On Thursday night, the New York Mets signed infielder Jed Lowrie to a two-year $20 million deal to bring the 35-yeaer old veteran to Flushing.

After a successful college career at Stanford University, Lowrie was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round with the 45th pick of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft.

He got off to a tremendous start to his minor league career, hitting .328 and posting an .876 OPS in 53 games with the Lowell Spinners of the New York Penn League. He continued that success throughout his minor league career.

In 2007, he reached the Triple-A level after being named to the Eastern League All-Star Game, winning the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs MVP, and the Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. In total that season, he had 148 hits, 47 doubles, 13 home runs, 70 RBI’s, a .393 on-base percentage, and an .896 OPS while splitting time at second, third, and shortstop.

Lowrie received the call to the big leagues early in 2008, and on April 15th he made his big league debut. In a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians, Lowrie went 1-for-4 while driving in three runs.

Despite receiving limited playing time, he played well his first year in the big leagues. In 81 games, he hit .258/.339/.400 with two home runs, 25 doubles, and 34 runs scored. He also received his first taste of postseason play that year. Lowrie started three of the four ALDS games against the Los Angeles Angels, and hit .364 with an .825 OPS. In Game 4, he drove in the series clinching run in a 3-2 win at Fenway Park.

The next two seasons Lowrie was victimized by the injury bug. In 2009, he played just 32 games due to a left wrist injury. He then suffered from mono in 2010, but in 55 games he hit 14 doubles, nine home runs, and posted a stellar .907 OPS.

In 2011, Lowrie lost playing time at short to Marco Scutaro, and he was limited to just 88 games. He ended his Red Sox career with a bit of a down year, hitting just .252 with 14 doubles, six home runs, and a .685 OPS.

Early in the offseason, Lowrie was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for reliever Mark Melancon. During his only stint in the National League, Lowrie played 97 games and posted a then career high 16 home runs.

Following that season Lowrie was traded again, this time to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Chris Carter, Brad Peacock, and Max Stassi. He spent the next two seasons in Oakland, and showed he could produce when give regular playing time.

In 154 games in 2013, Lowrie posted a 2.0 WAR and hit 45 doubles while driving in 75 runs. Following the next season, Lowrie hit free agency for the first time in his career, and he decided to agree upon on a three-year deal to return to the Astros.

However, he remained in Houston for just one season as he was traded back to Oakland in November. In both 2015 and 2016 he was limited to just 69 and 87 games respectively due to multiple injuries.

In 2016, he underwent septum surgery after dealing with a deviated septum that disrupted his sleeping. Since then, Lowrie has had a bit of a career revival.

In 2017 with the A’s, he set a franchise record with 49 doubles in a season and posted a 120 OPS+ and .808 OPS.

Last season, he was named to his first All-Star game and finished twentieth in American League MVP voting. He played a vital role in helping carry the A’s to a Wild Card berth. In 154 games, Lowrie hit .267/.353/.448 with 37 doubles and a career high 23 home runs and 99 RBI.

While Lowrie is 34-years old and a bit injury prone, he has turned himself into an absolute force at the plate. He brings a ton of versatility and a terrific top of the order bat to the Mets lineup. Lowrie figures to slot in at the two-spot and will serve as a nice switch-hitting complement to Brandon Nimmo.