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Kevin Kaczmarski

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/6/18

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Here are today’s minor league moves, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…

  • The Mets outrighted Kevin Kaczmarski to Triple-A after the outfielder cleared waivers, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (Twitter link).  New York designated Kaczmarski for assignment last Thursday.  Kaczmarski, a ninth-round pick for the Mets in the 2015 draft, has an even .800 OPS (.301/.382/.418) over 1469 career PA in the minor leagues.  He made his big league debut this season, appearing in four games for the Mets.

Mets Designate Kevin Kaczmarski

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The Mets have designated outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski for assignment, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). His spot on the roster will go to right-hander Bobby Wahl, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Las Vegas. Additionally, the Mets have reinstated Todd Frazier from the disabled list and placed fellow infielder Phillip Evans on the DL due to a fractured tibia.

Kaczmarski, 26, made his MLB debut earlier this season but appeared in just four games and came to the plate a total of five times — going hitless in that small sample of work. He’s been terrific through 145 plate appearances in an admittedly hitter-friendly setting in the Pacific Coast League this year, batting .357/.421/.444 for New York’s Triple-A affiliate in Vegas.

A former ninth-round pick, Kaczmarski has hit for a solid average and posted quality OBP numbers at every level throughout his minor league career, though he’s done so without much in the power department and has never really proven adept when it comes to stealing bases, either. He has experience at all three outfield spots but has seen quite a bit more action in the corners, specifically in left field, over the course of his pro career. He does have three option years remaining (including this season), as his contract was selected for the first time earlier this year.

Mets Select Matt den Dekker

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The Mets have selected the contract of outfielder Matt den Dekker, per a club announcement. The club also recalled righty Jacob Rhame while optioning outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski and righty Drew Gagnon.

It’s a homecoming for den Dekker, who’ll soon turn 31 years of age. A 2010 fifth-round pick, den Dekker broke into the majors with the Mets in 2013. He was shipped out in the early-2015 deal that brought Jerry Blevins to New York but rejoined the organization on a minor-league deal this winter.

Thus far on the season, through 249 plate appearances at Triple-A Las Vegas, den Dekker has turned in a .286/.336/.524 slash line with 11 long balls. He’ll line up in center field and bat sixth for the Mets tonight.

Mets To Select Drew Smith, Kevin Kaczmarski

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The Mets announced following today’s game that they’ve optioned righties Paul Sewald and Chris Flexen to Triple-A Las Vegas. While the team said that corresponding moves won’t be announced until tomorrow, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that the organization will select the contracts of right-handed reliever Drew Smith and outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski (Twitter link). Kaczmarski was scratched from tonight’s lineup for the 51’s, Betsy Helfand of the Las Vegas Journal-Review tweets.

That pair of additions to the 40-man roster will require another pair of corresponding moves. The Mets, obviously, can move AJ Ramos from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL to account for one of those moves, now that Ramos has undergone surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.

The second move isn’t yet clear. It’s possible that they could designate someone for assignment or release someone — Jose Reyes has been rumored to be on thin ice — and DiComo speculates that the team could recall injured righty Jamie Callahan and put him on the MLB 60-day DL, as he’s already out for the year.

[Related: New York Mets depth chart]

In Smith, the Mets will be getting their first MLB look at the hard-throwing righty they acquired from the Rays in last year’s Lucas Duda trade. The 24-year-old has worked to a 3.00 ERA with 8.4 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9 and a 45.6 percent ground-ball rate through 30 innings in an excessively hitter-friendly environment. MLB.com ranks him as the team’s No. 30 prospect, praising his plus heater and above-average curveball and writing that he has “all the ingredients to be an effective short reliever.”

Kaczmarski, 26, has just 24 games of experience at the Triple-A level, but a combination of his impressive numbers and several injuries in the Mets’ outfield mix has opened an opportunity for him in the Majors, it seems. The 2015 ninth-rounder has hit .363/.413/.450 through 92 plate appearances in Vegas and has a track record of relatively low strikeout rates and solid walk rates. For a Mets club that is currently using Dominic Smith in left field with Cespedes, Jay Bruce and Juan Lagares all on the disabled list, it’s only logical to see a more natural outfield option join the fray.

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