The Mets have an agreement with infielder Nick Madrigal, per various reports. It will be a one-year split deal that pays the Wasserman client $1.35MM in the majors, with another $500K available via performance bonuses. The infielder has reportedly already passed his physical but the club hasn’t officially announced the deal yet. They have a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move.
Madrigal, 28 in March, has spent the past five seasons in Chicago. Playing for both the White Sox and the Cubs, he has generally served as a light-hitting, part-time depth infielder. He has stepped to the plate 940 times over those five seasons. His 9% strikeout rate is very low but he also doesn’t walk much, taking free passes 4.6% of the time. While he puts the ball in play a lot, he doesn’t do a ton of damage in the process. He currently has just four home runs and sports a career batting line of .274/.323/.344 for an 88 wRC+. Statcast hasn’t given him strong marks for his exit velocity, hard hit rate nor his barrel rate.
He has been able to contribute in other ways. He has 17 stolen bases in 23 attempts. His defense is also well regarded. He has racked up eight Defensive Runs Saved at third base in his career and has been league average at second base. Outs Above Average has given him a +7 score at the hot corner and +2 at the keystone.
The Cubs could have kept Madrigal around for the 2025 season via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $1.9MM salary. The Cubs decided to non-tender him instead, sending him to free agency without having to put him on waivers.
The Mets have some uncertainty in their infield. Francisco Lindor has shortstop locked down. Jeff McNeil’s offense hasn’t been great lately but even his diminished production has been better than Madrigal’s. He can also play the outfield but the Mets are fairly crowded out there. Since he’s still making an eight-figure salary, he’ll probably be the regular at second.
The corners are more up in the air. Pete Alonso remains unsigned, giving the club a theoretical hole at first base. However, it’s been suggested that the club might be content to have Alonso move on. In that scenario, the club would move Mark Vientos over from third to first, leaving the hot corner open for a competition between Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña.
They have also lost a key depth infielder. They signed Jose Iglesias to a minor league deal last offseason, which turned into a huge win. He got into 85 games and hit .337/.381/.448 while filling in at second, third and short. He became a free agent at season’s end. Recent reporting has suggested that the Mets were interested in bolstering their infield depth.
Madrigal still has an option remaining, so he doesn’t need to be guaranteed a spot on the active roster. The fact that the Mets have given him a split deal suggests that going to the minors is a distinct possibility. If he eventually gets a big league roster spot, he could potentially replace Iglesias in that bench infielder role. If the young third base options struggle, he at least gives them a glove-first option there. If any of the club’s outfielders get injured and McNeil needs to go out there, or McNeil himself gets hurt, Madrigal could step in. An injury to Lindor could lead to Acuña or Mauricio covering short, which would bump Madrigal up the chart at third.
Since Madrigal has that option, there’s nothing really stopping the Mets from bringing back Iglesias or some other veteran infielder, so they’ve added some depth without closing any doors to other possibilities and at a fairly minimal cost. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported yesterday that the Mets “haven’t yet strongly pursued” a reunion with Iglesias. If Madrigal still has a roster spot at season’s end, he can be retained via arbitration for 2026.
Joel Sherman of The New York Post first reported that the two sides were in agreement. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com first reported that it was a split deal. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that it was a one-year pact. Sherman then reported the fact that Madrigal passed his physical, as well as the big league salary and bonuses.
Iglesias replacement?
Thw second coming of Danny Mendick.
White Sox drafted Nick 4th overall in 2018. Touted as having the best bat skills in the draft. Couldn’t strike him out ; averaged over .300 for the Sox. Traded to the Cubs for Craig Kimbrel, during the last good season Sox had.
…Neither player has been the same since
Ya know, I thought I remembered him being a decent hitter with the White Sox when healthy, but the article made it seem like he’s terrible. You confirmed my suspicion, lol. Seems like he always got on base against Detroit at least.
It’s called the Julianna Zobrist curse.
I’m at a loss trying to understand how Iglasias gets overlooked season after season. All he does is outperform his contract and is a great clubhouse presence
Why not play the healthy Acuna?
