Mets sign RHP Justin Hagenman to big league deal
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NEW YORK -- Although the Mets have yet to complete a splashy deal this offseason, they¡¯ve spent the past month quietly fleshing out their pitching depth. It¡¯s a strategy that continued Monday with the signing of right-handed pitcher Justin Hagenman, who received a big league contract despite never having previously played in the Majors.
The deal is a split contract that pays Hagenman $850,000, or about 12 percent above the league minimum, for any time he spends in the Majors. It¡¯s the second Major League contract the Mets have given out this winter, following right-hander Dylan Covey¡¯s signing last month.
Hagenman, 28, is a longtime Dodgers farmhand who spent all last season at Boston¡¯s Triple-A Worcester affiliate, producing a 4.91 ERA over 15 starts and 13 relief appearances. A Voorhees, N.J., native, Hagenman throws in the low to mid-90s with a sinker, cutter, changeup and slider.
He¡¯ll add to a depth mix that currently includes Tylor Megill, Jos¨¦ Butt¨®, Mike Vasil, Dom Hamel, Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell at the top two levels of the organization. The Mets are likely to add multiple veteran starting pitchers this winter to complement rotation locks Kodai Senga and David Peterson. The others will compete for jobs.
Hagenman is one of several arms the Mets have acquired this year on either modest big-league deals or Minor League contracts, joining Covey, Jake Diekman, Rico Garcia and Kevin Herget, all of whom will be in big league camp.