NY Mets trade for useful utility player cut from the Braves roster earlier this month

One day it’s Bo Bichette. A few later it’s Luis Robert Jr. Then you follow it up with Freddy Peralta. Hey, the New York Mets even picked up Luis Garcia in between the excitement.

How do they follow it up? A trade for a useful utility player, Vidal Brujan, reminded everyone that not everything they’ll do is flashy.

A cash for player deal, the Mets add a super utility player to the organization via the Minnesota Twins. Brujan can play all over the field and while his results in the majors haven’t been stupendous, it’s a necessary move to provide a team short on infield depth at the minor league level with some help.

Vidal Brujan should be considered near the top of the depth chart on the B-team

As explained by MLB Trade Rumors, Brujan is on a split contract first signed as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Because of this, refusing an outright assignment to the minor leagues would result in him forfeiting his contract. He gets $850K in the majors and $500K prorated in the minors. The latter is more than the average Triple-A player receives.

This has become common practice for major league teams. The Mets signed Richard Lovelady to a split contract this offseason with the plan appearing to make him less desirable to teams unwilling to pay him a little extra whilst in the minors. He'll be the one losing his roster spot for Brujan. Cooper Criswell, who was recently DFA’d by the Mets, signed a similar deal with the Boston Red Sox. He didn’t pass through waivers. The Mets were willing to add him, but as he sits in waiver limbo, the hope is likely that he passes through and they can stash him on the depth chart in the minor leagues.

Likely, a scenario will come about with Brujan as well. He’s depth, for now, in case of an injury. The absence of Luisangel Acuna has given them more room to carry a player like Brujan. Their current projected major league roster has a question on the bench. They need at least one more infielder or outfielder. Brujan has played both places.

A placeholder for now, this is a small move in a week where the Mets have had trouble getting off the backpages.