Final piece!
For another LCS exit.
This team isn’t going to any LCS!
Great, under-the-radar pick-up for the Mets.
Vientos to first. Mets fans meet your new third baseman.
Joke right? They have at least 3 better options already on the team lol
Pete isnt going to gat a better offer than the Mets.
There goes Iglesias
OMG! Who will hold up the glitter letters?
“There goes Iglesias”..Let’s be honest here for a moment. The Mets have had a very good, even historical off-season so far. David Stearns looks like the savvy, experienced GM they’ve long needed.
All that being said, I don’t know what more Iglesias could have possibly done to earn a contract extension and a reprisal of his excellent play, energy, timely hitting and long running “OMG” show.
It’s a head scratcher for sure, but at this point I’m inclined to trust the vision, knowledge and savvy of one David Stearns.
Agree with almost everything you mentioned MLB. The fact that Madrigal has an option left, suggests the door on Iglasias isn’t closed and this is insurance. I’m expecting Iglasias to eventually resign with the Mets.
Ok terrific
See only a minor league deal with spring training invite to big league camp.
But can he sing?
Welcome to the family, Madrigal.
AH ha ha i see you
Wait, was this a reference to Madrigals as in the music from the Renaissance or to Iglesias being a pop singer?
Yes, I Sing.
PiazzaParty: Yes
Not sure if he’s a “glove first” guy, but his bat sure doesn’t say a lot in his stats… Guess it doesn’t hurt for NYM to add him.
Not glove- first, he’s glove- only.
basically iglesias to the m’s
“WTF” is Met’s new rallying cry and slogan
LFGM when they sign Petey back!
So, bringing in Madrigal and letting Iglesias go? Bad move if that’s the case
Anything more than a minor league deal would be ridiculous. But who knows with the Mets? They hardball Alonso and spread money around to everybody else.
“They hardball Alonso”..I don’t believe the Mets are “hard-balling” Pete at all. It’s evident they’ve offered as much or more than anyone else so far.
It’s more like only wanting to pay the market rate and not some fantasy number concocted in the mind of the mercurial, self centered super agent Scott Boras.
If the Mets were truly “hardballing” Pete some other team would’ve easily topped their offer and Pete, whose under tremendous pressure from the MLBPA to take the biggest offer, would be heading out the door even as we speak.
Casey
Offering market rates isn’t hardball. Who all else is the money getting spread around to?
I get the baseball reasons for hardballing Alonso. One-dimensional, declining, yada, yada. But he will still provide 30+ homers and a franchise record, which could sell a few tickets. The Mets have doled out nearly a billion in free agent spending this offseason. Cohen has more money than God and Mammon combined. And they’re haggling over 3yr/70M vs. 3yr/90M?
Man, pony up the twenty mill from Cohen’s profits yesterday and make the deal.
The market shows he’s not worth that amount. It’s not “hardball” to offer a fair deal and for what it’s worth they also offered him a gross overpay as well. The Mets did their part with respect to honoring the wishes of the fan base.
Also “just pony up” when you’re talking about 20 MILLION DOLLARS is trite sentiment from people who have never been anywhere near that amount of money. It’s a stupid amount of money to be frivolous with.
None of the above even addresses the luxury tax that doubles every dollar amount we’re talking about.
Also where’s the logic in “you’ve already given a lot of money out, why not give even more”? Like what? He’s already spent A BILLION why are you chastising him when he’s personally spent more than several teams owned by groups of billionaires.
Is this a joke? No discernible skills. No power, not a burner, so-so on base skills, a very hollow .274 BA. Someone please say this is a minors deal only.
Relax
He has an option left and yes, it’s a split contract. It doesn’t even hold them back from resigning Iglesias. The article stated every possible scenario. Maybe they updated it because they didn’t have all the info they do now.
It’s a split contract majors/minors. Nothing money (I assume) but still a strange pickup. From Anthony DiComo…
The Mets have signed infielder Nick Madrigal, source confirms @Joelsherman1 report. It’s a split contract worth different amounts in the Majors or Minors.
