PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The Mets added to their wide-open right-field competition on Monday, agreeing to terms with veteran Mike Tauchman on a Minor League deal, a source told MLB.com. The club has not confirmed the move.
Once the contract is official, Tauchman will become the 73rd player in big league camp.
Tauchman, 35, produced a .756 OPS over 93 games with the White Sox last season, primarily playing right field while also DH’ing. He possesses one of the game’s keener batting eyes, rating in the 84th percentile in walk rate in 2025 and in the 98th percentile the year before that. Overall, Tauchman owns a .347 career on-base percentage and .727 OPS in eight seasons with the Rockies, Yankees, Giants, Cubs and White Sox.
In Mets camp, Tauchman creates another obstacle for No. 2 prospect Carson Benge to make the team. While the Mets plan to give Benge every opportunity to do just that, he has played just 24 games above Double-A and largely struggled in those contexts. Tauchman gives the Mets another option in the event that Benge can’t win the job.
Other right-field options include Tyrone Taylor, a defensive whiz who produced a .598 OPS last season, and Brett Baty, a natural infielder who is learning the corner outfield spots this spring.
Known mainly for his defensive capabilities, Tauchman had his best season on both sides of the ball in 2019 with the Yankees, when he put up 3.9 bWAR and hit .277/.361/.504 with 13 home runs and 19 defensive runs saved in the outfield. He’s been a more consistent hitter since returning from a season with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO in 2022, keeping his OPS in the low-to-mid .700s.