Mets sign OF Zach Borenstein to minor league contract

In a move to shore up their depleted Triple-A outfield depth, the Mets announced on Wednesday morning that they inked outfielder Zach Borenstein to a minor league contract. The deal also includes an invitation to big league spring training. The 27-year old minor league veteran spent 2017 with the Reno Aces in the Diamondbacks organization and has yet to play in the big leagues.

Taken in the 23rd round of the 2011 draft by the Angels, the left-handed hitting Borenstein was acquired by the Diamondbacks in a trade for reliever Joe Thatcher in 2014. He’s played a total of 7 seasons in the minors, most of the past three with the Reno of the Pacific Coast League where he hit a combined .266/.327/.475. Like Las Vegas, Reno is a fantastic environment for offense but this past year was still something of a breakout for Borenstein, who hit .279/.351/.573 while launching 24 home runs. He also played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and had 5 hits during their Cinderella run that ended in the second round of the tournament.

Borenstein appears to profile similarly to former Mets farmhand Travis Taijeron as a powerful corner outfield bat with a penchant for striking out in bunches –– he’s whiffed in over 29% of his plate appearances each of the past two seasons with Reno. Coincidentally, he’ll likely take the spot of Taijeron, who signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers earlier this week. The Mets also saw Triple-A outfielders Victor Cruzado and Travis Snider become minor league free agents earlier this month.

The signing is the second of the winter for the Mets, who added lefthander Matt Purke on a minor league deal over the weekend.