Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns made his first signing of the offseason, claiming second baseman Kyren Paris off waivers from the Angels. Paris was drafted in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
He was the number four prospect for the Angels in 2024 and had some solid seasons in the minor leagues. In 2026, across Double-A and Triple-A, he posted a .274/.384/.458 slash line.
Paris has struggled in the big leagues, but has only played in 88 games since his debut in 2023. The Angels exhausted all of his minor league options, so the Mets will need to keep him on the big-league roster if they want to keep him.
On the surface, this could look like a forgettable signing that ultimately doesn't lead to anything meaningful. While that could end up being the outcome, Paris's talent is undeniable, and second base is a position of need for the Mets.
With Marcus Semien's struggles and Brett Baty's inconsistency, the Mets could use a competition for the starting job. While Paris would need to have an extraordinary spring training to put him ahead of the Mets' top prospect, Jefferson Rojas, he's a name that's worth being in the conversation.
A good argument could be made that part of the reason for his struggles in the big leagues has to do with the Angels mismanaging his playing time. For a team that hasn't been in playoff contention, they never let Paris, a top prospect, play more than 44 big-league games in a single season.
Paris offers defensive versatility as well. He's played shortstop and third base and has experience in all three outfield positions, which is always a plus for a player living on the margins of a roster.
If there's one thing Stearns loves to do, it's sign a player with upside who hasn't lived up to their potential. This approach has worked, particularly in his first offseason with the Mets, but it's been a struggle over the past two years.
He's faltered in his evaluation of older big-league talent, like the acquisitions of Jorge Polanco and Frankie Montas, but Stearns's decision-making with younger players has been almost spotless.
On the Mets, there's, of course, Carson Benge, whom Stearns drafted, but looking back to his Brewers days, he helped build what turned into a championship team. He signed stars like Jackson Chourio and Abner Uribe in international free agency, key pieces for the 2026 season.
While Paris is far from prospect status, he's younger than the typical player who is out of options. He was drafted at just 17 years old and will be 25 at the start of next season.
This isn't the first time that the Angels have given up on a young player. If history can be used as a guide, it tends to not work out well for them.
Mickey Moniak was released by the Angels in 2025, and he proceeded to sign a one-year deal with the Rockies and had the best season of his career. Moniak had far more big-league playing time than Paris did prior to his release, but the pattern of giving up on a young player before they could reach their potential is there.
Sometimes, decisions that garner little attention can be vital to the success of an offseason. If Stearns is going back to his player development roots, then perhaps this could be the first domino that falls in the offseason the Mets need for 2027 to be a success.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/mets/onsi as Mets' First Official Offseason Signing Could Prove to Be Intriguing Chess Piece .
