put any of those ideas to rest.

You can find Gagnon wearing a Kia Tigers uniform in the KBO.

Chris Flexen – Doosan Bears

Finally, there’s Chris Flexen. His time with the Mets was different from Altherr and Gagnon. He saw action each year from 2017-2019. Each time, the end result led him to another demotion.

Flexen’s 2017 season actually included 9 starts and another 5 appearances out of the bullpen. Over those 48 innings pitched he went 3-6 with a 7.88 ERA. He wouldn’t win a game again in the big leagues, ultimately finishing 3-11 with an 8.07 ERA during his time with the Mets. At just 25-years-old, there may be a little more time for him to figure things out overseas.

The Doosan Bears are the team that will hope to get the best out of Flexen in 2020.

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