The New York Mets add a great bench piece with spring training approaching.
On Tuesday morning, Jon Heyman first reported the New York Mets signing free-agent utility infielder Jonathan Villar. Joel Sherman added that the deal is for one year, $3.55 million.
Villar deal is 1 yr, $3.55M as @JonHeyman reported. It is guaranteed and there are incentives. Versatile. Speed. Switch-hitter.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 9, 2021
In the shortened 2020 season, the 29-year-old native of the Dominican Republic slashed .232/.301/.292 in 52 games between Miami and Toronto which isn’t anything special, but it will give the Mets a little bit of breathing room on off days or for potential injury.
After spending the last month of the 2020 season with the Blue Jays, Villar elected to test the waters in free agency.
Going back to 2019, Villar had a productive season with the Orioles hitting .274/.339/.453 with 24 home runs, 73 RBI, and a 4.1 WAR, which shows just how valuable he was to a struggling Orioles lineup.
The most notable thing that Villar has to offer is his ability to steal bases in clutch situations, ranking second in the MLB in 2020 with 16 stolen bases, and 218 career steals over his eight major league seasons.
While Villar’s defense may not be the most ideal situation, he compares to players like Kiké Hernández in that his defensive output on paper doesn’t look like much, but he adds much-needed versatility without breaking the bank.
