New York Mets infielder Asdrubal Cabrera has now played ten games in the Venezuelan Winter League for the Leones del Caracas and eight of them have come at second base. He’s played only one game at shortstop with former Met Wilfredo Tovar seeing the bulk of the action at the position.
Earlier this month, Cabrera did tell Team Venezuelan World Baseball Classic manager Omar Vizquel that he would play other positions than shortstop during the tournament if need be.
Cabrera’s struggles at the plate continued on Wednesday night as he went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and is now hitting just .094 without an extra base hit. His best game of the winter ball season came on Tuesday when he was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Right-handed reliever Jose Arredondo, who the Mets are scouting, pitched a scoreless eighth inning last night against Cabrera’s Leones del Caracas squad. The veteran has now pitched 28.2 winter ball innings this offseason in which he as struck out 28, allowed 24 hits and walked 16.
Mets closer Jeurys Familia has yet to see action in the Dominican Winter League because the Gigantes del Cibao’s first two playoff games have been postponed.
The only other position player in the Mets system still regularly playing in winter ball is minor league catcher Xorge Carrillo. Last night he went 1 for 3 with a triple, walk, run batted in and scored a run for the Aguilas de Mexicali. He’s hitting .290/.380/.409 with three home runs and 26 RBI over 58 winter league games this offseason.
Earlier this week at MetsMinors.net we reported that the Mets signed right-handed pitcher Joshua Torres to a minor league deal. The 22-year old pitched a perfect eighth inning last night in Puerto Rican Winter League action. He has a 3.08 ERA in 26.1 innings for the Indios de Mayaguez. During that span he has struck out 20, walked 12 and allowed only 16 hits.
