Mets sign perfect depth outfielder in Albert Almora Jr.

The New York Mets‘ heavy lifting this offseason is over. Now that Trevor Bauer is off the market, the Mets are essentially looking to fill out the roster, adding depth and possibly another piece or two to the bullpen. There is not much more that needs to be done before the season begins.

The Mets began the process of improving their depth on Sunday. They have signed Albert Almora Jr. to a contract for the upcoming season.

What Albert Almora Jr. brings to the New York Mets

There was a time when Almora appeared to be a future building block for the Cubs. He produced a respectable .292/.330/.448 batting line over his first 440 plate appearances, hitting 11 homers and 27 doubles. His defense was also valuable as he saved ten runs combined in 2016 and 2017.

However, he fell off afterwards. Almora produced a .264/.301/.379 batting line in 2018 and 2019, hitting 17 homers and 35 doubles in 842 plate appearances. His defense also fell off, to the point where he was a liability in the outfield. By the end of the 2020 season, it was clear that he was no longer in the Cubs’ plans, receiving just 34 plate appearances and spending most of the season at their alternative site.

Almora now has a chance at a new beginning. He is likely to serve as the Mets’ fourth outfielder as he is capable of playing at any of the three outfield spots. While he is never going to be a star, his high contact approach and solid defense could lead to a revival in New York.

He is not just a one year rental either. Almora is under team control through 2023, and could become a valuable asset moving forward if he can return to the form he showed over his first two seasons. As he will turn 27 years old at the start of the 2021 campaign, it is possible that the Mets have found an undervalued asset as they move forward.

The New York Mets have improved their depth by signing Albert Almora Jr. This contract could turn out to be even better than they hoped.