Mets Roster Central 2026 at Grand Central

[Edgy MD]

When the dust settled on the Mets doubleheader sweep at the hands of The Colorado Rockies, the heightened emotion of fan frustration and anger was cut by the tension of a morbid watch.  Few expected that all the players and coaches that filed into the clubhouse after the debacle would be coming out still employed by the Mets.  With a 48-hour turnaround to the next game and the barely warm body of an unsuccessful and unrelateable Mets team laying on something like rock bottom with arms askew, seasoned team-watchers new that this was the sort of environment that changes take place in.

Few of those watchers were predicting a Tommy Pham-for-Austin Salter exchange, but baseball is full of surprises.

But first, a look back.

Transactions, 3/17/2026

COMING

Resigned to Minor-League Contract, Assigned to St. Lucie

Outfielder

Sam Billler

L/L DoB: 2002-07-07 High Level: A (2025)

UCONN outfielder Sam Biller appeared in only six minor-league games after joining the Mets as an undrafted free agent, so one imagines he was more than a little bitter after getting cashiered last November.  So imagine his surprise to wake up on St. Patrick's Day with news from his agent that the Mets wanted him back!

No doubt the Mets were moved by Sam's really impressive facial hair density and the testosterone production that implied, but Sam has made the most of his second chance with St. Lucie, putting up a .359 / .457 / .436 // .892 line in his first 46 appearances back with St. Loo.  Look for his rich and rough whiskers to be making an appearance with Brooklyn sometime soon

Transactions, 3/27/2026

GOING

Signed away by WAS to Minor-League Contract

Relief Pitcher

Jonah Conradt

R/R DoB: 2004-11-02 High Level: NECL (2024)

Sam Biller was positively overindulged compared to fellow undrafted 2025 signee Jonah Conradt.  Jonah, despite his name anagramming to Johan, was signed on August 4, released on November 13, and did not take the mound for the Mets a single time.

His results so far for the Nats' system gives a hint perhaps as to why, but still, we wish him the best.  Say hi to our old friend Dicky Lovelady while you're bringing it for the Nats, Jonah.

Transactions, 4/11/2026

GOING

Signed away by MIN to Minor-League Contract

Starting Pitchers

Aaron Rozek

L/L DoB: 1995-08-20 High Level: AAA (2025)

Aaron Rozek didn't join affiliated baseball with the Twins until he was 25.  He put together a decent enough career for five years there, but didn't get a sniff of an MLB callup before the Mets took him in the minor-league phase of the 2025 Rule V draft.

This will hardly surprise you, because it is getting to be a theme, but Adam was released without appearing in a single game, and is now back in the Twins system, of all places.

So, we're starting to get the idea that the Mets scouting department and development department aren't always on the same page.

Which brings us up to today. 

Transactions, 4/27/2026

GOING	GOING	COMING	COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Designated for Assignment	Claimed off Waivers from MIN, Demoted to Syracuse	Signed away from MIA
Relief Pitchers	Outfielders	Infielders	Outfielders
Austin Warren	Tommy Pham	Eric Wagaman	Austin Slater
R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1988-03-08 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1997-08-14 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1992-12-13 High Level: MLB (2026)

As first reported yesterday, but made official, today, the Mets have given Tommy Pham something of a heave-ho following  yesterday's double-header.  While the theme if not the exact numbers of Pham's 0-for-13 showing in his second go-around with the Mets was predictable for many, one would be advised against placing too much of the blame squarely on Pham.  Tommy wasn't signed until March 26 (aka Opening Day) and with no training camp to speak of, got only five games in A-ball to prepare for his season.

Thus, it is perhaps a good time to return to Gary Cohen's declaration that Tommy could fall out of bed on January 1 and hit.  That proposition has been tested and failed.

Mets Roster Central does not see that as a recipe for success, no matter what profile or pedigree a guy brings with him.  Maybe Pham smooths out some of his edges in AAA, and gets the spring training he never got back in Florida, or maybe the end of the line has come.

