Rumored NY Mets free agent signing can send a loud message to every reclamation project

The New York Mets have reportedly made an interesting addition, signing former all-star and top prospect Alex Reyes to a minor league contract. Reyes was once considered the best prospects in the game in the late 2010s and made the 2021 all-star game as the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer. But it sends a bigger message: that the Mets are a destination for players looking to get their careers back on track. The signing has since been disputed by others, putting a hold on the celebration.

Reyes was considered a consensus top-five prospect in 2017, with even Baseball Prospects ranking him as the best prospect in all of baseball. He made a great first impression in a 46-inning sample size in 2016, pitching to just a 1.57 ERA, 2.67 FIP, and 1.22 WHIP with a 27.5% K%, and showing off some impressive stuff.

Reyes’ next four seasons would be very injury-laden, pitching just 26.2 innings from 2017 through 2020. Reyes would return to the mound in 2021, this time in a closing pitcher role. The flamethrowing right-hander got off to an outstanding start with a 0.91 ERA, 3.55 FIP, and 1.24 WHIP in his first 39.2 innings pitched. Reyes struggled mightily with walks, handing out a free pass 18.7% of the time, but he rarely allowed any home runs with a 0.45 HR/9 and punched out over 30% of opponents (31.3% K%).

Newest NY Mets addition sends a message to potential rebound candidates.

But his season quickly took a turn for the worse. Reyes would finish out the year with a 6.05 ERA, 5.44 FIP, and 1.50 WHIP in his final 32.2 IP. Although he was still striking out a hefty amount of batters at a time with a 28.5% K%, walks were still a massive issue (13.9% BB%), and he was now giving up nearly two home runs every nine innings with a 1.93 HR/9 rate.

However, this is the last time Reyes has pitched at a professional level. After the 2022 season, Reyes was granted free agency and signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that off-season. But he would never suit up for the Dodgers or any of their minor league teams. He hit free agency once again and did not land a contract with any team for 2024.

Although the signing may not seem like much, it might send a message to other players. Reyes hasn’t appeared in any games for three seasons and has appeared in more than 20 games just once in eight years. But the Mets are still willing to see if Reyes can give them something. That could attract other free agents looking to make a comeback and help the Mets add some more depth to the organization.

We await an official announcement. A signing right up the alley of what David Stearns does, this would be an interesting addition to the 2025 Mets roster.

Update: Alex Reyes had actually been a part of the 2024 Mets but was placed on the restricted list. This is where the source of the confusion came.