The Mets announced this morning that they have signed veteran outfielder to a minor league contract. The 33-year-old represented by Prestige Sports, will attend spring training as a non-roster invitee. The team also confirmed its earlier reported minor league deal with infielder Donovan Walton, who will also join the camp as a non-roster invitee.
The experienced player is returning to the Mets for a second stint with the organization. He played most of the 2023 season with the team, appearing in 30 games at Triple-A and 47 games in the majors. The left-handed hitter served as a bench player for the Mets last season, posting a .219/.341/.272 slash line with one home run and six stolen bases in 136 plate appearances. Over his MLB career, Ortega has a .245/.322/.349 batting line across 1,301 plate appearances, dating back to his debut with the Rockies in 2012.
A versatile outfielder, Ortega has experience at all three outfield positions, though he has primarily played center field. He has appeared in the majors during each of the last four seasons, with his best years coming in 2021-22 with the Cubs, where he hit .265/.344/.408 over 701 plate appearances.
The Mets lost outfielders Harrison Bader and Jesse Winker to free agency, and they recently outrighted outfielder DJ Stewart, who also elected free agency. Ortega helps restore outfield depth and provides insurance in center field, a role neither Winker nor Stewart could fill. For now, Brandon Nimmo, Tyrone Taylor, and Starling Marte lead the outfield depth chart, but the Mets are expected to make further moves, including their pursuit of free agents like Juan Soto.
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