Mets Roster Central 2026 at Grand Central

[Edgy MD]

An interesting thing about grabbing guys off the waiver wire, or signing them as freegies after they pass through waivers, is you often see your team grabbing guys out of the same organization, losing teams to the same organization.  Maybe there's a favorite scout that they trust who has just returned from a look at that team.

Transactions, 5/26/2026

GOING
Transferred from 10-Day to 60-Day Injured List with Lubar Spine Disc Herniation	Signed away by TBR to Minor-League Contract
Outfielders
Luis Robert, Jr.	Austin Slater
R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1992-12-13 High Level: MLB (2026)

Merely hours after signing a post-waivers Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league contract, the Rays extended the same courtesy to Austin Slater, who similarly exercised his veteran's right to refuse a minor-league assignment and shop himself around.

At 34-18 and in first place in the big-spending AL East, all the while playing in a park they had to fix up just to get the team to return in preparation for leaving again, the Rays may the best team in baseball at the same time as being the most irrelevant.  It's a strange world, and the Rays may be collecting players waived by a last-place team, but they are sure doing something right.

Luis Robert, Jr. got bumped to the 60-Man IL to make room for recent roster jugglage, so while the assignment may not represent a change in his health status, there isn't much of a peep of his improvement, leaving the Mets, among other things, a little short of righthanded hitters.

Transactions, 5/27/2026

COMING

Sent to Binghamton on Rehab Assignment

Infielders

Jorge Polanco

S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 High Level: MLB (2026)

While that righthanded hitter shortage has led the Mets to give a second look to corner infielder/corner outfielder Eric Wagaman, Jorge Polanco looms in the professional on-deck circle, suggesting Waggy's time could again be short.

Polanco has historically been better from the left side, so he wouldn't particularly solve that righty issue.  It is unclear how mobile he will be when he comes back, so he might well be seeing the bulk of his time at DH, leaving a deeply slumping (but still possibly the team's best righthanded hitter) Mark Vientos at first.

We mean, yeah, that's not the way it is supposed to be, but putting the Vientos season side by side with those of Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Luis Torrens, you kinda know what we mean, right?

[Edgy MD]

It speaks to how sickly the Mets — and baseball in general — understand their audience to be, that one of their primary sponsors is Thrive Well Infusion.  If you need plasma or medication delivered intravenously, you have our compassion, thought it feels unseemly that our wellbeing has not only become such a commercial enterprise, but has become the commercial enterprise, to judge from baseball advertisements.

Well, that and gambling.

But nobody understands more than the Mets, who are in a constant state of being re-infused. 

Transactions, 5/26/2026

COMING

Signed as International Amateur Free Agent out of The Dominican Republic, Not Yet Assigned

Relief Pitchers

Enmanuel Feliz

R/R DoB: 2007-04-25 High Level: Academy (2026)

There are several Enmanuel Felizes (the plural may possibly be Felices) who have passed through the affiliate minor-league universe in recent years.  This guy may possibly be one of them, but it appears that no, this is a new young fresh fellow.

We hope to soon find a face for this out-of-season Dominican signing, but please know that an infusion has occurred for the DSL Mets.

An infusion of Felicity.

Transactions, 5/28/2026

COMING
Transferred from St. Lucie to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment	Signed away from Schaumberg (Frontier League), Assigned to FCL Mets
Starting Pitchers	Infielders
Kodai Senga	Jackson Hauge
L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 2001-02-03 High Level: Frontier League (2025)

Kodai Senga's rehab starts have kind of gone like his recent MLB starts.  A little bit to impress at the outset, with a dancing ghost fork and more velocity than he's shown in previous seasons, but then he kind of falls over himself by his third inning — losing the plate and laying get-it-over hangers in there until he gets pulled mid-inning.

Whether it hints at an ongoing health matter or a future in the bullpen is an open question, but the Mets don't seem to be in a hurry to have him back, and will hope the ongoing Jonah Tong infusion can be potent enough in the mentime.

