The New York Mets may be amidst the all-star break. However, president of baseball operations David Stearns is still actively making moves and made a minor trade with the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday to send a veteran infielder to red and blue.
Bannon is heading to the Twins
According to Ben Yoel, the Mets have traded infielder Rylan Bannon to the Twins, with the exchange currently unknown but is expected to be cash.
A once former ranked prospect who was featured in the trade that sent Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bannon has only played in parts of two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, and Houston Astros, making just 21 plate appearances and going 2-for-20 with a walk and eight strikeouts.
The Illinois native came to the Mets organization on a minor league contract this past December and appeared in 79 games for Triple-A Syracuse, slashing .254/.392/.475 with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs, alongside seven steals and an impressive 60 walks, which works out to a 17.5% walk rate.
Bannon played all around the diamond in Triple-A, making appearances at second base, third base, shortstop, and both outfield corners.
What does this mean for the Mets?
Bannon’s trade may come as a shock, given how well he has been playing, but it does make some sense.
There is a log jam in the major leagues at each of the positions the 28-year-old has played this season, and if openings were to occur, others would be more likely to get the call-up over Bannon. Trading the Illinois native allows the Mets to get something back for a player who is likely to walk in the offseason, even if it is just cash.
In addition, it frees up Bannon’s 342-plate appearances through the first half for other players who could make an impact in Flushing soon.
