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The New York Mets have signed veteran corner outfielder Mike Tauchman to a minor league deal, according to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Tauchman (age 35) posted a .263 batting average with 9 home runs, 40 RBI’s, and a .756 OPS in 93 games with the White Sox in 2025. Tauchman even put up a 1.9 WAR (wins above replacement) in 2025.

Tauchman is an ex-Yankee Who’s Been Productive

Tauchman, who played for the Yankees (2019-21), has bounced around the league, including a 2022 stint in the KBO (Korea) professional baseball league. In Korea, Tauchman put up a .289/.366/.430 slash line with the Hanwha Eagles before then returning to the majors in 2023, where he signed with the Cubs.

Tauchman has spent the past year with the White Sox and the year prior with the Cubs since returning from Korea. He came up with the Colorado Rockies in 2017 before being traded to the Yankees in 2019, his best season, when he posted a 3.9 WAR in 87 games, with 13 home runs and an .865 OPS. Tauchman’s Yankees tenure ended, however, after a shoulder injury during the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic season affected his performance, in which he later would spend time in the San Francisco Giants organization during the 2021 season.

Tauchman has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career, which include knee, shoulder, groin, and hamstring injuries, to name a few. When Tauchman has been healthy enough to stay on the field, he’s been, for the most part, a productive player.

Tauchman Is A Nice Depth Signing For The Mets

Tauchman will serve as a depth piece for a Mets team that has an open spot in their corner outfield, along with top prospect, outfielder Carson Benge, trying to make the big league team out of camp this spring.

The Mets also have Tyrone Taylor, MJ Melendez, Brett Baty, and Luis Robert Jr as other names in the potential outfield mix as well to open up the 2026 season.

Tauchman can bring his veteran presence to the Mets’ clubhouse, along with a more contact-oriented approach at the plate and a keen eye for the strike zone. Tauchman had a 23.8 chase percentage in 2025, putting him in the 78th percentile last season, according to Baseball Savant.

Tauchman also isn’t afraid to walk, with an 11.7 percent walk rate in 2025, which placed him in the 84th percentile, according to Baseball Savant.

Tauchman, according to Baseball Savant, is also considered to be about average in 2025 as it pertains to range and OAA (outs above average), per Baseball Savant. 

Tauchman can cover either corner outfield spot (left or right field) and be a bat off the bench if he makes the Mets’ big league roster out of camp. The Mets were searching for additional outfield help this winter, especially with the departure of outfielder Brandon Nimmo in the trade with the Texas Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien.

Regardless, this is a good depth piece signing for the Mets outfield with no real risk attached, given it’s a minor league deal, with the potential of some upside given Tauchman’s reputation as a player and overall hitting ability.

Matt Cunningham Matt Cunningham is an Endicott College Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Sport Management. He is an avid follower of Major League Baseball, a Heavy Sports Contributor for the Yankees and all 30 MLB teams, and a Member of the MLB Fan Council. More about Matt Cunningham

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