The New York Mets just picked up a player who former Mets draft pick Billy Beane would love. Or, at least, Brad Pitt’s version of Billy Beane in the popular baseball film, “Moneyball.”
Pitt/Beane loved players who got on base, and that’s precisely what outfielder Mike Tauchman has demonstrated he can do in his early 30s, having found a career resurgence since returning to Major League Baseball in 2023 after a one-year stint in South Korea.
On Monday, seeking to add some insurance to their outfield depth chart at the start of spring training, the Mets agreed to a minor-league contract with Tauchman, per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic. The deal was pending a physical as of Monday evening.
In New York, Tauchman will compete for playing time in right field against players like Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor, MJ Melendez, and top prospect Carson Benge. Someone from that group will almost certainly be the fourth outfielder as well, as Juan Soto and Luis Robert Jr. are locks to start if healthy by opening day.
It’s not Tauchman’s first time in New York, as he played three years with the New York Yankees and had his best overall season as a member of the Bronx Bombers in 2019. He struggled for the next two years, found himself traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2021, and since his return to the majors, he’s only played in his hometown of Chicago — two years with the Chicago Cubs, and one with the Chicago White Sox.
Subjectively speaking, Tauchman seems like an ideal fit for the Mets. There’s a lot of uncertainty in right field for New York at the moment, and while Tauchman’s ceiling may not be all that high, his floor sure seems to be. His on-base percentage has sat between .356 and .363 in each of the last three seasons.
With spring training games starting this week and just over five weeks to go before opening day, the 35-year-old will need to hit the ground running if he wants to emerge from the crowded mix in Queens and win a roster spot.
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