The third baseman has signed with the Rakuten Eagles
According to ESPN New York, Zach Lutz is leaving the Mets organization to pursue a baseball career in Japan. He has reportedly signed with the Rakuten Eagles.
A career .289/.384/.481 hitter across the minors, Lutz had been on the Mets' prospects radar for a long time, particularly after a breakout 2010 season that saw the third baseman make an incredible leap from Low-A ball to start the year all the way to Triple-A by the end of the season. But a combination of untimely injuries and playing in the shadow of the best player on the team prevented him from seeing regular big league action. In his limited time at the highest level, the 28-year-old hit a combined .226/.351/.390 in 37 plate appearances.
While it was nice for the Mets to have Lutz in the organization as corner infield depth, it was unlikely that he would make any significant contribution to the team's long-term plans. Here's hoping that Lutz can make the most of his playing time in Japan, where he will join an Eagles infield that also features another former big league player: Kevin Youkilis.