The New York Mets made a handful of huge moves this offseason. Their winter was headlined by the addition of outfielder Juan Soto, but Soto wasn’t the only move the team made.
R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports recently predicted Mets offseason addition Justin Hagenman would have a breakout year for the team. Hagenman, 28, has never pitched in the big leagues.
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“Hagenman has previously spent time with the Dodgers and Red Sox organizations without receiving The Call,” Anderson wrote. “I think his time is coming, in part because the Mets rushed to give him a split contract early in the winter. Given New York’s financial might, I don’t think they would have made Hagenman a priority if they didn’t believe in his chances of making a real contribution in 2025. To be clear: I lack illusions of Hagenman becoming a high-leverage arm.
“I do, however, believe his extreme release point (he features crossfire action and a low slot) and his high-quality slider should enable him to terrorize right-handed batters. That ought to give Hagenman a chance to occupy a comfortable spot somewhere in the middle innings for manager Carlos Mendoza.”
This is quite a bold prediction to make given Hagenman’s lack of big-league experience. Last season, the righty posted an ERA near 5.00 in 91.2 innings. None of his statistics at the Triple-A level indicate that he’ll be a breakout player.
But the Mets have become notorious for getting the most out of the discarded pitchers around the league. Maybe they can do the same with Hagenman.
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