Covey is the Mets’ first Major League contract of the Mets’ offseason.
On the first day of free agency, the Mets signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Dylan Covey to a one-year, Major League contract per a press release sent out by the Mets. Covey, entering his age 33 season, appeared in 100 games across four MLB teams, with a career 71 ERA+, -2.6 bWAR, and 214 strikeouts over 307.1 innings.
Covey was drafted by the Brewers in the first round of the 2010 draft, but was diagnosed with Type I diabetes during his post-draft physical, and decided not to sign in order to get a handle on his condition. Instead, he attended the University of San Diego for three seasons, working mostly as a starter.
In 2013, Covey was drafted again, this time by the Athletics, in the fourth round. Covey was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the White Sox in 2016, and worked most of 2017 as a starter for Chicago. He would start 21 games for the Sox in 2018 and 12 in 2019 before being designated for assignment in January of 2020 and elected free agency after being outrighted.
After signing with the Rays and being assigned to their 60-player pool for the shortened 2020 season, Covey was traded to the Red Sox in July, making eight relief appearances for them.
2021 and 2022 were both spent playing for the Rakuten Monkeys in Taiwan as part of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. It was in China that Covey had his most success, putting up a 3.63 ERA over 33 starts.
Covey returned to MLB action with the Dodgers in 2023, but was claimed off of waivers by the Phillies in May and made 27 relief appearances and one start for Philadelphia. He was especially good in September for the Phillies, allowing just one earned run in eleven innings, but did not make their postseason roster.
After a shoulder injury in spring training, Covey spent all of 2024 in the minors of Philadelphia’s system, making 18 relief appearances over 20.1 innings pitched, putting up a 2.66 ERA across three levels.
Covey seems like a pretty standard David Stearns signing; a low-risk, high reward player that has been overlooked by a number of organizations. With his time in Philadelphia being among his best in the big leagues, the Mets have, perhaps, acquired a diamond in the rough. And if not, his contract (though his compensation is not known as of press time) likely isn’t so onerous that the team will feel it when completing their roster. In other words, Covey could be the next Michael Tonkin or the next Reed Garrett and it wouldn’t be surprising.
The only surprising thing is that the interest was such between the Mets and Covey that he signed on the first day of free agency. That is, perhaps, a portent of the Mets’ expectations for him.
In a fun historical twist, Covey’s father, was drafted by the Mets in the 1968 draft, but he did not sign with the team, nor play professional baseball for another organization.