Infusing his way out of the Frontier League is Jackson Hauge.  Boss Hauge is coming off a rock solid career with Minnesota State and Kansas, where he mostly played outfield.  He's mostly seeing time at first base as a pro, which suggests that his speed is less than impressive.  The bat certainly plays (he put in four outstanding seasons in the wood-bat Northwoods League), but the MLB draft is down to 20 rounds, and righthanded firstbasemen often aren't a big get.

Here's hoping the bat proves them wrong.

Transactions, 5/30/2026

GOING		COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Designated for Assignment	Added to Roster and Promoted from Syracuse
Relief Pitchers	Relief Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Tobias Myers	Anderson Severino	Cionel Pérez
R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 High Level: MLB (2026)	L/L DoB: 34594 High Level: MLB (2022)	R/L DoB: 35176 High Level: MLB (2026)

Is Tobias Myers' exile to the minors just and excuse to get a fresh arm in the pen after an extra-inning win, or are the Mets trying to turn him into a starter?  The latter was suggested by Grand Central Mets forum poster Gwreck, when he excerpted this Carlos Mendoza quote from a team report:

“It’s just going to be more scripted,” Mendoza said. “Where if you’re going to go and throw 35-45 pitches, then he’s able to get the three or four days after that, something that at this level with the competition you aren’t able to do.

Intriguing, no?  We mean, it's not all together clear what the Mets manager is saying, but it's something intriguing.

Anyhow, as impressive the AAA ERA of veteran Cionel Perez' is (2.57 in seven innings), and as impressive his symmetrical beard is in his thumbnail, Anderson Severino (DFA'd to create roster room) is doing even better at Syracuse (1.31 in 20 2/3 innings), even if his beard is shrubbier.  We're guessing that Perez simply had the fresher arm, or perhaps that the Mets place a high premium on beard neatness ... when they are looking for an infusion.

[Cowtipper]

Mets also signed a young fellow named Randiel Vicente.

[seawolf17]

Feels weird to cut a lefty off the 40 so you can add another lefty to the 40 who you're just going to DFA in a few days anyway, no? I don't understand this team at all sometimes.

[Edgy MD]

It may be hard to distinguish Caribbean teenagers at signing.  One leads to another leads to another, and by the time they (maybe) get on the radar as prospects a few years later, much of what (if anything) might have distinguished them at signing has faded from memory, and you have to get a read on them all over again.

Transactions, 5/28/2026

COMING

Signed as International Amateur Free Agent out of The Dominican Republic, Not Yet Assigned

Starting Pitchers

Randiel Vicente

R/R DoB: 2009-03-27 High Level: MLB (2026)

Given half a chance, you might remember strapping young Randiel Vicente as the kid whose jacket lapels popped out of his uniform top in his signing photo.  Or you might remember his disturbingly recent (but not recent enough) birthdate of March 27, 2009 being the date that shocked you into realizing kids born in 2009 were eligible to be signed. 

Michael Jackson died before this kid was born. 

Bitcoin was in circulation before this kid was born.

The Miracle on the Hudson happened before this kid was born.

What really makes him interesting though is had already been reported last month to be committed to The Phillies, so any value gained by signing this young man is lost to the Phillies, and that's double-stuff good.

Hard to find confirmation but a Spanish-language report seemed to suggest he trained with old friend Hansel Robles, who is still bringing it this summer in The Mexican League.

[Cowtipper]

At some point in May, Daniel Juarez, who was granted free agency in November, signed with Saltillo in the Mexican League. He currently boasts a 1.69 ERA in 7 relief appearances so far. 

In early May, Colby Frieda, released in March, was signed by the Nats.

Luke Jackson, briefly in the Mets system, was signed by the Royals on May 22. 

Kevin Gowdy, released by the Mets in May, was signed by Mexico City in the Mexican League, also in May.

[Edgy MD]

In between a handful of stray Met minor-leaguers being lovingly rehomed and sad demotion for Jonah Tong, a strange series of transactions befell Christian Arroyo.

