The Mets introduced at this time that they’ve signed first baseman Jon Singleton and infielder Niko Goodrum to minor league offers. Moreover, the membership has signed right-hander Jose Marte to a minor league deal in line with the transactions tracker on Marte’s MLB.com profile web page.
Singleton, 33, served because the Astros common first baseman final yr after the membership parted methods with Jose Abreu early within the 2024 season. Drafted within the eighth spherical of the 2009 draft by the Phillies, Singleton was shipped to Houston within the Hunter Pence commerce and finally turned a consensus top-30 prospect within the sport with the Astros. The membership signed Singleton to a pre-debut extension that assured him $10MM over 5 years throughout his debut season again in 2014. The deal was seen as a coup for the Astros on the time, however Singleton sadly hit simply .171/.290/.331 over two seasons with the Astros earlier than toiling within the minor leagues for just a few years and finally being launched in 2018.
At first, it appeared possible that Singleton’s launch marked the tip of his baseball profession. Nevertheless, the primary baseman resurfaced throughout his age-29 season with a robust displaying within the Mexican League and received sufficient consideration that he signed with the Brewers on a minor league deal for the 2022 season. He hit moderately properly at Triple-A for the membership and posted even stronger numbers the next season, incomes him a call-up again to the majors. He hit simply .103/.188/.138 in 11 video games for the Brewers, however upon being launched signed with the Astros and hit a extra respectable (although nonetheless subpar) .194/.301/.324 in 25 video games for the membership.
That efficiency was sufficient to earn Singleton his aforementioned shot on the common first base job in 2024, and he truly began to hit for the primary time in his profession final yr when given that chance. In 405 journeys to the plate throughout 119 video games, Singleton slashed .234/.321/.386. That barely higher than league common manufacturing was sufficient to persuade the Astros to maintain Singleton on the roster all through the offseason, although not sufficient to cease them from signing Christian Walker to take over common first base duties. When Singleton hit simply .171/.239/.195 in Spring Coaching, nonetheless, Houston had seen sufficient and determined to chop bait.
Goodrum, in the meantime, has been a part of seven MLB seasons up to now in his profession. The Twins’ second-rounder again in 2010, he made his huge league debut in Minnesota again in 2017 however was minimize from the membership’s roster and ended up signing with the Tigers on a minor league deal that offseason. He went on to place up stable numbers with Detroit over the following 4 seasons, hitting hit a good .232/.306/.401 (90 wRC+) in 376 video games from 2018 to 2021. His manufacturing tapered off in 2020 and 2021, nonetheless, as he hit simply .203/.282/.350 (75 wRC+) in these closing two years in Detroit earlier than he was outrighted off the Tigers’ roster.
Within the years since leaving Detroit, Goodrum has appeared in simply 28 complete MLB video games, hitting a paltry .111/.169/.139 in 78 plate appearances between the Astros, Rays, and Angels. When not within the majors, he’s bounced between the Crimson Sox, Pirates, Orioles, and Padres organizations and even had a short stint within the KBO league the place he slashed .295/.373/.387 in 50 video games for the Lotte Giants. San Diego was Goodrum’s most up-to-date cease, and the 33-year-old truly hit fairly properly in Spring Coaching as he slashed .278/.519/.444 in 14 video games. That stable displaying wasn’t sufficient to earn a roster spot with the Padres, nonetheless, and Goodrum returned to free company the place he’s now caught on with the Mets.
As for Marte, the right-hander signed with the Giants out of the Dominican Republic as an beginner and made his professional debut again in 2016. He was traded to the Angels within the deal that despatched southpaw Tony Watson to San Francisco a few years later, nonetheless, and finally went on to make his huge league debut with Anaheim throughout the 2021 season. Marte was shuttled between Triple-A and the majors over the following 4 seasons, and his outcomes from 2021 to 2023 have been nothing in need of disastrous as he posted an 8.14 ERA and seven.61 FIP in 24 1/3 innings of labor with extra walks (28) than strikeouts (27).
Issues appeared to click on for Marte in 2024, nonetheless, as he pitched to a 2.22 ERA in 28 1/3 innings within the inflated offensive setting of the Pacific Coast League whereas placing out 28.4% of opponents and strolling a extra manageable 11.2%. That success translated to the large leagues, as he posted a 2.33 ERA in 19 1/3 innings, although he solely struck out 17.5% of his opponents whereas strolling 12.5%. His season was minimize brief by a viral an infection and shoulder surgical procedure, nonetheless, and he discovered himself outrighted off the Angels’ 40-man roster on the finish of the yr.
With all three now set to affix the Mets at Triple-A, every figures to fill a depth function for the membership going ahead. Singleton is locked behind Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker on the primary base/DH depth chart, nevertheless it wouldn’t be a shock to see him be the following man up behind Winker as a left-handed part-time possibility within the case of damage. Goodrum, in the meantime, is a flexible bench piece who can play just about wherever on the diamond aside from catcher. That’s a very helpful skillset for the Mets whereas the versatile Jeff McNeil is on the injured checklist. As for Marte, it’s unclear whether or not the righty is recovered from shoulder surgical procedure at this level, however when he returns he could possibly be an fascinating, high-upside bullpen possibility for the Mets in some unspecified time in the future this yr.
