The Mets made their first offseason acquisition.
Twenty-eight-year-old minor league catcher Johnny Monell has signed with the Mets. The signing appears to be a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Monell has played a total of eight career games in Major League Baseball, dating back to 2013 with the San Francisco Giants.
During that stint, Monell went 1-for-8 with an RBI and three strikeouts. This past year, the catcher played for both the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers organizations, where he hit a combined average of .238 with 4 home runs and 24 RBI in 206 at-bats.
Born in The Bronx, Monell attended Christopher Columbus High School, went to college at Seminole Community College in Florida, and was drafted by the Giants in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft. A left-handed hitter, Monell has hit .264/.347/.448 over eight seasons in the minor leagues. He figures to serve as depth behind Travis d'Arnaud, Anthony Recker, Kevin Plawecki, and any other backup catcher the Mets might bring in between now and Opening Day.