The Mets announced that they have signed the right-hander Justin Hagenman to a major league contract. He had just opted into major league free agency earlier this month. The club’s player count of 40 players increases to 34.
Hagenman, 28, made his first league appearance. He was drafted by the Dodgers back in 2018 but when he went to the Red Sox as part of the 2023 deadline trade that sent him. Enrique Hernández to Los Angeles. The Sox never added Hagenman to their roster, so he was eligible for major league free agency after 2024 as a player with seven seasons of major league experience. However, the Mets apparently saw enough to give him a spot on the 40 man today.
Over the past four years, Hagenman has thrown 302 2/3 innings on the farm with a 4.19 earned run average, a 25.7% strikeout rate and a 7.5% walk rate. He’s been a great reliever in his career but has worked mostly as a swingman in 2024 without his average stats changing much. He threw 91 2/3 Triple-A innings this past year with a 4.91 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate and a 7.8% walk rate. The home run ball has proven to be a problem, as he has allowed 21 this year, a rate of 21.4% per flyball.
The Mets need a lot of help from the pitching staff. Each of the Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino, Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton, Joey Lucchesi again Drew Smith they became free agents at the end of 2024, opening a few holes in both the rotation and the bullpen. Hagenman gives the club some depth at both and could theoretically do so for a long time. Since this is his first time on the big league roster, he has full options and no major league service time.
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