The Mets have added some more outfield depth, signing former Stony Brook star Travis Jankowski to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training.
Jankowski, 30, slashed .252/.364/.351 with one home run, 10 RBI, and five steals in 76 games last season for the Philadelphia Phillies. The former No. 44 overall pick in 2012 has just a career .239/.322/.318 slash line and 69 steals in 426 games for the Phillies, Reds, and Padres, but he is noted as an excellent defender, and ranked in the 88th percentile in sprint speed last season, per StatCast.
The Mets currently have Mark Canha, Dom Smith, Starling Marte, and Brandon Nimmo for three outfield spots and part-time DH duty, but the only other 40-man roster options in camp for a potential fifth spot are Khalil Lee, who was 1-for-18 with 13 strikeouts in his MLB debut last year, and offseason signing Nick Plummer, who had never even reached Double-A until last season.
Jankowski is a left-handed hitter like both Plummer and Lee, and his combo of speed, defense, and MLB experience could give him a leg up if the Mets choose to go with a fifth outfielder on the bench, instead of another infielder (given that J.D. Davis and Jeff McNeil can also play the outfield in a pinch).
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