The team has set its 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft.
The Mets have added right-handed pitchers Jacob deGrom, Jeff Walters, and Erik Goeddel and left-handed pitcher Steven Matzto their 40-man roster this evening, protecting them from the upcoming Rule 5 draft in December. Teams had until midnight tonight to add eligible players—those who signed at age 19 or older with four years of professional experience and those who at 18 or younger with five years of professional experience—to their 40-man rosters.
Before the additions, the Mets had 36 players on the roster. That brings their 40-man roster up to 40 players, though at least a couple of spots might open up soon as the team could very well decide to non-tender Scott Atchison and Omar Quintanilla or designate a player like Jordany Valdespin for assignment.
As for the minor league players added to the forty, Jeff Paternostro saw all fourthis summer.
Here's some of what he had to say about deGrom:
The projection: 8th inning guy
Risk Factor: Low-Medium. TJ surgery on his resume, command can be spotty, but close to major-league-ready with two solid-average fastballs. Will pitch in the majors.
On Walters:
Walters doesn't get rattled on the mound, and goes right after hitters. Mechanics are about what you'd expect from a would-be power reliever, some effort in the delivery, but he generates serious armspeed and I like the high-three-quarters release point.
On Matz:
I was really excited to see a finally healthy Matz and he did not disappoint. Fastball was a heavy 91-94 and worked both in and up with it as needed. There is some deception there too, as he hides the ball behind his head during his delivery.
On Goeddel:
Goeddel's stuff is not a great fit for Vegas, especially if he's starting. I'd like to see them move him to the pen to see if he sticks at the upper end of his velocity there. It would also allow him to focus on being a fastball/curve guy.
Players left unprotected in the draft can be taken by other teams with available 40-man roster spots for a $50,000 fee paid to the player's current team, but the new team must keep the player on its major league roster through next year's season. If the team wishes to cut the player from the major league roster, it must offer the player back to his original team for $25,000.
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