Earlier in the week, it was announced that the Mets had signed Willie Harris to a minor league deal. It had appeared that he had a pretty clear path to making the Mets roster.
That, however, is no longer the case. According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, an organizational source has confirmed that the Mets have signed outfielder Scott Hairston to a minor league deal.
Hairston now appears to be the front-runner for one of the last spots on the Mets roster.
Last season, Hairston batted .210 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI for the San Diego Padres. In parts of seven seasons in the majors, Hairston has played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics in addition to his time with the Padres. Hairston is a career .245 hitter with 68 career home runs and 25 career stolen bases.
While these numbers may not seem great, if we look at Hairston’s 162-game average, we see a pleasant surprise. This average still show that Hairston still puts up .245 batting average, but it would come with 20 home runs and a .435 slugging percentage.
Hairston also has shown the ability to play numerous positions in the field. Hairston has played over 100 games in both center fielder and left field. In addition, he has played 86 games at second base.
He is one of five members of his family to have played in the major leagues. His grandfather Sam played with the White Sox, his uncle John played for the Cubs, his father Jerry played for the White Sox and Pirates, and his brother, Jerry Jr., currently plays for the Padres. There is extensive baseball knowledge within his family, which bodes well for any player.
Hairston serves as a great low-risk/high-reward addition to the Mets. He should make the Opening Day roster, and he has the ability to contribute off of the bench.
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