Each year at 213 we look through the Non-Roster Invitees to spring training and get to know them a bit. Are they in camp to get a look at big league hitting/pitching to aid their development? Are the Mets just trying to get a better look at a future rookie? Are they a veteran trying to get back to the major league level? What can we expect from them this season?
As we start to wind down the NRI list, it looks like the Mets went for a different type of player this year. In years past they went for experienced veterans at the end of their careers (and there is still some of that) Jake Hager joins other players on this list on an NRI who never made the majors with their former teams who are still youngish. Whether this is intentional to try to find something in these players that their original club lost, less veteran players on the market or players staying away from the Mets because of the Mesoraco situation last year is still an unknown.
Hager plays middle infield and third base for the Mets, an area where they could use a little more upper minors depth. Hopefully Hager on an NRI here paints a picture that Luis Guillorme, in camp as a member of the roster finally, has an inside track to the bench, but we won’t know that for a couple more weeks.
Hager is a former first round pick by the Rays (32nd pick) in the 2011 draft of Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas. He has played in and out of AAA ball since 2016. After the 2017 season he elected free agency and signed with the Brewers and continued this AA/AAA dance for another two seasons. When you look at his slash lines you can see why. In three seasons in AA ball he’s hit .270/.323/.406 and in four seasons at AAA he’s hit .237/.286/.361. He just hasn’t made the next step at the AAA level, which has blocked him from the majors.
Hager has already been assigned to Syracuse and is fairly down the depth chart for the Mets. If push comes to shove this season the Mets will essentially have to decide on pulling Hager or Eduardo Nunez to the 40 man and the active roster or calling up someone like Gimenez. We assume this will come down to how much regular playing time will be needed by the player. If it’s regular, it’s Andres Gimenez time in Queens. If it’s not, then maybe it’s Guillorme’s show with Hager or Nunez backing him up.
