The New York Mets have signed utilityman José Rondón to a minor league deal.
Rondón, 29, is currently leading all winter ball hitters with 17 home runs. He’s playing for the Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League. During their regular season, Rondón slashed .338/.413/.624 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs, and 42 RBIs in 65 games. His teammates in Venezuela include Jonathan Villar, Wilfredo Tovar, Orlando Arcia, and Harold Castro.
When playing stateside, Rondón has played all over the field, though during winter ball, he has played exclusively outfield, with at least 19 games played in all three spots. Rondón faced off against Mets catcher Francisco Álvarez in a home run derby earlier this winter, and José beat the Mets youngster 9-8.
Rondón spent the 2023 regular season playing in Mexico, where he hit .286/.367/.465 with 11 home runs in 72 games. He didn’t play in affiliated ball in 2022, too, having been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone.
The last time Rondón played in the states was in 2021. He had a .735 OPS in 63 major league games for the St. Louis Cardinals. He played first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and both corner outfield spots. He has a career .628 OPS in 169 big league games.
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