3 minor league free agent deals the Mets should consider for DH insurance
There's nothing to lose with a minor league deal.
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The problem with the DH situation for the New York Mets right now isn’t so much that fans are rooting against Mark Vientos to find himself and DJ Stewart to become the offensive version of Rick Reed. If a plan involving those two to get the majority of the designated hitter at-bats falls apart, there’s very little the Mets can do to satisfy the position. Even if the pair play well, the risk of injury is always present. This scenario exists regardless of who ends up being the DH, even if the team somehow lands everybody’s favorite target this month, Jorge Soler.
Expecting Drew Gilbert to be available quickly for MLB at-bats is optimistic. The Mets can turn toward some minor league deals with guys who’ve hit well in the majors in the past.
These three free agents, if willing to accept a minor league deal, are worth adding to the Syracuse roster in hopes of maybe doing something similar to what Gary Sanchez did last season.
1) Jesse Winker
Our old pal, enemy, and then trade candidate Mets fans were hoping to land at one point before he crashed and burned. Jesse Winker is a free agent and based on last year’s numbers, not someone who should be expecting a call about a major league contract.
In fact, the last two years have been rough for Winker. Ever since leaving the bandbox in Cincinnati, Winker has been atrocious at the plate. His lifetime .288/.385/.504 slash line with the Reds has dipped down to .264/.369/.444 with the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers. Last year’s performance in Milwaukee included a .199/.320/.247 slash line and only a single home run in 197 plate appearances.
Why target him? He’s about to play in his age 30 season. He was an All-Star in 2021 and as we know well, a pretty good player in the previous years.
A native of Buffalo, New York, he won’t be too far from home either. He may never see Citi Field in 2024, but some weeks in Syracuse to work on things and give the Mets a Plan-D if they need it. Vientos and Stewart are both optional to the minors so there’s absolutely no risk to trying something out if the original plan fails.
2) Brad Miller
Brad Miller is an interesting free agent. He was a fantastic hitter in a part-time role for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019 and again in 2021. Extremely popular with the fans as well, he spent the last two years with the Texas Rangers being much less of a power-hitting utility man and more of a DH who didn’t hit much at all. He batted a combined .212/.282/.324 in his two seasons with the Rangers.
In the right situation, probably one where he suddenly gets hot and can play every day, Miller has the potential to take off. Now 34, he could be on his last leg in Major League Baseball. He can play a variety of positions, but not very well.
Would another team actually offer Miller a MLB contract? It’s hard to see why anyone would view him as worth much more than a minor league deal. He is certainly capable of getting back to the majors, though. Smashing 20 home runs in 2021 albeit with only a .227 batting average stands out.
Miller would probably still fall behind Winker on the list of players David Stearns would want to take a chance on. A few more years advanced, he’s less of a guy likely to bounce back and more of one who may simply be ready to fade before retirement.
3) Kole Calhoun
The 2023 season was a weird one for Kole Calhoun. He is best known for his time with the Los Angeles Angels playing alongside Mike Trout, but spent last season with multiple organizations.
The 36-year-old signed with the Seattle Mariners in February, was released in March, signed with the New York Yankees in April, was released in June, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers three days later, and was finally purchased by the Cleveland Guardians in early August. Only Cleveland gave him a chance to play in the majors. It didn’t go so well with Calhoun slashing .217/.282/.376 in his 174 plate appearances.
A third left-handed hitter on this list as well, he, too, is someone destined to sign a minor league pact. He’s several years removed from being his best, but can still occasionally deliver a home run.
At the Triple-A level last year, Calhoun batted .297/.376/.530 with 17 doubles and 9 home runs in 266 chances. One could doubt he has anything left to give versus major league pitching. For some veteran insurance that won’t cover much more than some chipped paint, there’s no harm.
The Mets have signed mostly pitchers to minor league deals this offseason. Another bat, even with nothing more than an invite to spring training in case someone pulls a hammy too soon, could be next on the docket. We’d expect nothing and be fully satisfied with anything these guys give us.
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