IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Mets Sign Four to Minor League Deals with Spring Invites

Published on December 3, 2008 under International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


The New York Mets today announced that they have signed RHP NELSON FIGUEROA, LHP ADAM BOSTICK, INF ANDY GREEN and C RENE RIVERA to minor league contracts with non-roster invitations to spring training.

The Mets have also signed OF JESUS FELICIANO, RHP JOSE SANCHEZ, RHP JOE HIETPAS, LHP EDGAR ALFONZO and LHP ALEX MERRICKS to minor league deals.

Figueroa, 34, was 3-3 with a 4.57ERA for the Mets in 2008. He made six starts for New York and struck out 36 batters in 45.1 innings of work. He was also 4-7 with a 4.43ERA in 20 games (16 starts) for Triple-A New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League last year.

Figueroa has a 10-20 record with a 4.64 ERA in 90 major league games.

Bostick, 25, had his 2008 season limited to 11 games after undergoing left knee surgery on May 27. He went 2-2 with a 6.04 ERA with New Orleans last season (44.2IP, 48H, 30R, 30ER, 20BB, 30K).

Green, 31, split the year between the Cincinnati Reds' Louisville team of the International League and the Mets' New Orleans club. He was released by Louisville on July 1 and played his first game for New Orleans the next day. Primarily a second baseman, Green hit .233 with 15 doubles, 2 triples, 5HR and 19RBI for Louisville and .331 with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 8HR and 28RBI in 52 games with the Zephyrs.

Green played in the major leagues from 2004-2006 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and has a .199 career average in 136 games. In 2007, he played in 18 games with the Hokkaido Nippon Hamfighters of the Pacific Division of the Japanese Professional Baseball League.

Rivera, 25, had been the Seattle Mariners' organization since 2001. Last year, he performed for two teams: Double-A Jacksonville of the Southern League and Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League. He hit .231 in 38 games with Jacksonville and .271 in 38 contests for Las Vegas. Rivera played in 53 games with the Mariners in parts of 2004, 2005 and 2006 and has a .227 big league average with seven doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI.

Feliciano, 29, hit .308 with 21 doubles, 3HR, 55RBI in 139 games with Triple-A New Orleans last season. He is a career .277 hitter in 11 minor league seasons.

Sanchez, 24, was 13-7 with a 3.83ERA and 118 strikeouts in 29 games (26 starts) with the Double-A Binghamton Mets last year. He has won 39 games over his past four minor league seasons.

Hietpas, 29, was 3-5 with a 6.34ERA in 43 games (1 start) with Binghamton in 2008. It was just his second season as a fulltime pitcher. Selected by the Mets in the 16th round of the 2001 draft, Hietpas spent his first six professional seasons as a catcher.

Alfonzo, 23, was 2-2 with a 4.26ERA in 28 relief appearances with Binghamton last year. He also recorded a save and a 3.93ERA in 19 outings with Single-A St. Lucie of the Florida State League.

Merricks, 24, was 4-1 with a 5.61ERA in 18 games (1 start) with the San Angelo Colts of the United League Baseball last season. He was originally a 4th round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2002.

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International League Stories from December 3, 2008


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