Press Release: Mets announce 10 Spring Training Invitees

 

Christian Scott 2023 Binghamton Rumble Ponies Baseball Card Set

FLUSHING, N.Y., February 1, 2024 — The New York Mets today announced that they have invited the following players to Major League Spring Training: OF Drew Gilbert, RHP Dominic Hamel, LHP Nate Lavender, catcher Tomás Nido, RHP Eric Orze, C Kevin Parada, RHP Christian Scott, C Hayden Senger, RHP Mike Vasil and INF Jett Williams.

The following players were previously announced as signing minor league contracts and have been invited to Major League Spring Training: C Austin Allen, INF Rylan Bannon, RHP Kyle Crick, INF José Iglesias, OF Taylor Kohlwey, RHP Yacksel Ríos, RHP Cam Robinson, INF Yolmer Sánchez, RHP Chad Smith, RHP Cole Sulser, OF Trayce Thompson and LHP Danny Young.

OF Drew Gilbert batted .325/.423/.561 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 35 games with Double-A Binghamton last season after he was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline. From August 4, his Rumble Ponies debut, through the end of the season, Gilbert sported the fourth-highest OPS in the Eastern League with a .984 clip and was tied for seventh in the league with 15 extra-base hits. Prior to joining the Mets organization, Gilbert batted .274 (85–310) with 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 19 doubles and 57 runs in 81 games between High-A Asheville and Double-A Corpus Christi of the Astros organization. The St. Paul, MN native was selected to play in the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Gilbert enters the season as the 53rd-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the 91st-best prospect according to Baseball America.

RHP Dominic Hamel went 8–6 with a 3.85 ERA (53 ER/124.0 IP) over 26 appearances (25 starts) with Double-A Binghamton in 2023. His 160 strikeouts were the most by a Mets minor leaguer since 2018 and were the second-most in the Eastern League. In 2022, Hamel was named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 10–3 with a 3.25 ERA (43 ER/119.0 IP), 145 strikeouts and a .196 opponent’s batting average. The Chandler, AZ native was selected by the Mets in the third round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of Dallas Baptist University.

LHP Nate Lavender was one of the top relief pitchers in the Mets farm system during the 2023 season. The southpaw pitched to a 2.98 ERA (18 ER/54.1 IP) over 42 games (one start) between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. His 2.57 ERA (12 ER/42.0 IP) as a reliever in Triple-A was the fourth-best mark among bullpen arms in the International League (min. 40.0 IP). In three professional seasons, Lavender owns a 2.32 ERA (28 ER/108.2 IP) and a .191 opponent’s batting average over 72 career games. The 6–2, 210-pounder was selected by the Mets in the 14th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Illinois.

C Tomás Nido has appeared in 274 career major league games across seven seasons with the Mets. In 2023, Nido appeared in 22 games at the major league level and 39 games with Triple-A Syracuse. Nido established career-highs in many offensive categories during the 2022 season including games (98), at-bats (284), hits (68), runs (31), doubles (15) and RBI (28). The Guaynabo, Puerto Rico native was selected by the Mets in the eighth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out Orangewood Christian School in Florida.

RHP Eric Orze appeared in 39 games (one start) last season with Triple-A Syracuse. Among International League relievers, ranked 10th last year with 78 of his 81 strikeouts coming out of the bullpen. The 26-year-old had a strong end to his 2023 campaign as he struck out 22 batters in 11.0 scoreless innings over his final eight games of the season. Orze has pitched to a 4.47 ERA (80 ER/161.0 IP) in 107 career games over three professional seasons. The Elk Grove, IL native was selected by the Mets in the fifth round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of New Orleans.

C Kevin Parada batted .248 (101–407) with 14 home runs, 54 RBI and 23 doubles over 105 games across three minor league levels last season, 87 of which came with High-A Brooklyn. The 22-year-old finished tied for the Cyclones team lead in doubles (21), ranked second on the team in total bases (152) and third in hits (90). The 10th-best prospect in the Mets organization according to Baseball America, Parada was selected by the Mets in the first round (11th overall) in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.

RHP Christian Scott was named the organization’s 2023 Minor League Pitcher of the Year after pitching to a 2.57 ERA (25 ER/87.2 IP) over 19 starts combined with Single-A St. Lucie, High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. The 6–4, 215-pounder led all Mets farmhands in WHIP (0.86) and opponent batting average (.199), while his ERA was the second-lowest mark (Min. 75.0 IP). He posted 10.98 strikeouts per nine innings. Ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the Mets farm system according to Baseball America, Scott was named a 2023 Eastern League Post-Season All-Star. The Coconut Creek, FL native was selected by the Mets in the fifth-round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida.

C Hayden Senger was awarded the organization’s Platinum Glove Award in 2023. The 26-year-old backstop led Double-A Binghamton in games caught, was behind the plate for seven of the Rumble Ponies’ franchise-record 14 shutouts and led Mets minor league catchers in caught stealing rate (31%). In five professional seasons, Senger has thrown out 30.3% of would-be base-stealers. A native of Hamilton, OH, Senger was selected by the Mets in the 24th-round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the Miami University (OH).

RHP Mike Vasil went 5–6 with a 4.65 ERA (64 ER/124.0 IP) and 138 strikeouts in 26 starts combined with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Month for May after posting a 2.52 ERA (7 ER/25.0 IP), a 0.72 WHIP and a .159 opponent’s batting average over four starts in the month. Vasil, 23, was selected to play in the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The ninth-best prospect in the Mets farm system according to Baseball America, Vasil was selected in the eighth round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Virginia. Over three professional seasons, Vasil pitched to a 1.14 WHIP, owns a 10.36 SO/9 rate and held opposing hitters to a .211 batting average.

INF Jett Williams was named the organization’s 2023 Minor League Player of the Year Award after posting a .263/.425/.451 slashline in 121 games across three levels. Williams, 20, led all Mets minor leaguers in OBP, OPS (.876), triples (eight), walks (104), stolen bases (45) and runs (81). Williams was the first Mets minor leaguer with 100 or more walks since 2013 and was the first teenager to lead the organization in walks since David Wright in 2002. Williams was one of two players in all major league and minor league baseball to walk over 100 times and swipe over 40 bases. He was originally drafted as the 14th overall selection in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Rockwall-Heath High School in Texas. An All-MiLB Prospect Second Team selection, Williams became the first Mets position player drafted out of high school to reach Double-A in the following calendar year since Gregg Jefferies in 1986. The Dallas, Texas native enters the season as the 30th-best prospect according to Baseball America and the 45th-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline.