The St. Louis Cardinals have yet to make any moves to bolster their Major League roster this offseason. Meanwhile, the New York Mets, one of the offseason’s biggest spenders, just scooped up a player who was part of the Cardinals organization last year.
You might recall the name Jared Young, who spent last season on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster after beginning his career with the Chicago Cubs. Although Young didn’t appear in a Major League game for St. Louis, he has now signed a one-year Major League deal with the Mets.
Mets fans might joke about debating whether Young or fellow newcomer Juan Soto will be the bigger impact signing (wink), but it’s intriguing to see the Mets add Young to their roster just a year after the Cardinals relegated him to Triple-A. At the time, no one questioned the decision, so this isn’t about hindsight, but it’s worth noting that Young slashed .285/.411/.506 over 74 games with Memphis.
With no clear path to the majors, the Cardinals allowed Young to sign with a KBO team in July. He thrived overseas, posting an impressive 1.080 OPS in 169 plate appearances. It seems his performances in Triple-A and the KBO were enough to catch the eye of the Mets’ sharp front office.
While Steve Cohen’s Mets are known for making headlines with massive contracts, one of Cohen’s savviest moves was hiring David Stearns as president of baseball operations. Stearns built competitive teams in Milwaukee with a modest payroll, excelling in farm system development and under-the-radar acquisitions. It’s no surprise he would target a player like Young, believing he could contribute meaningfully to the Mets in 2025.
Leave a Reply