Transactions, 5/5/2026

GOING

Signed away to Minor-League Contract by WAS

Relief Pitchers

Colby Frieda

R/R DoB: 37462 High Level: Division I+ (2024)

Colby Freida, who does not have naturally curly hair, had an ignominious start to his pro career.  He was signed by the Mets out of college as an undrafted free agent, but released at the end of spring training, without playing any actual regular-season games for the organization.  This is why the only thumbnail pic at left depicts him as a Troy University Trojan.  He also played for Kentucky, and frankly, I would have stuck with that, as that Troy hat insignia looks like the Tesla logo, which itself looks like an intrauterine device.

Anyhow, his starting off with a 10.50 ERA through six innings, as a 23-year-old playing against teenagers in the Florida Complex League, suggests the Mets may not have been particularly rash in letting him go, but we're glad to see him playing for pay.

Transactions, 5/12/2026

GOING

Signed away by Saltillo (Mexican League)

Relief Pitchers

Daniel Juarez

L/L DoB: 36797 High Level: AAA (2025)

Venezuelan-born infielder Daniel Juarez certainly seems like a natural for La Liga Mexicana de Béisbol. Unfortunately, the circuit has no team situated in Ciudad Juárez, but Daniel has done the next-best thing, settling in with a 1.42 ERA through his first 6 1/3 innings with Los Saraperos de Saltillo (who have a much cooler hat insignia than Troy U!).  Having been in the Mets system since 2019, topping out at AAA in 2025, he will almost certainly get another chance in affiliated ball.

Transactions, 5/16/2026

GOING

Signed away by Ciudád de México (Mexican League)

Relief Pitchers

Kevin Gowdy

R/R DoB: 35750 High Level: AAA (2025)

Kevin Gowdy, with his very jocky name, is a minor-league vet still looking for his first taste of The Show at 28.  He was within sniffing distance for a few years there, but was deeply ineffective — lotta walks, lotta hits — at Bingo this year, and so it's off to the Mexican capital to find himself.

And there are worse ways to live.

Transactions, 5/22/2026

GOING

Signed away to Minor-League Contract by KCR

Relief Pitchers

Luke Jackson

R/R DoB: 1991-08-24 High Level: MLB (2026)

It's been five teams in 10 years for veteran reliever Luke Jackson, and a few more at the minor-league level.  After his brief-and-abortive tenure with the Syracuse Mets, we are happy to see him take his career to a new employer, but fans of the Omaha Royals may be less happy as his struggles to remain afloat have continued apace.

He's got an MLB championship ring, though, and you don't.

Transactions, 6/1/2026

GOING	COMING
Released	Sent to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment
Infielders	Catchers
Christian Arroyo	Francisco Alvarez
R/R DoB: 1995-05-30 High Level: MLB (2023)	R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 High Level: MLB (2026)

Francisco Alvarez' capacity for rapid healing and torrid rehab assignments has now reached near-legendary status.  He has already gone 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI in his first start in Syracuse, while catching six innings and throwing out the only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRider baserunner foolish enough to run on him.

If only he could turn that miracle-working ability toward keeping himself from over-swinging at the big-league level, he could grow into the MVP performer that Mets Roster Central knows he can be.

At any rate, don't grow too attached to Hayden Senger.

Christian Arroyo has been the most consistent hitter at Syracuse all season — hitting .300 with lots of MLB experience in a big market and all poised to be the guy that makes the Mets everybody's first call when they have an emergency at second base.  And that team may very well be the Mets themselves.

So why on earth would the Mets just up and release the guy?

Mets Roster Central notes that Arroyo got cut loose on the first of the month, which suggests that he had an upward-mobility clause in his contract, requiring the club to release him by a certain date (June 1 is a nice, round date) if he hasn't yet been promoted.  AAA guys with beaucoup big-league experience tend to get such clauses.

