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The Mets have claimed outfielder-first baseman Jordan Patterson off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. The move puts the Mets’ 40-man roster at 39 players.
Patterson, 26, has spent the last two years at Triple-A Albuquerque after getting 19 PA worth of major league time in 2016. Over those two years, Patterson has been an excellent hitter, posting a 127 wRC+, while hitting for both power (52 home runs) and a decent average. He’s primarily a first baseman, but he has spent significant time in the corner outfield, as well.
It’s not clear why the Rockies never gave Patterson a longer major league opportunity, but his robust minor league stats are intriguing. He’ll deepen a very thin upper-minors outfield depth chart for the Mets as well as providing additional first base depth, filling the role that Dominic Smith took last season. At the major league level, Patterson is more likely a Quad-A type player rather than a potential starter, but he can hopefully provide pop off the bench and serve as passable depth in case of injury.