New York Mets: Jerad Eickhoff is a quality depth signing

RHP Jerad Eickhoff is an interesting depth signing for the New York Mets.

It’s not the Trevor Bauer or George Springer-type signing New York Mets fans are impatiently waiting on this offseason, but the recent signing of RHP Jerad Eickhoff is a quality depth signing for the New York Mets.

Actually, “impatiently” may not be the right term to use here considering the change of energy among Mets faithful thanks to an offseason that’s already seen New York in on every top available free agent and new owner Steve Cohen gaining more fans by the day with his quality Twitter content.

Typically, a Jerad Eickhoff signing is the type of move we have come to expect from an organization like the Mets. Get him on a low-cost deal, plug him into the back of the rotation, and attempt to sell it to fans as a big offseason playoff rotation.

But that’s not the case this winter. Eickhoff was signed to a minor league deal with the ability to earn $1.25 million if he makes the major league roster with another $700,000 in incentives.

If healthy, Jerad Eickhoff is the type of signing you want your organization to make to add quality depth in the upper minors in case of injury, or to provide a handful of quality spot-starts over the course of a long and demanding 162 game regular season schedule.

Eickhoff became a full-time starter with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2016, going 11-14 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a strikeout rate north of 20%. He was worth 3.0 Wins Above Replacement across 197 innings and appeared poised to be a mainstay in the middle of Philadelphia’s rotation.

His 2017 numbers took a hit, but he was still a 2.0 fWAR pitcher who kept his strikeout rate north of 20% and lowered his home run rate, but the walks increased and nerve pain began to settle in for Eickhoff.

He logged just five innings in 2018 and returned to the mound in 2019 but struggled to a 6.51 FIP across 58 innings. Eickhoff spent the 2020 season with both the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers, but did not make a major league appearance.

Despite his recent injury history and struggles, Eickhoff has shown the ability to be a successful mid-rotation starter in the NL East before. As a starting pitcher who can stash away on your Triple-A roster in case of emergency, he’s a quality signing with medium-high upside possibility for the Mets.

The New York Mets are still actively pursuing the top-end talents in free agency, but depth signings like Jerad Eickhoff will also play a role in 2021 as the Mets look to become a contender next season.