The New York Mets have acquired outfielder Khalil Lee from the Kansas City Royals as part of a three-team deal also involving the Boston Red Sox.
The key to the deal was the Red Sox sending outfielder Andrew Benintendi to Kansas City, and the Mets' portion involves acquiring Lee from KC and sending RHP Josh Winckowski and a player to be named later from Boston. The Red Sox will also get outfielder Franchy Cordero and two players to be named later from the Royals.
Lee was on Kansas City’s 40-man roster, so the Mets designated catcher Ali Sanchez for assignment to accommodate him.
Lee, 22, was the Royals’ third-round pick in 2016, and was ranked as their No. 8 prospect by MLB.com. The lefty/lefty outfielder spent 2019 at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, slashing .264/.363/.372 with eight home runs, 51 RBI, and 53 stolen bases in 129 games.
Winckowski, 22, was one of three players the Mets acquired from Toronto for LHP Steven Matz last month, and became the No. 26 prospect in the organization according to MLB.com. The righty was a 16th-round pick in 2016 and spent 2019 in A-ball, going 10-8 with a 2.69 ERA in 127 1/3 innings between Low-A Lansing and High-A Dunedin.
Sanchez, 24, made his MLB debut in 2020, going 1-for-9 with a walk in five games. The former international free agent signing had just reached Triple-A late in 2019, and is a career .259 hitter over six minor-league seasons.
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