Reyes of Hope: Mets Land Former Top Prospect and All-Star Alex Reyes in Blockbuster Deal

Former Cardinals All-Star closer and blue-chip pitching prospect Alex Reyes and the Mets have agreed to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training, a source tells Just Baseball.

Long considered one of the game’s best pitching prospects, Reyes appeared on six different Baseball Prospectus top 100 prospect lists between 2014 and 2019, a testament to both his talent and recurrent injuries.

When healthy, Reyes ran his fastball north of triple digits along with a pair of nasty breaking balls and a changeup that flashed plus. Unsurprisingly, that resulted in a strikeout rate that generally hovered around 30% as a pro, though he did battle some command challenges at each stop.

Reyes made his much-anticipated MLB debut in 2016 pitching to a 1.57 ERA in 46 innings pitched both as a starter and in relief. He underwent Tommy John surgery just ahead of Spring Training in 2017, wiping out his season.

He returned in 2018 looking as advertised, striking out 44 batters in 23 consecutive scoreless innings in his four rehab appearances before tossing four shutout innings in what was his first big league appearance in a year and a half.

Unfortunately, Reyes hit the IL a day after his May 30th start and underwent surgery for a torn lat. He returned in 2019 to the first shaky results of his professional career and while his fastball was down a tick from his previous average of 97 mph, the challenges really lied with Reyes’ ability to throw strikes after multiple arm surgeries.

The Cardinals opted to move Reyes to the bullpen in 2020’s shortened season, which proved to be beneficial as his velocity ticked back up to 97.5 mph on average. He pitched to a 3.20 ERA in 19 2/3 innings and picked up a save in the postseason.

Reyes carried that momentum into 2021, earning the Cardinals closer job.

In 2021, the then 26-year-old made 69 appearances, picking up 29 saves with a 3.24 ERA in 72 1/3 innings, earning him an All-Star nod. After dealing with a shoulder issue in the following Spring Training, it was revealed that Reyes would have to undergo another shoulder surgery, wiping out his 2022 campaign before it started.

Projected to earn nearly $3 million in arbitration, the Cardinals opted to non-tender Reyes heading into the 2023 season. He later signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Dodgers, with the hope that he could join the team later in the season.

Another shoulder surgery in June put an end to his time in Los Angeles before he even made an appearance as the team opted to decline his option after the season.

Reyes did not sign with a team for 2024, casting some doubt if he would give it another shot on the mound, but the 30-year-old appears to be giving it another shot with the Mets.

For the Mets, it’s a low-risk flier to take at a spot where they could use some reinforcement.

President of baseball operations David Stearns made his gigantic splash by winning the Juan Soto sweepstakes and addressed the rotation with the signings of Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. But beyond Edwin Diaz, the bullpen still leaves a bit to be desired in terms of leverage arms.

Of course, Stearns will need to add more than just a reclamation project to bolster the bullpen, but as far as those types of projects go, Reyes is as intriguing as they come.