The New York Mets completed a signing on Wednesday. No, it wasn’t Juan Soto, or at least not yet, nor was it a high-profile name for their rotation or lineup. It was lefty reliever Genesis Cabrera, who has been an MLB reliever since 2019 and offers a solid floor and some untapped upside.
“The Mets have signed Génesis Cabrera to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Cabrera was with the Cardinals from 2019 until he was traded to the Blue Jays in 2023. He had a 3.59 ERA in 69 games pitched for Toronto in 2024, also tallying 2 saves,” SNY wrote on X.
Cabrera is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Mets. The fact he comes in a minor league deal allows them to take a long look at him and his stuff over the winter and spring without spending relevant financial resources. In other words, he will have to earn his place in the bullpen with performance.
Cabrera brings experience and some upside to the Mets
Cabrera is still young at 28, but has six seasons of MLB experience and a solid career 3.89 ERA. Walks have been his biggest problem since stepping foot in the major leagues, with 136 in 275.2 frames.
The Mets will have some weapons to work with, though. Cabrera boasts a 96-mph fastball that can use some tweaks to take better advantage of it, and a 90-mph cutter that returned a 34.1 percent whiff rate in 2024. He throws three other pitches, too.
If the Mets can get Cabrera to throw more strikes and improve his fastball, he could be in for a career year in Queens. Even if he doesn’t take a step forward and wins a place in their bullpen, this is a shrewd signing that could give New York a reliable arm for the mid-to-late innings.