Far from Home

[Edgy MD]

Meet the Mets and near-Mets under contract to pound it out with unaffiliated leagues this summer.

[th]Player [/th]	[th]Position[/th]	[th]Years in Org.[/th]	[th]High level[/th]	[th]Team[/th]	[th]League[/th]
	Aaron Altherr		OF		1		MLB		NC Dinos		KBO
	Norichika Aoki		OF		1		MLB		Tokyo Yakult Swallows		NPB
	Xorge Carillo		C		7		AAA		Toros de Tijuana		MEX
	Rob Carson		RP		6		MLB		Lexington Legends		ATL
	Casey Coleman		RP		1		AAA		Toros de Tijuana		MEX
	Danny Espinosa		2b		1		AAA		Acereros del Norte de Monclova		MEX
	Wilmer Font		RP		1		MLB		SSG Landers		KBO
	Drew Gagnon		SP		2		MLB		Wei Chuan Dragons		CPBL
	Walker Lockett		SP		1		MLB		Doosan Bears		KBO
	Daisuke Matsuzaka		SP		2		MLB		Saitama Seibu Lions		NPB
	Kevin McGowan		RP		6		MLB		Lexington Legends		ATL
	Fernando Salas		RP		2		MLB		Acereros del Norte de Monclova		MEX
	Josh Smoker		RP		6		MLB		York Revolution		ATL
	Carlos Torres		RP		3		MLB		Toros de Tijuana		MEX
	Jordany Valdespin		IF		7		MLB		Toros de Tijuana		MEX
	Gabriel Ynoa		SP		7		MLB		CTBC Brothers		CPBL
	Rob Whalen		SP		6		MLB		West Virgina Power		ATL
	Mel Rojas, Jr.		OF		0		AAA		Hanshin Tigers		NPB

Yeah, Mel Rojas, Jr. is no Met, but he's the son of a Met and the second cousin or something of their manager, so he was fun to stumble upon.

[MFS62]

Where/ what ever that ATL is, I like their team nicknames.

Later

[seawolf17]

That's the Atlantic League, the stomping grounds of perennial powerhouse Long Island Ducks, who will be helmed once again by Wally Backman in 2021.

[Fman99]

Surprised that Dice-K is still pitching at any level.

[Edgy MD]

Jefry Marte, who the Mets dealt for Opening Day hero Colin Cowgill back in 2013, is still at it with the Hanshin Tigers.

[G-Fafif]

Adrian Gonzalez is in a sense close to home, playing ball anew in his native Mexico.

Five-time All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hasn't played in the majors since 2018, but his professional career isn't over yet. Gonzalez has signed with the expansion Guadalajara Mariachis of the Mexican League, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times relays. The soon-to-be 39-year-old did so in order to tune up for this summer's Tokyo Olympic Games, in which he's hoping to play for Mexico. The team has already qualified for the tournament. As Shaikin notes, Gonzalez previously represented Mexico in youth ball, the Caribbean World Series and the World Baseball Classic. Gonzalez said adding the Olympics to that trio would be “like the grand slam of representing Mexico. That is the only reason I have not retired yet.”

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/03/adrian-gonzalez-signs-in-mexican-league.htmlhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/03/adrian-gonzalez-signs-in-mexican-league.html

[Edgy MD]

Anybody planning on taking in some Algodoneros de Unión Laguna action, Jenrry Mejia just popped up on their roster.

[Edgy MD]

Spotted playing for Collechio in Serie A of the Federazioni Italiiana Serie E is is 2016–2017 Met, and 2012 top draft choice, Gavin Cecchini.



[fimg=300]https://www.fibs.it/images/atleti/Gavin_Cecchini_big.jpg[/fimg]



Joining him with Collechio is switch-pitching relief specialist Pat Venditte.

[bmfc1]

I got my vaccinations at the home of an "ATL" team, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

Thank you for putting together this list.

[MFS62]

Eduardo Nunez is off to China:

https://www.nj.com/yankees/2021/04/mlb-rumors-ex-yankees-mets-infielder-eduardo-nunez-lands-with-new-team.htmlhttps://www.nj.com/yankees/2021/04/mlb-rumors-ex-yankees-mets-infielder-eduardo-nunez-lands-with-new-team.html

The former New York Yankees and New York Mets infielder signed with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League, according to MLB Trade Rumors (via CPBL Stats).

Later

[Edgy MD]

Good catch. Nuñez allows MRC to cross one more 2020 free agent off their list. Only five left.



Next up: Somebody needs to find a home for Rick Porcello.

[Edgy MD]

Logan Verrett, a briefly impressive performer with the 2015 pennant winning Mets, finds himself currently bringing it for the 'Merican Association's Cleburne Railroaders.

[Edgy MD]

Spotted managing the Sussex County Miners in the Frontier League ... Bobby "Jersey" Jones.

[nymr83]

Edgy MD wrote: Spotted managing the Sussex County Miners in the Frontier League ... Bobby "Jersey" Jones.

Is that the righty or the lefty?

[duan]

that's the lefty!

[Frayed Knot]

Yes, there was Bobby Righty / Whitey / Fresno Jones

and

Bobby Lefty / Afro / Jersey Jones