The profile of the two new guys joining the organization — one at the big-league level and one in Syracuse — is more J.D. Davis than Tommy Pham.  Each are strong righthanded guys who back up at all the corner positions, and in a pinch, can fake it in the middle of the diamond too.

Austin (who, yes, rocks the evergreen nickname of AC) has more of J.D.'s punch, and so joins the MLB roster.  He had some strong seasons in mixed roles for Giants from 2020-2023, but has been floating from team to team on the DFA train the last two years.  Wagaman, well, is probably a great teammate, because while his long minor-league career is marked by consistency, he has yet to reveal a standout skill.

He arrives just as fellow six-million-dollar man Austin Warren predictably gets the back of the Mets' hand.

While neither Slater nor Wagaman promise to be the answer, MJ Martinez continues to be perhaps the Mets' second-best hitter, so maybe one of these guys falls of on the right side of the turnip truck and — for whatever time we and they are meant to be together — become part of the solution.

[Edgy MD]

While we just saw Christian Scott last week, an unfortunate Injured List assignment should provide a little bit more of an open-ended opportunity for him to show his mettle and quality.  If nothing else happens this season, establishing Scott and Jonah Tong alongside Nolan McLean in the Mets rotation would have to be counted as a win, potentially establishing a foundational stone to build on.

They could, indeed, be MST3K — a term originated by our friend Greg Prince at the always-engaging Faith and Fear in Flushing to describe a future built on McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Tong.  Brandon Sproat has been dealt to Milwaukee, but hope — along with promising pitchers whose name starts with S — has not

Transactions, 4/28/2026

GOING	COMING	COMING
Placed on 15-Day Injured List with Lumbar Spine Inflammation	Promoted from Syracuse	Transferred from St. Lucie to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment
Starting Pitchers	Starting Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Kodai Senga	Christian Scott	Joey Gerber
L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 High Level: MLB (2026)

As noted above, two or three turns by Christian Scott gives him more of an open door than his previous appearance.  Any anticipation, of course, is tempered by the reality that he missed all of 2025, and establishing himself as a big leaguer after a year in the ether at the top of the development chain is a tough ask.

But hey, Roger McDowell pulled it off!  Maybe he can pull a McDowell!

Seeing as Senga's turn won't be coming around for a few days, one might have expected the Mets to add another reliever for a couple of games, being something close to a rule that if a big league team can add a reliever, they will, but a few days for Scott to get acclimated, —instead of having him step off a plane and onto a mound again — is something.

Joey Gerber, whose head does not sit centered upon his neck in his thumbnail photo, is close to being ready.

[Cowtipper]

Mets sign minor leaguers Jamari Baylor and TT Bowens. 

[seawolf17]

What, and I say this with no due respect, the fuck.

[The Hot Corner]

I guess Carl Edwards, Jr. was too effective in his brief time with the Mets, so of course, they have to ship him out.

[Edgy MD]

The Mets' odorous play of late (and beyond late, at this point) hasn't really been the result of health mishaps, but injuries are starting to mount.  Interestingly, they have been bringing in a series of veteran reinforcements in the infield department, both at the MLB and minor-league levels.

The redundancy has led to speculation in the Mets Roster Central Ranks.  Is this all simply to fill in gaps for injured players or is some dealing in the works?

Transactions, 4/27/2026

COMING

Signed away from Veracruz (Mexican League) to Minor-League Contract, Assigned to Binghamton

Infielders

TT Bowens

R/R DoB: 1998-05-27 High Level: AAA (2026)

Joining Binghamton will be new shortstop TT Bowens.  While his name speaks of some legendary Nashville picker of the Ryman Auditorium stage, TT (Terry) hails from Connecticut by way of an extended tenure with the Orioles organization.  His Baby Bird career was marked by alternating seasons of excellence and disaster.  Really — he'd have seasons of OPSes in the .800s followed by campaigns in the .300s.

