NY Mets release struggling journeyman with an OPS under .600 in the minors

Some reunions aren’t meant to be. Stacking outfielders with MLB experience on the Syracuse roster, the New York Mets signed Billy McKinney in the offseason to a minor league deal. The journeyman who found his way to the Mets organization back in 2021 when they were bleeding for outfield help didn’t do a whole lot in Triple-A this season. In 130 plate appearances, he slashed .184/.285/.307 with 3 home runs and 34 strikeouts. They've decided to part ways with him.

The .592 OPS was significantly below the .669 he had in the majors. Never one to hit for a high average or do much at all to stick around in the major leagues with any team for too long, he’ll look to find a home elsewhere in his next attempt to crawl back to the major leagues.

What’s the latest on the rest of the Mets minor league depth?

The Syracuse club isn’t full of mashers. Joey Meneses came into Sunday with a .259 batting average and only 2 home runs. His 17 doubles is more than triple anyone else on the roster. A first baseman/corner outfielder/more of a DH than anything else has made a valiant attempt to catch someone’s eye. Keep an eye out for a future opt out clause in his contract.

McKinney’s fellow outfielder, Rafael Ortega, made a Mets reunion as well. A member of the team late in 2023, Ortega has started off 6 for 22 with a pair of home runs. His ability to play center field can come in handy. It’s a trigger we hope the Mets never have to pull.

Syracuse hasn’t gotten much out of the catching duo of Jakson Reetz and Chris Williams. Both are hitting under .200 with Reetz at .174 with 6 home runs. Unbelievably, there was a chance one was going to make the Mets roster out of camp until Hayden Senger’s defense spoke up. Since getting sent down, Senger has hit well. A .268 batting average in 47 plate appearances signifies he’s ready to step back into major league action should he be needed.

Few offseason additions with MLB experience stand out on the Syracuse roster with one exception. Gilberto Celestino, a 26-year-old right-handed hitter, is the runaway favorite to get promoted if the need for an outfielder was to arise. He’s batting .281/.346/.388 with 3 home runs. Second to only Drew Gilbert when it comes to games played in center field, Celestino is an out of options minor league depth piece to consider.

McKinney led Syracuse with 25 games played in left field with Jared Young second at 8 and Luke Ritter behind with only 5. The four year anniversary of the Mets trading for him back in 2021 on May 26, is fast-approaching. Unfortunately, there won’t be a cake as he’s on the move once again. Amazingly, he has played at least one game in the majors every year since 2018. Will the streak end in 2025?