Transactions, 6/2/2026

COMING
Transferred from Binghamton to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment	Re-Signed and Assigned to Syracuse
Infielders
Jorge Polanco	Christian Arroyo
S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1995-05-30 High Level: MLB (2023)

And there you have it!  The cat came back the very next day!  After less than 24 hours of free agency, Arroyo is back with Syracuse, and we suspect he never left the club at all. 

Perhaps he is back with a modest salary bump, and perhaps he has a further promote-me-or-release-me clause set to trigger in another month, but back he is, hopefully continuing to hit .300 and not putting voodoo pins into a Marcus Semien doll.

Jorge Polanco has gone from Binghamton to Syracuse on his personal rehab journey, and along the way, has played all of three innings in the field, and number that is not expected to grow propitiously in the coming weeks (or even months) as his struggle with Achilles tendonitis continues.  Thanks to Commissioner Manfred, however, playing the field is not a requirement for being a New York Met, so he is expected to return in the near future.  But as the former middle infielder was always going to be hardpressed to provide enough offense to justify his deployment at first, whether a wounded-stem version of him can provide the stick to be the Mets DH is certainly an open question.

He won't likely take any particular job away, but as a switch-hitter, rather scrape appearances in different measures away from Jared Young, MJ Melendez, Eric Wagaman, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos, but unless another injury clears a path for his activation, we can expect Waggy to be the guy who loses his roster spot.

Transactions, 6/2/2026

GOING		NEUTRAL	COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Transferred from Bullpen	Promoted from Syracuse	Signed as International Amateur Free Agent out of Venezuela, Assigned to DSL Orange
Relief Pitcher	Starting Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Jonah Tong	Sean Manaea	Joey Gerber	Wraniger Navas
R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 2008-01-19 High Level: Academy (2026)

Mets Roster Central was actually impressed with Jonah Tong's recent outing against Seattle, and was disappointed to see him exiled back to Syracuse for further seasoning.  His stuff was certainly big league with several of his offerings qualifying as out pitches, but clearly his faith was not as strong in his stuff as ours is, as he spent much of the evening nibbling around the edges, and lost too many to walks.

We retain faith that he has a weaponized future.

Who gets his slot in the "rotation" (such as it is, with all the opening an piggy-backing going on) is not a matter that has yet been publicly decided, but Sean Manea has certainly moved himself to the front of the conversation with his long relief work in recent weeks, so we are going to plant him there for now until we hear more.

Please welcome back the cute-assed dimples of Joey Gerber.  Joey has been far more successful in the majors than in the minors this month, but if you're going to have a disparity, that's the way to have it.

And if Manea isn't the answer, we keep looking down that depth chart, and if we go 200 or so steps down, we meet a new Venezuelan teenager with the rocking name of Wranager Navas,  A novice he may be for now, but may the Metly circle of life ever continue.

See you in San Diego!

[Edgy MD]

A left coast trip and a long layover between series have given the Mets a few days without any dire needs for transaction, but in the meantime, the status of Anderson Severino remains a mystery, draft speculation heats up (the Mets' first pick is 27th overall), the Mets are still shopping for Latin American teenagers.

Transactions, 6/2/2026

COMING

Signed as International Amateur Free Agent out of The Dominican Republic, Not Yet Assigned

Relief Pitchers

Esteban Mejia

R/R DoB: 2009-05-20 High Level: Academy (2026)

There is little that has been revealed about Esteban Mejia.  Just know that there are already two active players bearing that name in the stateside minor leagues.  There is the infielder in the Texas system and the Baltimore starting pitcher prospect who has been cursed with a 1-11 record by the short workdays that young starters get these days.

When the Mets' Esteban was born the ill-advised Angels & Demons was the top US film, "Boom Boom Pow" was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and ...

... and we're gonna quit right there before we curse this young man any further.

[Cowtipper]

Anderson Severino has been released. 

