Mets Sign Pitcher Daniel Duarte to Minor League Contract

The New York Mets have quietly taken a calculated gamble on upside. They inked right-handed reliever Daniel Duarte to a minor league deal.

It’s the sort of low-risk, potentially sneaky-impact move that modern bullpens thrive on. Health upside, roster flexibility, and recent flashes of effectiveness all come bundled in.

Who Is Daniel Duarte, and Why Did the Mets Sign Him?

Duarte isn’t a household name, but he’s the kind of arm front offices want stashed in the bullpen pipeline. At 29, he’s got three years of big league experience and has already shown he can get outs at the highest level.

He’s still a work in progress, though, and the numbers tell an interesting story.

A Look Back at His MLB Track Record

Duarte got his biggest shot with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. He appeared in 31 games and logged 31 2/3 innings.

Across his MLB career—just over 38 innings—he owns a 3.99 ERA. That’s a respectable mark for a middle reliever fighting for a role.

But the deeper numbers get a bit messy:

So, what’s the package? A groundball-heavy arm who needs to throw more strikes and keep the ball down.

The Injury Road Back: UCL Revision and Lost Time

Duarte’s path hit a major snag, not because of performance, but health. He spent the 2025 season in the Minnesota Twins organization on a minor league deal, but never got on the mound due to surgery.

UCL Revision Surgery and Recovery

In May 2024, Duarte had UCL revision surgery—a serious elbow operation, often tougher than the first Tommy John. That wiped out his entire 2025 season from a competitive standpoint.

For pitchers, this kind of surgery can mean the end, or maybe a real second chance. The Mets are hoping it’s the latter. They’re banking on his health, fresh mechanics, and renewed feel for his pitches.

Signs of Life: Dominance in the Mexican Winter League

The Mets didn’t just rely on old scouting reports. They looked at what Duarte’s done lately—and that’s where things get interesting.

Scoreless Stretch and Better Command

Duarte’s return in the Mexican winter league has turned some heads. He threw 19 2/3 scoreless innings and looked sharp.

Check out the improvements in his numbers:

Sure, scoreless innings in winter ball aren’t a guarantee of MLB success, but they do show Duarte’s stuff is trending up post-surgery.

Why Duarte Fits the Mets’ Bullpen Strategy

From a roster-building angle, this move checks a lot of boxes for the Mets. It’s not flashy—it’s about depth, flexibility, and a little bit of upside for cheap.

Option Year and Roster Flexibility

Duarte still has one minor league option year left, which matters a lot in today’s bullpen world. The Mets love cycling relievers between Triple-A and the big league roster, keeping arms fresh through a 162-game grind.

That means Duarte can:

This kind of flexibility helps keep a bullpen steady and effective all season long.

A Classic Low-Risk, Potential-Reward Gamble

Financially, this is about as safe as it gets. A minor league deal for a 29-year-old coming off surgery really doesn’t carry any serious financial risk.

There’s at least a chance of finding a useful middle reliever—or maybe even more—if his winter league improvements show up against MLB hitters.

Spring Training will be Duarte’s first big test in orange and blue. If he keeps up the better strikeout and walk rates, and the groundballs are still coming, he could work his way into early bullpen talks.

If not, the Mets lose nothing but a spring roster spot and a small investment. That’s not much to fret over.

 
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