(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Since last August, I’ve been using the hashtag ‘#FormerMetWatch’ on Twitter, whenever someone who either played in the major leagues or minors with the Mets does something notable. Since then, others have joined in, and now I’m bringing it to the web.

Every week, I’ll bring the latest news regarding the former Mets you remember, and some you may have forgotten. Let’s begin.

Matt Bowman (Chris Trotman/Getty Images North America)

With a lingering injury to veteran reliever Jordan Walden, it has been reported that RHP Matt Bowman will fill the final spot in the bullpen on Friday. Walden was originally scratched from a game last week with a lat issue, at which point it seemed likely that Bowman was certain to be squeezed off the roster. The 24-year-old Bowman was selected by the Cardinals from the Mets in last winter’s Rule 5 draft, meaning he must be returned to New York should he be demoted off the active roster at any point in the season. Bowman, a Princeton alumni, went 7-16 with a 5.53 earned run average in 26 starts with Triple-A Las Vegas in 2015.

Former Met Watch News and Notes:

• Removed from the 40-man roster when Yoenis Cespedes was re-signed, and promptly traded to the Blue Jays four days later, Darrell Ceciliani has now been eliminated from the competition for Toronto’s fourth outfielder job. The 25-year-old was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, where he will begin the season. Ceciliani made his major league debut with the Mets on May 19 last year, and hit .206 with three runs batted in over 68 at-bats. Although he struggled in the regular season, Ceciliani enjoyed a strong spring, which made his demotion more surprising. He led the Blue Jays with a .417 batting average with ten runs batted in and four home runs in 19 games.
• In a perfect twist, the Blue Jays’ fourth outfielder job was won by Ezequiel Carrera. The 28-year-old veteran was likely aided by his lack of minor league options, and not by his .154 Spring Training average. Carrera was originally signed by the Mets as an international free agent in 2005, but was traded to the Seattle Mariners in the 12-player deal centered around J.J. Putz in the offseason following the 2008 season.
• Other former Mets slated to make their team’s Opening Day rosters include OF Chris Young of the Red Sox, RHP Luis Cessa of the Yankees, OF Collin Cowgill and Marlon Byrd of the Indians, RHPs Mike Pelfrey and Francisco Rodriguez of the Tigers, RHPs Chris Young and Dillon Gee of the Royals, LHP Eric O’Flaherty of the Braves, LHP Oliver Perez of the Nationals, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, LHP Chris Capuano, and RHP Blaine Boyer of the Brewers, among others.

(Norm Hall/Getty Images North America)

• Nieuwenhuis finished second among all players during Spring Training with 22 strikeouts, including three in as many at-bats on March 10th against the Giants. Only San Francisco’s Jarrett Parker finished with more, tallying 23. Over four seasons with the Mets, Nieuwenhuis struck out 218 times in 617 at-bats (35%).
• John Gant was sent to the Braves along with fellow right hander Robert Whalen in July for Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson. A strong finish to the 2015 season and a good spring has put the right hander in competition for the Braves final rotation spot or as a reliever.
• RHP Pedro Beato of the Baltimore Orioles finished with two saves this spring, tied for the second most in the league. He blew the only save opportunity of his career on September 21, 2011 with the Mets.
• Cesar Puello, former Mets top outfield prospect, had a strong spring (.303/.378/.515) for the Yankees but was reassigned to minor league camp yesterday.
• Pelfrey limited opposing batters to a stellar .203 average in March. In seven seasons with the Mets, Pelfrey’s BAA was .284.
• Kelsie Heneghan at MiLB.com highlights RHP Michael Fulmer as he begins the 2016 season as the number one prospect in the Detroit Tigers’ farm system. After being acquired in exchange for Yoenis Cespedes on July 31, Fulmer went 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in six starts. Steve Buffery of the National Post profiles Ceciliani, and his path from the countryside of Oregon to the major leagues. Gaslamp Ball examined the Braves’ decision to release LHP Alex Torres. He allowed 12 earned runs in 39 appearances with the Mets last season.

(Curtis Compton/@ajc.com)

• Carlos Torres failed to make the Braves roster as well and asked for his release which was granted by Atlanta.
• Former Mets minor leaguer pitcher Gaither Bumgardner was released by the Angels, he was traded to Los Angeles in July for an international bonus slot worth S239,400.
• Former Mets that have signed contracts to play in the Independent Leagues in 2016 include 1B Mike Jacobs with the Lancaster Barnstormers, C Gustavo Molina with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, 3B Brooks Conrad with the Sugar Land Skeeters, OF Endy Chavez and LHPs Mike Antonini and Eric Niesen with the Bridgeport Bluefish, 1B Richard Lucas with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, OF Alonzo Harris with the St. Paul Saints, RHP Richard Ruff of the Wichita Wingnuts, OF Cory Vaughn with the New Jersey Jackals, C Jean Luc Blaquiere and 3B Jonathan Malo with the Quebec Capitales, and OF Charley Thurber with the Sussex County Miners.

If you see something worthy of inclusion in next week’s column, tweet it to @Jacob_Resnick or @Mets_Minors with the hashtag #FormerMetWatch