Recently non-tendered, Madrigal plays second and third base and is one of the tougher players in the Majors to strike out.
Cubs fans have announced a parade at Clark and Addison on Sept 23 if Nick stays on the roster that long.
Best hope is McNeil refinds some of his form.
LOLMets
I honestly really love this. let’s go
Temu Iglesias
I hope they have more athletic tape and band aids than the Cubs do. And an extra set of groin and hamstring muscles.
@uncle Mike, lol!
I do wish Nick the best in NY. Maybe he’ll get a chance to hit in front of Soto. Mahalo!
Hopefully he’s a pop singer.
2018 MLB Draft Pick-by-Pick Analysis from June 3rd, 2018
4. Chicago White Sox: 2B Nick Madrigal, Oregon State University
Madrigal is the best player in college baseball, and he’s the best pure hitter in this Draft, hitting a cool .406 this year for the Beavers with 13 walks and just five strikeouts. He may be only 5-foot-8, but size isn’t an issue because he can hit, he can really run and he can really play second base. The Jose Altuve comparisons are a bit much because Madrigal doesn’t have that kind of power, but he’s not a slap-hitter, either.MLB.com
When you’re right, you’re right!
He actually turned into a decent fielding 3rd baseman with the Cubs. He hits for average and can get on base when he’s going right. I always thought he was a better when given his reps. As a bench player, not so much. He’s a good pick up by the Mets.
I’ll always have love for Nicky two Strikes. Wish all the best to Nicky Barrels.
He only has two nicknames?!
Yup.
In the movie Bachelor Party he was just Nick the D___.
Nothing drives NYM fans more bonkers than depth signings.
I’ll never forget when he was a rookie and was asked about 3000 hits and his response was “it’s very reachable” and said he was confident he’d reach it.
Love the confidence but man that hasn’t aged well
He’d be lucky to get 3000 innings with his injury history
Sure but I’m thinking he’s probably gonna spit 3000 sunflower seeds
Nothing is as entertaining as watching Little Nicky Short Legs Run to first on a ground ball ….those little legs just a churnin’
I actually don’t mind this move. Before his major injury, Madrigal looked like Arraez lite version. If he can provide more produxtion then Joey Wendle and Zack Short its a win
I remember the 2018 MLB Draft vividly because the White Sox had the 4th pick and this pick was very important towards the success of the rebuild. Since they already had “supposed” power and pitching, I thought a high contact, high on base, and good defensive 2B would be a great pick. He was coming from Oregon State so I assumed his baseball IQ would be high. I had dreams of a Craig Biggio player and he would be a part of the core of a rebuilding White Sox team.
Well, that did not work out. His defense at 2B was mediocre and his arm was weak. Yes, he rarely struck out but he was so weak, he rarely could even get doubles. What surprised me the most about him was his baseball IQ and baserunning skills. Very weak!
The trade to the Cubs was a disaster for both teams as Kimbrel was terrible for the White Sox and Madrigal didn’t do much for the Cubs. The Cubs also got Codi Heuer in the deal and he was hurt almost all of the time.
I heard that the White Sox tried to sign Madrigal to one of those long term deals that they gave Moncada, Jimenez, Robert, etc. But Madrigal turned that down. I guess if there’s a silver lining in all of this, that was it.
Good luck, Nick, we wish you the best. But this is just one of the many reminders of why the White Sox failed with their rebuild.
When I see that bottom line on MLB Network of Mets free agents, Iglesias is the most obvious to bring back, only because the Mets seem to think Alonso wants too much. But even if Jose is 20% worse than last season, it’s still very important. It makes no sense to bring younger guys if they’re just gonna sit or be a defensive replacement.
Whenever I see his name, I always think “thank God for Alec Bohm”
Remember that draft as the first 2 picks were locks and the Philllies had the #3 pick and there was quite a few names in the discussion and Nicky two-strikes was getting a lot of love. As was Kelenic..
Pretty sure there were some real duds in the top half of that round – hitting wise….
Padres outbid again!