Let's hope his glove was enough to keep his career going in those lean times — although he mostly plays corner spots.

Scouts agree that he's big and strong (6'4", 240) and has excellent teeth.

Transactions, 4/29/2026

COMING	COMING
Signed away from Southern Maryland (Atlantic League) to Minor-League Contract, Assigned to St. Lucie	Cleared Waivers, Assigned to Syracuse
Infielders	Outfielders
Jamari Baylor	Tommy Pham
R/R DoB: 2000-08-25 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 32210 High Level: MLB (2026)

Oft-observed here is that Tommy Pham never really got a pre-season, and while his failures as 2026 Met are certainly noted, he kind of was set up to fail.  So it's good to see him clear waivers and get a chance to get some work in.  If he joins the big-league club again, hopefully it is with his game honed.

MLB injuries creating a sucking effect throughout the minors.  When a guy is promoted from AAA to fill in for Flushing, somebody has to be promoted from every level to fill in at the level above, often pushing someone beyond their depth.

But never fear, St. Lucie has added 25-year-old shortstop Jamari Baylor, exile from three MLB organizations and two Atlantic League clubs.  Jamari hadn't had an employer yet this season, so his stay at St. Lucie is probably a temporary assignment to get in shape for a stint in the upper minors that may or may not come.

Jamari profiled through most of his career as a plus runner who worked counts well and avoided strikeouts, but last year in The Atlantic League, he started aiming for the fences, and while his strikeouts ballooned to 100 in 98 games, he became one of the league's top hitters with an eye-opening .303 / .421 / .552 // .973 line, slugging 21 homers and driving in 77.

Fun Fact: One of Jamari's teammates with The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs was 2016 Met Alejandro De Aza, still grinding it out at 41 years old!

Transactions, 4/30/2026

GOING	GOING	NEUTRAL	COMING	COMING
Designated for Assignment	Added to 10-Day Injured List Retroactive to April 26 with Lumbar Spine Disc Herniation	Transferred from Infield	Promoted from Syracuse	Claimed off Waivers from SAC, Not Yet Activated
Relief Pitchers	Outfielders	Outfielders	Relief Pitchers	Infielders
Carl Edwards, Jr.	Luis Robert, Jr.	Brett Baty	Austin Warren	Andy Ibáñez
R/R DoB: 33484 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 High Level: MLB (2026)	L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1993-04-03 High Level: MLB (2026)
COMING
Promoted from Syracuse
Infielders
Eric Wagaman
R/R DoB: 35656 High Level: MLB (2026)

As the Mets closed out a disastrous (disastrous!) April, the organization made a pile changes to the player roster as all eyes looked to manager's office.  Luis Robert, for whom an extended outage is expected, has been replaced by backup corner infielder Eric Wagaman, who tends to hit like a backup shortstop, and we had falsely expected was to reside in Syracuse until a BREAK GLASS alarm went off, but these times are perhaps more alarming than expected.

This seemingly pushes underperforming (as if that is a distinguishing characteristic) infielder Brett Baty back to the outfield.

Robert, it must be noted hits the Injured list having done and impressive job of finding his level in a small sample size:

• 2024: .657 OPS and 86 OPS+ in 425 PA
• 2025: .661 OPS and 85 OPS+ in 431 PA
• 2026: .655 OPS and 87 OPS+ in 98 PA

One is tempted to make a cheap crack about water finding its level.  But cheap is cheap and Luis ain't water.  Please heal up and come back and stick it to the haters, Lu.

Astounding no one, Carl Edwards, Jr. surrendering one paltry run in six innings while striking out 11 (!!) has ironically but predictably earned him a ticket on DFA train.  Odds are high that he will have a new employer this time next week.  We are happy to see the equally impressive Austin Warren back in uniform but will always deplore this depraved game of Reliever Roulette.

