3 under-the-radar Mets roster additions who could get MLB playing time in 2024

There wasn’t a shortage of small roster moves made by the New York Mets this offseason. From waiver claims to minor league free agent signings, we’re already seeing a lot of those newcomers appear in spring training games for the club. 

Many will be irrelevant. Some could even opt out of their deals before Opening Day and test the free agency waters again. Then there are those who’ll end up DFA’d by the Mets due to a lack of room on the 26-man roster.

Buried a little further down below well-known names such as Luke Voit, Jose Iglesias, and even Yacksel Rios are these three under-the-radar additions by the Mets who could earn a shot at some point this season.

1) Taylor Kohlwey

The personal favorite minor league addition of the offseason in my pale blue eyes is the one which brought the Mets outfielder Taylor Kohlwey. Signed to a minor league deal with two remaining minor league options, he can avoid becoming an immediate DFA candidate if he was to get called up to the majors. We can’t say the same for Trayce Thompson or Ben Gamel who’ll be more likely to end up on the waiver wire and possibly somewhere else.

The Triple-A numbers for Kohlwey have been impressive. Through 360 games he has hit .296/.387/.444. He’s not much of a power hitter but he has driven in 82 and 73 runs in his past two seasons on the farm. Decent speed as well, it’s a bit interesting why he hasn’t been given more of a chance in the majors. Five games last year with the San Diego Padres is all they’ve allowed him to get.

Kohlwey will be a 29-year-old rookie turning 30 in July this season. On the Mets, he’s a good option on a short-term basis for one of the corner outfield spots. More likely to find a spot on the bench than the actual starting lineup, what makes him most intriguing is the ability to keep him around beyond this coming year. If added to the 40-man roster at some point, they can keep him around for more outfield depth next season.