An inconspicuous Mets free agent target with only 3 games of MLB experience

We know the obvious free agent targets for the New York Mets. When it comes to trades, it’s mostly speculative. Who is even truly available for them or another team? Do we even know what true contract demands are?

Scavenging through the free agent class, it’s not always easiest to see who could be a true Black Friday bargain. One name that jumps out is Connor Gillispie.

No, not that Conor Gillaspie whose three-run home run in the 2016 NL Wild Card game against the San Francisco Giants sent the Mets into the offseason. Gillispie, a freshly turned 27-year-old righty, is the one we’re going to discuss today.

Connor Gillispie is a tempting Black Friday bargain free agent for the Mets to sign

Just 8 innings of MLB experience in 3 games all coming last year with the Cleveland Guardians, Gillispie is in a unique spot right now as a free agent. The Guardians released him this month for no obvious reason. He didn’t pitch terribly in Triple-A working as a starter and reliever. His season included a 5-7 record and 4.05 ERA down on the farm in 2024. In the majors, he successfully showed a 2.25 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a strikeout per inning while walking a few too many batters. But that sample size is so small it claims it just got out of the pool.

Gillispie has a track record of pitching well with each season including starts and relief appearances. Likely destined for a life as a multi-inning reliever at best, this past year included a 3-3 record and 2.63 ERA when coming out of the bullpen. Those 51.1 total innings were spread across 14 appearances. He is durable enough to go multiple frames at a time. What does Cleveland not see that we do?

Best of all, Gillispie has two minor league options remaining. He’s not someone to stock on the Opening Day roster. Stashing him in Syracuse for the purpose of calling him up whenever a fresh arm is needed would be the plan here.

The Mets wouldn’t necessarily have to limit Gillispie to a bullpen role. The way the Guardians and Baltimore Orioles before them used him can set Gillispie up well to be an emergency starter.

Toss a million bucks his way and see if his agent bites. Pitching depth is something the Mets lacked last year (they didn't need it much) and once again are on the hunt for. Before this Black Friday bargain signs somewhere else, get him to Queens.