[Edgy MD]

After splitting six games on what feels like their 75th West Coast swing of the season, the Mets come home to news of their hardy starting catcher being reactivated.  With rehabilitating players starting to filter back in, no further games to play out of the Eastern and Central Time Zones, and a bunch of games up ahead against teams they are chasing, things have to be looking up, right?

Right?

Transactions, 6/6/2026

GOING

Released

Relief Pitchers

Anderson Severino

L/L DoB: 1994-09-17 High Level: MLB (2022)

As Anderson Severino put up a 1.31 ERA in Syracuse, only to see the Mets, looking to add another lefty reliever to their staff, add Cionel Perez instead, and take away his 40-Player roster spot to do it (ouch!), he could clearly see the writing on the wall.  His release comes at his request as his agent has been fielding interest from NPB teams.

I don't know if I'd rather be an Orix Buffalo than a Syracuse Met, but the pay is surely better.  Should a Japanese contract be in the offing, it will be the sixth country in which a team has employed Anderson.

Transactions, 6/9/2026

GOING	COMING	COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Ended Rehab Assignment and Activated from Injured List	Signed away from New York (Frontier League) and Assigned to St. Lucie
Catchers
Hayden Senger	Francisco Alvarez	Jack Scanlon
R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 High Level: MLB (2026)	L/R DoB: 2001-05-17 High Level: Frontier League (2026)

A special congratulations to Hayden Senger who returns from his latest emergency stint at backup catcher with his first MLB homer under his belt.  As the big fly was one of only two hits for Hayden in 15 at-bats, he is still proving to be far from a serviceable bat at the top level.

But, hey!  He pulled off two sacrifice bunts.

The real news in the Catcher Carousel, of course, is the return of Francisco Alvarez, far ahead of schedule, as is his modus operandi.  More power to him, with the hope that he continues the other half of that MO, which is returning from absences with a hot bat and a head screwed on straight.  He's got MVP ability but as long as he swings from his heels every time, he's barely keeping his head above the liability level — and the Mets already have their share of those.

It's probably just a coincidence that the day the Mets swapped out one catcher for another, they additionally signed a backstop out of The Frontier League.  Jack Scanlon has been tearing it up (.333 / .423 / .656 // 1.079) for The New York Boulders this season, which says a lot about the benefits of home cooking, as the Boulderinos play in Pomona, NY, only 10 miles or so from Suffern, the Rockland County burg in which Jack went to high school.

Jack initially reports to St. Lucie, but after a five-year college career (in both The Pac 12 and The ACC), along with two partial seasons of Indy Ball, the Mets probably have him ticketed for a higher level.

[Edgy MD]

Another of the reliever swaps triggered by nothing in particular goes down, but it reopens a chapter that one unexpectedly closed.

Transactions, 6/10/2026

GOING	COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Promoted from Syracuse
Relief Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Joey Gerber	Jonathan Pintaro
R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 High Level: MLB (2026)

Yeah, the relievers getting swapped out at the back end of the bullpen seem indistinguishable, but if you pay attention, they're all telling their own story — albeit stories with long gaps in the middle.

Such is the case with Jonathan Pintaro.  You may think, "Ho-hum, another righthanded reliever," the there is a difference.  This is a righthanded reliever that has allowed no runs and no hits in 3 2/3 innings.

So when Jonathan gets announced into a game sometime this week, probably in a less-than-high-leverage situation, and you try to muster the interest to root for him, know that you are rooting for a guy working on a no-hitter.

For the season.

Go Jonathan Pintaro!!

[Edgy MD]

 

The complaint — a worthwhile one — with back-end bullpen roster churn is that these guys end up pitching for your team and sent away before you get to know them.

Well, damn it, make it your business to get to know them.

Transactions, 6/11/2026

GOING	COMING
Demoted to Syracuse	Promoted from Syracuse
Relief Pitchers
Jonathan Pintaro	Daniel Duarte
R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 1996-12-04 High Level: MLB (2026)

Jonathan Pintaro, for instance, returned to the Mets having previously given the 2026 version of the team 3 2/3 hitless innings.  As awesome as that was, he wasn't done, entering late into last night's game to throw two more hitless innings.

