With the 2023 MLB Offseason officially in full swing, the New York Mets under first-year president of baseball operation David Stearns are starting to make moves for the 2024 season. In total, the Mets non-tendered a total of five players, designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach, relief pitchers Trevor Gott, Jeff Brigham, Sam Coonrod and most surprisingly, infielder Luis Guillorme.
Guillorme is the longest tenure Met to be tendered having been with the team since 2018 and has also become a fan favorite by many. He's known for his long beard, for shaving it all in 2022 and having a great glove on defense playing in the infield as well as picking up clutch hits when the Mets needed it the most. Now after six seasons with the team, New York says goodbye to Guillorme. With his days as a Met over, here's a look back at some of his most memorable moments on the New York Mets.
3. Luis Guillorme catches a flying bat during a Spring Traning game
In 2017, the Mets were playing against their division rivals, the Miami Marlins on March 7 during a spring training exhibition game. Even though it was a spring training game not meaning much for the Mets, this game will be remembered not because of a play that happened on the field or at the plate, but in the dugout.
With the game scoreless in the top of the second and Mets pitcher, Robert Gsellman on the mound, he was pitching against Marlins shortstop, Adeiny Hechavarria. And on the first pitch of the at-bat, Hechavarria took a huge swing and a miss and lost the grip of the bat which resulted in him losing the bat and flying into the Mets dugout. But luckily, Guillorme was able to snag it and catch the bat with one hand which resulted in him getting a standing ovation.
Guillorme made it look so easy and it is something that Mets fans won't forget. So yes, it was not a play on the field that was memorable or an at-bat, but this was still a remarkable catch that Guillorme made that nobody will ever forget.