The Mets have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Alex Ramírez and right-handed pitcher Grant Hartwig that will see both return to the organization for the 2025 season. Ramírez and Hartwig were non-tendered a contract on November 22, becoming free agents. The reunion with the Mets includes an invite to spring training for Hartwig.
Alex Ramírez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Ramírez, 22, once a top-10 prospect in the Mets organization, gets another crack. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, Ramírez had a strong free agent market even though his development seemed to stall at the Double-A level. He hit .271/.342/.412/.754 in two Single-A seasons, .240/.316/.354/.670 in two High-A seasons and .210/.291/.299/.590 in Double-A.
He remained on the 40-man roster because the Mets chose to protect him in the Rule 5 draft, but Ramírez never saw any big league action. A plus-runner on the bases, Ramírez stole a career-high 40 bases in 2024, leading the Eastern League. He can play all three outfield positions and has an arm that can suit him in right field. However, he struggles with reading routes. While he had seven assists in the outfield in 2024, he committed 10 errors.
Ramírez’s hindrance has been his bat. If he can find his swing again and limit the strikeouts, he struck out 123 times and walked 55 times, he can find success again. While never known for his power, speed has been his best friend. If he can better his contact and get on base, he can be a real threat and an asset to the Mets in the future.
Grant Hartwig
Hartwig, 26, has seen action for the Mets in the last two seasons, pitching to a 5.14 ERA over 42 innings, walking 19 and striking out 34 batters with a 1.405 career WHIP. While Hartwig pitched in four games for the 2024 Mets, he missed a large portion of the season when he underwent meniscus surgery on his right knee in June.
Hartwig has always offered above-average velocity and some serious movement on his pitches. He has struggled to locate his pitches and, despite his velocity, has a 7.3 K/9 over his career. Hartwig is primarily a sinker/slider pitcher who has used a cutter as his third pitch. He averaged 94.6 MPH on his sinker in 2024, and his sweeper has a high 2588 RPM spin rate that has generated a 46.2 whiff %.
Hartwig is a great story as he went undrafted in the 2021 MLB draft and was two weeks away from taking the MCAT exam to get into medical school when the Mets offered him a contract for $20,000.
Hartwig will serve as a solid minor league depth option who can hopefully find success with the Mets pitch design and development team to capitalize on his slider.
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