(Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
Outfielder Trayce Thompson signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets and received an invitation to Spring Training camp, Andy Martino of SportsNet New York reported on Wednesday.
Thompson, 32, was born in Los Angeles, Calif and has played seven seasons in Major League Baseball.
Last season, Thompson played with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox prior to him electing free agency on November 6.
Thompson was traded to the White Sox from the Dodgers on July 28 involving Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure going to the South Side along with Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly going to Los Angeles. Thompson on July 28 also went on the 60-day injured list with a strained left oblique and was not activated until August 3.
In 2023 with the Dodgers and the White Sox, Thompson suited up in 72 games batting .163 with 179 plate appearances recording 25 hits, two doubles, six home runs, 17 RBI, 24 walks, 77 strikeouts, and a .579 OPS.
Thompson also played in the Rookie Complex Level with the Dodgers, Triple-A Oklahoma City, and Triple-A Charlotte in 2023 batting .318 in six games with 23 plate appearances recording seven hits, four doubles, one home run, four RBI, and eight strikeouts.
During the 2022 season, Thompson played with the San Diego Padres and the Dodgers in 80 games batting .256 with 255 plate appearances smacking 56 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 32 walks, 93 strikeouts and a .860 OPS.
Thompson made his MLB debut on August 4, 2015 and has played seven seasons with the White Sox in 2015, 2018, and 2023, the Dodgers in 2016–17 and 2022-23, the Oakland Athletics in 2018, the Chicago Cubs in 2021, and the Padres in 2022 during his major league career.
In his sevens seasons in MLB, Thompson has played in 369 games with 1,058 plate appearances including a .212 average recording 198 hits, 41 doubles, five triples, 45 home runs, 126 RBI, 17 stolen bases, 115 walks, 346 strikeouts, and a .711 OPS.
Thompson will have to compete in Spring Training with Starling Marte, DJ Stewart and Jeff McNeil in both corner outfield positions in order to make the official roster for Opening Day of the 2024 regular season with the Mets.
The Mets will play their first Spring Training game of the 2024 season against the St. Louis Cardinals at home at Clover Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla as a split-squad game at 1:10 p.m. EST.