Scott Reese Willey/Fort Bend Herald
The New York Mets have signed OF Barrett Barnes has signed a minor league deal. The 27 year old was the Pirates 2012 first round draft pick, and he played last season with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League.
Barnes’ tenure with the Pirates organization had been marked by a series of leg injuries. With the leg injuries, the Pirates never saw him be able to translate his promising power and speed into production. This led to his being released by the Pirates after the 2017 season.
Barnes landed with the Skeeters where he hit .246/.393/.393 with 18 doubles, one triple, 12 homers and 51 RBI with 24 stolen bases over 112 games. Barnes would lead the league with 80 walks en route to helping the Skeeters win the second championship in their history.
Fun Fact: Barrett Barnes is one of two players in Skeeters history with a multi-homer game in the playoffs. Here's homer No. 2 in Game 2 of the Championship Series last season against the Ducks.
Can you name the other player?? pic.twitter.com/NMhm8q8R0J
— Sugar Land Skeeters (@SL_Skeeters) January 29, 2019
Barnes is not the first Mets minor league player with Skeeter ties. Mets 2002 first round pick Scott Kazmir would play for the Skeeters in 2012 as he tried to make his way back to the Major Leagues.
With respect to Barnes, he is the third outfielder the Mets have signed to a minor league deal this offseason. Depending on the roster decisions the Mets make, Barnes will be fighting with Gregor Blanco, Rajai Davis, Kevin Kaczmarski, Braxton Lee, and Tim Tebow for playing time.
Also, as first reported by MMN‘s Michael Mayer, the New York Mets have signed LHP Keelan Smithers to a minor league deal. The Massachusetts native pitched four seasons for Princeton, but he has yet to pitch in affiliated ball. He was named best pitcher in Pool C of European Championship Baseball Qualifiers last summer while playing for Ireland.