Impressive!  But when he was sent out to pitch a season-high third inning, it was clear the Mets had already had his ticket punched back to Syracuse.  You don't want to blame that reality check for the streak-ending homer he then gave up to Alec Burleson, but the temptation is there.

In the transaction, the Mets welcome back — and we will likely see today — Daniel Duarte.  Daniel himself has similarly had a strong start as one of the circle of cameo-ing Mets shuttle relievers, having yielded no runs on one hit and no walks in 2 1/3 innings.  The Mexican Daniel has lived up the name of his scriptural predecessor by making a living slinging, and by summarily dispatching Giants (with 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his career vs. San Francisco.

Let's hope he's equally slingy against the Cards or Phils or whoever.

[Edgy MD]

When a new teenager joins the Mets organization out The Dominican Republic — or Venezuela or Columbia, or The Bahamas or Panama or the like — we usually have very little offer.  It takes a lot to gather a birthdate and a blurry photo of him from a back field.  If we can find out which arm he throws with and which side of the plate he bats from, that's a bonus.  And if he has a common name like Jose Hernandez, well, it's going to take a lot of detective work to get his deets.

But sometimes, they come with a backstory.

Transactions, 6/10/2026

GOING

Signed as International Amateur Free Agent out of The Dominican Republic, Assigned to DSL Mets Blue

Infielders

Angel Osuna

S/R DoB: 2007-07-06 High Level: Academy (2026)

This brings us to Angel Osuna.  Shortstop Angel was one of the top prospects from the 2025 class of amateur foreign prospects.  The Yankees, as a matter of fact, thought he was the very top of the class, and that's why they signed him for the very highest bonus of $5 million.

That's some cheddar for a kid who hasn't grown into his body yet.  But — and you probably have some idea where this was going — Angel was more grown than his representatives were letting on.  He was, in fact, three years older than they were billing him as.

Nobody likes to be defrauded.  The ripoff is bad, the insult is bad, and feeling really stupid that you missed all the clues along the way must really be the worst.  The contract was voided, the bonus money returned, and the representatives were sanctioned and presumably will never get to represent a teenager again — and will presumably be treated as pariahs on the fields of Dominican baseball fields.

But what of young Mr. Osuna.  Presumably a pretty impressive player at some level at least.  He was young and presumably naive, but certainly not entirely innocent of the game being played, and he got sent back on the pile and banned from signing with any organization for a year — a year critical to his development.

And there he lay until two days ago, when he was inked by the Mets for $10 thousand dollars.  It's something, though probably less than the money his family got taken for by his unscrupulous agents, and far less than $5 million.  But it is a new start, and now his story starts again, and the Mets get to find out if he is a good player for what he is now, almost 19 years old, rather than the 18-year-old masquerading as a preternaturally gifted 15-year-old that almost took the Yankees for a ride.

Transactions, 6/11/2026

COMING

Sent to Binghamton on Rehab Assignment

Starting Pitchers

Kodai Senga

L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 High Level: MLB (2026)

The ongoing saga of Kodai Senga is relentless.  There's an irony in this, as in so many tales, as he came into the season throwing harder than ever — up to 97 and 98 in his first start or two — far higher than the 94-ish he previously used to set up his devastating ghost fork.  But seemingly, in pursuit of the higher velocity, he incurred enough impact on his body that he lost even the middling velocity that helped him be so damned effective.

The ghost fork works like a change, and so it needs a decent fastball that Senga can safely put over the plate once or twice in order to set it up.  In several rehab starts to date, that velocity and control hadn't been there, and he's been hit.

But his first start back in Bingo was what we are looking for — six innings, one earned run on one hit (a homer), one walk, and five strikeouts, so maybe another start at Syracuse along the line and maybe we might have some version of the guy we know he can be.

[Cowtipper]

Mets signed a youngster named Victor Gallegos.