After yesterday's debackle deboccle debacle, the Mets made a waiver claim on yet another infielder — Andy Ibáñez, who had struggled in sporadic use with the Athletics this year, but had a serviceable career going with the Tigers before that.  A corresponding move is on the horizon, as Andy is out of options, so expect the Mets to (a) throw him right back on the waiver wire, (b) demote Ronny Maurcio, or perhaps (c) announce a deal (with Mauricio's contract being one of their more tradeable commodities).

The remains of the day will tell us much, but it is clear that Ibáñez brings a strong diacritical markings game — with an accent acute followed by a tilde recalling fond memories of the back of Rey Ordóñez' jersey. 

But here at Mets Roster Central, we are seeing a strategy even more subtle than the Mets nakedly ambitious attempt to put lovers of punctuation in the seats.  We are seeing a throwback to 2024 when the team added a late-career Cuban reserve secondbaseman at a similar point in the schedule and turned their season around.  

You heard it here first.  Start saving for playoff tickets NOW!!!!

[Edgy MD]

How embarrassing is it when the commentary about a transactions runs longer than the tenure that the transaction effected?  Because that is the awkward situation that Mets Roster Central is in right now.

Transactions, 5/1/2026

GOING	COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Activated
Infielders	Infielders
Eric Wagaman	Andy Ibáñez
R/R DoB: 35656 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1993-04-03 High Level: MLB (2026)

Eric Wagaman was grab bed off waivers and Mets Roster Central assured you he would just be a minor-league placeholder unless a cascading emergency took place.

Wagaman was then called up without getting a single appearance in AAA.

Mets Roster Central then speculated about what role he could hold.

Wagaman was then sent down without getting a single appearance as a Met.

And we say, hey! — if you don't get into a game, you can't fail.  And that's perhaps not much of a calling card, but it's more than a lot of Mets can claim.  Hey, don't blame me!  I was in the air at the time!

Waggy's demotion is all to make room for Andy Ibáñez — Cuban backup infielder and the new José Iglesias to anybody who cares to pay attention to these things.

Godspeed to both.

[whippoorwill]

Mets should buy their own chopper

[Cowtipper]

We'll get to see what Vidal Brujan can do, as he's been selected to replace Mauricio. Wagaman was DFA'd, so the Eric Wagaman era might be over. 

[seawolf17]

"Paging Eric Wagaman to the Ghost Mets... Eric Wagaman to the Ghost Mets."

[Edgy MD]

Misfortunes are the results of injury often enough.  But even the most generous analysis of the 2026 Mets season would be unlikely to attribute their play to the lack of healthy players.

But now they have reached a point where the bad play precipitates the injuries.  More than a few errors, mistakes in judgment, and now injuries have resulted from players pushing themselves too hard to get through the horrors they find themselves in.

In a key part of the game yesterday, when a base hit batting righthanded (a very rare occurrence) was within reach, Ronny Mauricio dove for first, and, well, now we're firing up the transaction machine.

Transactions, 5/2/2026

GOING	COMING
Placed on 10-Day Injured List with Left Thumb Fracture	Designated for Assignment	Added to Roster, Promoted from Syracuse
Infielders
Ronny Mauricio	Eric Wagaman	Vidal Bruján
S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 35656 High Level: MLB (2026)	S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 High Level: MLB (2026)

No, you don't want to blame the Mets' play on injuries, but they've reached #3 on the shortstop depth chart.  With Francisco Lindor and now Ronny Mauricio both bit by the Dark Fairy of Trying-Too-Hard, the Mets turn to Option #3. 

And while two-time All-Star Bo Bichette makes for an attractive enough third option, it forces the Mets to rob Peter (Schourek?) to pay Paul (Sewald?) Presumably, they return to the classic Brett Baty/Mark Vientos platoon at third, and catch-as-catch-can at first.

Jorge Polanco is suddenly hearing his name spoken of with need, but until he comes back, please get to know Vidal Bruján, switch-hitting veteran of five MLB seasons.

Vidal also sports a 27.00 ERA in four MLB appearances pitching mopup in blowout games, and that data is far less irrelevant than Mets Roster Central would like it to be.