The Mets announced the signing of four players to minor league contracts today, including right-handed relief pitcher Buddy Carlyle. Left-handed pitcher Duane Below, first baseman Marc Krauss, and left-hander Andrew Barbosa were also inked to deals.
Carlyle, 37, had a fantastic year with the Mets in 2014, posting a 1.45 ERA over 31 innings. However, he was limited to just eight innings with the Mets this season, having season-ending hip surgery in June.
Below, 30, was also in the Mets organization this year, but pitched exclusively with Triple-A Las Vegas. In 49.1 innings with them, Below pitched to a 2.19 ERA. He has experience starting and pitching out of the bullpen. In 78 innings in the major leagues between the Tigers and Marlins, Below has a 4.27 ERA.
Krauss is a left-handed hitting first baseman and left fielder who has spent time with the Astros, Rays, Angels, and Tigers over the past three seasons. In 435 career plate appearances, the 28 year-old has a .188/.255/.324 slash line with 18 doubles and 12 home runs. He has some power and hit 20 home runs a few times in the minor leagues, but not much else has been there so far for Krauss.
Barbosa is a 6’8″ left-hander who has struck out a ton of hitters at the lower levels of the minor leagues, but has been held back by high hit and walk rates. 28, Barbosa has a career 3.65 ERA in the minor leagues along with an 11.0 strikeout rate and 4.4 walk rate. He made nine start for the Long Island Ducks in 2015, posting a 2.82 ERA over 51 innings. In 43.2 innings with the Braves’ Double-A affiliate, Barbosa owned a 2.68 ERA and 2.78 FIP.
Carlyle is a year short of qualifying for XX(B) free agency, so all of these deals will presumably be standard minor league contracts.
